Aviation Glossary
Plain-English explanations of the aviation terms you'll see across the site.
- APU (Auxiliary Power Unit)
- A small onboard turbine that powers the aircraft on the ground.
- Bulkhead
- A dividing wall inside the aircraft cabin or fuselage.
- Deadhead
- A crew member traveling as a passenger to reposition for duty.
- ETOPS
- Rules letting twin-engine jets fly long routes far from airports.
- Go-Around
- An aborted landing where the aircraft climbs away to try again.
- Holding Pattern
- A racetrack-shaped flight path used to delay an aircraft in the air.
- Narrowbody
- A single-aisle airliner, like the 737 or A320.
- Red-Eye
- An overnight flight that arrives early the next morning.
- SAF (Sustainable Aviation Fuel)
- Lower-carbon jet fuel made from renewable sources.
- Squawk
- A four-digit transponder code that identifies an aircraft to ATC.
- Widebody
- A twin-aisle airliner used on long-haul routes.
- Winglet
- An upturned wingtip that reduces drag and saves fuel.