Pilot/Controller Glossary
With JO 7110.65BB, Change 3, effective July 9, 2026 · Official text on faa.gov
The FAA's definitions of the terms used in air traffic control, 1,559 of them, kept in step with the 7110.65.
Frequently used terms
- ABEAM
- ABORT
- ACKNOWLEDGE
- ADVISE INTENTIONS
- AFFIRMATIVE
- AIRMEN'S METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION (AIRMET)
- ALTITUDE READOUT
- ALTITUDE RESTRICTIONS ARE CANCELED
- APPROACH SPEED
- APPROPRIATE OBSTACLE CLEARANCE MINIMUM ALTITUDE
- APPROPRIATE TERRAIN CLEARANCE MINIMUM ALTITUDE
- BACK‐TAXI
- BLIND TRANSMISSION
- BLOCKED
- BRAKING ACTION (GOOD, GOOD TO MEDIUM, MEDIUM, MEDIUM TO POOR, POOR, OR NIL)
- CHASE
- CIRCLE TO RUNWAY (RUNWAY NUMBER)
- CLEARANCE
- CLEARANCE VOID IF NOT OFF BY (TIME)
- CLEARED APPROACH
- CLEARED (Type of) APPROACH
- CLEARED AS FILED
- CLEARED FOR TAKEOFF
- CLEARED FOR THE OPTION
- CLEARED THROUGH
- CLEARED TO LAND
- CLIMB TO VFR
- COMPLY WITH RESTRICTIONS
- CONTACT APPROACH
- CONTINUE
- CONVECTIVE SIGMET
- CROSS (FIX) AT (ALTITUDE)
- CROSS (FIX) AT OR ABOVE (ALTITUDE)
- CROSS (FIX) AT OR BELOW (ALTITUDE)
- CRUISE
- DELAY INDEFINITE (REASON IF KNOWN) EXPECT FURTHER CLEARANCE (TIME)
- DIRECT
- EMERGENCY
- EXECUTE MISSED APPROACH
- EXPECT (ALTITUDE) AT (TIME) or (FIX)
- EXPECT FURTHER CLEARANCE (TIME)
- EXPECT FURTHER CLEARANCE VIA (AIRWAYS, ROUTES OR FIXES)
- EXPEDITE
- FINAL
- FLIGHT LEVEL
- FRC
- GO AHEAD
- GO AROUND
- HAVE NUMBERS
- HEAVY (AIRCRAFT)
- HOMING
- HOW DO YOU HEAR ME?
- I SAY AGAIN
- IDENT
- IF NO TRANSMISSION RECEIVED FOR (TIME)
- IMMEDIATELY
- INCREASE SPEED TO (SPEED)
- LOW ALTITUDE ALERT, CHECK YOUR ALTITUDE IMMEDIATELY
- MAINTAIN
- MAKE SHORT APPROACH
- MAYDAY
- MISSED APPROACH
- MONITOR
- NEGATIVE
- NEGATIVE CONTACT
- NO GYRO APPROACH
- NO GYRO VECTOR
- NO TRANSGRESSION ZONE (NTZ)
- NORDO (No Radio)
- NUMEROUS TARGETS VICINITY (LOCATION)
- OFF COURSE
- ON COURSE
- OUT
- OVER
- PILOT'S DISCRETION
- RADAR CONTACT
- RADAR CONTACT LOST
- RADAR SERVICE TERMINATED
- READ BACK
- REDUCE SPEED TO (SPEED)
- REPORT
- REQUEST FULL ROUTE CLEARANCE
- RESUME NORMAL SPEED
- RESUME OWN NAVIGATION
- RESUME PUBLISHED SPEED
- ROGER
- RUNWAY HEADING
- SAY AGAIN
- SAY ALTITUDE
- SAY HEADING
- SIGMET
- SIGNIFICANT METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION
- SPEAK SLOWER
- SQUAWK (Mode, Code, Function)
- STAND BY
- STOP ALTITUDE SQUAWK
- STOP BURST
- STOP BUZZER
- STOP SQUAWK (Mode or Code)
- STOP STREAM
- THAT IS CORRECT
- TRAFFIC
- TRAFFIC ALERT (aircraft call sign), TURN (left/right) IMMEDIATELY, (climb/descend) AND MAINTAIN (altitude).
- TRAFFIC IN SIGHT
- TRAFFIC NO FACTOR
- TRAFFIC NO LONGER OBSERVED
- TRANSMITTING IN THE BLIND
- UNABLE
- VERIFY
- VERIFY SPECIFIC DIRECTION OF TAKEOFF (OR TURNS AFTER TAKEOFF)
- VFR CONDITIONS
- VFR NOT RECOMMENDED
- VFR‐ON‐TOP
- WHEN ABLE
- WILCO
- WORDS TWICE