Glossary

Working with flight systems and data can be painful since there is a lot of terminology to learn. Here is a glossary of terms and abbreviations to reference.

Term	Description
ACARS	Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System
ACC	Area Control Center
ADS-B	Automatic Dependent Surveillance - Broadcast. A surveillance technology in which an aircraft determines its position via satellite navigation and periodically broadcasts it, enabling it to be tracked. The information can be received by air traffic control ground stations as a replacement for secondary surveillance radar, as no interrogation signal is needed from the ground. It can also be received by other aircraft to provide situational awareness and allow self-separation. ADS-B is one of the most common forms of aircraft transmissions that are received by feeders and sent to exchanges.
ADS-C	Automatic Dependent Surveillance - Contract. Similar to ADS-B but sends data to one or more specific ATSU or AOC facilities for surveillance and/or route conformance monitoring.
AOC	Aeronautical Operational Control.
ARINC	Aeronautical Radio, Incorporated. This is the company that introduced ACARS in 1978 and continues to operate ground stations to support ACARS, VDL, HFDL, etc.
ATN	Aeronautical Telecommunication Network
ATSU	Air Traffic Services Unit
CPDLC	Controller Pilot Data Link Communications
DME	Distance Measuring Equipment
FAA	Federal Aviation Administration
FANS	Fuel Air Navigation System
FMS	Flight Management System
HFDL	High-Frequency Data Link
IATA	International Air Transport Association. A trade organization representing airlines and countries in the aerospace industry.
ILS	Instrument Landing System
NAVAID	Navigational Aid
OOOI	Out of the gate, Off the ground, On the ground, and Into the gate. These track when an airframe performs these events.
NDB	Non-Directional Beacons
RNG	Radio Range
SATCOM	Satellite Communications. This is a type of ACARS data link used for oceanic communications between aircraft and ground stations.
SITA	SITA. A company that provides ACARS networked ground stations to support ACARS, VDL, HFDL, etc.
TACAN	Tactical Air Navigation
VDL	VHF Data Link or VHF Digital Link. This is a type of ACARS data link used for line-of-sight communications between aircraft and ground stations.
VOR	Very High Frequency (VHF) Omni-Directional Range
VOT	VOR Test Facilities
WOS	Weather Observation Station
WP	Waypoint