| Airway Distance: | | | | General Aviation District Office of the FAA is the |
| The actual (as opposed to straight line) distance flown | | | | most local branch of the FAA, also the entity most |
| by the aircraft between two points, after deviations | | | | likely to know the specific history of a charter |
| required by air traffic control and navigation along | | | | operator. |
| republished routes. The difference between this and | | | | General Aviation: |
| straight line distance will vary throughout the country. | | | | That portion of aviation other than military or |
| Average figures would be between 5-9%. | | | | commercial scheduled operations. Commercial |
| ARO: | | | | unscheduled operations, corporate flight operations, and |
| Airport Reservation Office. Staffed by the FAA, this | | | | private aviation are the most conspicuous members of |
| entity allocates landing and takeoff reservations for | | | | this group. Most major metropolitan airports ten to |
| unscheduled aircraft in and out of the following airports: | | | | have a separate "general aviation" terminal, where a |
| JFK, LGA, EWR, DCA, ORD (see airport identifier | | | | chartered flight is likely to depart or arrive. |
| listings for codes). Since these allocations are scarce | | | | Great Circle Distance: |
| and granted 48 hours in advance on a "first-come first | | | | The shortest distance between two points on a globe. |
| served" basis, travel to these five airports may be | | | | All distances shown in distance tables in the Air |
| difficult by charter. | | | | Charter Guide are "great circle distance". |
| Block Rates: | | | | IFR: |
| A lower "contract rate" for scheduling significant | | | | "Instrument Flight Rules" (flight in clouds). |
| amounts of charter time in advance on a prearranged | | | | ILS: |
| agreement. | | | | Instrument Landing System-low level approach |
| Block Speed: | | | | equipment at certain airports. Airports with ILS |
| The average speed over a specific distance "block-to | | | | systems are indicated in bold face type in the airport |
| block", or door-to-door with respect to the airport gate. | | | | listings. Though instrument approaches and departures |
| Certificate: | | | | can be made in airports without an ILS, its presence is |
| FAA-issued license (in this context sometimes referred | | | | a material benefit to the travel planner because an |
| to as ticket, Part 135 license, etc.) to carry passengers | | | | instrument landing system improves trip reliability as |
| for hire. | | | | closely as possible to the level of scheduled airlines, |
| Commuter Operator: | | | | which generally fly from airports with these facilities. |
| A regional, scheduled airline. In this book limited to that | | | | Independent Operator: |
| operator with adequate fleet capacity as to be | | | | A charter operator that does not meet the definition of |
| available of charter. Not all commuter airlines charter, | | | | FBO or commuter, but may not be involved in contract |
| because of the limitations of aircraft and crew | | | | management of aircraft. The larger independent |
| availability. | | | | operators, however, are very close to the fleet |
| Corporate Operator: | | | | manager in business approach. |
| A company flight department which has earned a | | | | Layover: |
| "Part 135" certificate to carry passengers for | | | | A night spent in the middle of the trip in a city other |
| compensation. | | | | than home base for the aircraft and crew. |
| Cruise Speed: | | | | Medevac: |
| Cruise speed is the normal speed attained at altitude | | | | Medical evacuation (usually emergency) seen in this |
| once the aircraft is no longer climbing and is en route. | | | | book as a service of many helicopter companies. |
| Deadhead: | | | | Positioning: |
| Originally a noun, now a verb meaning to fly the return | | | | Ferrying aircraft for departure from other than |
| leg of a trip without cargo or passengers. Originally | | | | originating airport. (Also for return.) |
| coined during the infancy of the major airlines, the term | | | | Propjet: |
| was pejoratively applied to company employees or | | | | A propeller driven airplane, in which the engine is a jet |
| spouses, who were strapped into otherwise empty | | | | turbine rather than piston driven. |
| seats to give the appearance of high business volume. | | | | Ramp: |
| Duty Time: | | | | The apron or open "tarmac" in front of an FBO or |
| That portion of the day when a crew member is on | | | | terminal facility. This space is busy, used for |
| duty in any capacity (not just in the air). This can be a | | | | deplanement, parking of aircraft, etc. Some facilities will |
| constraint on long day-trips, as there are FAA-imposed | | | | permit automobiles to drive to the aircraft on the ramp, |
| limits on the amount of time allowed on duty. Many | | | | a feature of real benefit to the traveler with heavy or |
| charter operators have stricter rules, so it pays to | | | | bulky luggage. |
| inquire before planning a trip too tight to the limit. | | | | Stage Length: |
| FBO: | | | | Distance of itinerary non-stop leg. |
| Fixed base operator, which represents a large majority | | | | Taxi Time: |
| of the air charter industry. By definition at a permanent | | | | That portion of the trip spent rolling between the gate, |
| location, this is a vendor of services, maintenance, fuel, | | | | terminal, or ramp and runway. |
| flight instruction, and aircraft sales, in addition to charter. | | | | VFR: |
| Fleet Manager: | | | | "Visual Flight Rules" (flight out of clouds). |
| A commercial aviation entity developed to subcontract | | | | Waiting Time: |
| the maintenance and operation of corporate aircraft, | | | | That time that the chartered aircraft and crew must |
| which are often chartered out to the general public. | | | | wait on the ground during any portion of the trip. |
| Flight Time: | | | | ICAO-code |
| That portion of the trip actually spent in the air. For | | | | International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), a |
| billing purposes this definition is generally strict and only | | | | 4-letter airport location indicator. The field above is left |
| applies from moment of liftoff to moment of | | | | blank if no ICAO location indicator is available for the |
| touchdown. | | | | selected airport. |
| GADO: | | | | |