Glossary
Aviation A–Z
Plain-English definitions for the DGCA terms, licences, and jargon you'll run into on your way to the cockpit.
A
AAI
Airports Authority of India — the government body responsible for managing India's civil airports and air navigation services.
Read DefinitionAME
Aviation Medical Examiner — a doctor authorised by DGCA to conduct pilot medical examinations.
Read DefinitionAPU
Auxiliary Power Unit — a small onboard engine that provides electrical and pneumatic power when the main engines are off.
Read DefinitionATC
Air Traffic Control — the ground-based service that directs aircraft to maintain safe separation and efficient traffic flow.
Read DefinitionATPL
Airline Transport Pilot Licence — the highest pilot licence, required to act as captain on scheduled airline flights.
Read DefinitionAb-Initio Training
Flight training that starts from zero prior experience, taking a student from their first lesson through to a licence.
Read DefinitionAileron
A hinged control surface on the wing used to roll the aircraft left or right.
Read DefinitionAir Meteorology
A DGCA exam subject covering weather theory and its effect on flight planning and safety.
Read DefinitionAir Navigation
A DGCA exam subject covering flight planning, chart reading, and navigation techniques.
Read DefinitionAir Regulations
A DGCA exam subject covering the legal rules governing aviation, both Indian and international.
Read DefinitionAirspeed Indicator
An instrument that displays the aircraft's speed relative to the surrounding air.
Read DefinitionAirworthiness Certificate
An official document confirming an aircraft meets the safety standards required to legally fly.
Read DefinitionAlternate Airport
A backup airport listed in a flight plan in case landing at the intended destination isn't possible.
Read DefinitionAltimeter
An instrument that measures the aircraft's altitude, typically based on air pressure.
Read DefinitionAttitude Indicator
A cockpit instrument showing the aircraft's orientation relative to the horizon.
Read DefinitionAvionics
The electronic systems used for communication, navigation, and aircraft instrumentation.
Read DefinitionB
C
CAA
Civil Aviation Authority — the general term for a country's national aviation regulator, such as the UK CAA.
Read DefinitionCPL
Commercial Pilot Licence — the licence required to fly aircraft for compensation or hire.
Read DefinitionCTR
Control Zone — controlled airspace extending from the ground up around an airport, protecting arriving and departing aircraft.
Read DefinitionCadet Pilot Programme
An airline-sponsored training pathway that takes candidates from little or no flying experience to a First Officer role.
Read DefinitionCaptain
The pilot-in-command of a flight, responsible for the aircraft, crew, and passengers.
Read DefinitionCeiling
The height above ground of the lowest layer of cloud reported as broken or overcast, important for VFR flight planning.
Read DefinitionCircuit
The standard rectangular flight path flown around an airport during training and traffic patterns.
Read DefinitionClass 1 Medical
The medical certificate required for a Commercial or Airline Transport Pilot Licence, renewed periodically.
Read DefinitionClass 2 Medical
The medical certificate required before starting flight training and for a Private Pilot Licence.
Read DefinitionClass A Airspace
Controlled airspace where only IFR flight is permitted, typically at higher altitudes used by airliners.
Read DefinitionComputer Number
A unique identifier issued through DGCA's Pariksha portal, required before a candidate can appear for DGCA exams.
Read DefinitionCross-Country Flight
A training flight that involves navigating to a different airport, typically over a set minimum distance.
Read DefinitionCurrency
A pilot's up-to-date status on required recent flight experience needed to legally carry passengers or fly certain operations.
Read DefinitionD
DGCA
Directorate General of Civil Aviation — India's civil aviation regulatory authority.
Read DefinitionDensity Altitude
Altitude adjusted for non-standard temperature and pressure, which affects aircraft and engine performance.
Read DefinitionDew Point
The temperature at which air becomes saturated with moisture, used to assess fog and cloud formation risk.
Read DefinitionDispatch
The airline department responsible for flight planning, including route, fuel, and weight calculations before departure.
Read DefinitionDual Instruction
Flight training conducted with an instructor on board, as opposed to solo flying.
Read DefinitionE
EASA
European Union Aviation Safety Agency — the civil aviation regulatory body for the European Union.
Read DefinitionElevator
A control surface on the tail used to pitch the aircraft's nose up or down.
Read DefinitionEmpennage
The tail section of an aircraft, including the horizontal and vertical stabilisers.
Read DefinitionEndorsement
An official addition to a pilot's licence certifying an extra qualification, such as a specific aircraft type or rating.
Read DefinitioneGCA
DGCA's e-Governance portal for licence applications, renewals, and official records.
Read DefinitionF
FAA
Federal Aviation Administration — the civil aviation authority of the United States.
Read DefinitionFIR
Flight Information Region — a defined area of airspace where a specific authority provides flight information and alerting services.
Read DefinitionFTO
Flying Training Organisation — a DGCA-approved school authorised to conduct pilot flight training.
Read DefinitionFirst Officer
The co-pilot on a commercial flight, second-in-command to the captain.
Read DefinitionFlaps
Extendable surfaces on the wing's trailing edge that increase lift and drag, typically used during takeoff and landing.
Read DefinitionFlying Instructor Rating
A qualification that allows a licensed pilot to teach and certify student pilots.
Read DefinitionForeign CPL Conversion
The DGCA process by which a Commercial Pilot Licence issued by another country's aviation authority is validated for use in India.
Read DefinitionFrozen ATPL
An Airline Transport Pilot Licence issued to a candidate who has passed all theory exams but not yet met the flight-hour requirement to activate it.
Read DefinitionFuel Reserve
The minimum extra fuel required by regulation beyond what's needed to reach the destination, kept as a safety margin.
Read DefinitionFuselage
The main body of an aircraft that holds the crew, passengers, and cargo.
Read DefinitionG
Go-Around
An aborted landing attempt where the aircraft climbs away instead of touching down, for safety reasons.
Read DefinitionGround Handling
Airport services provided to an aircraft between flights, such as baggage loading, refuelling, and pushback.
Read DefinitionGround School
Classroom-based theoretical training covering subjects like navigation, meteorology, and regulations, required before DGCA exams.
Read DefinitionI
ICAO
International Civil Aviation Organization — the United Nations agency that sets global standards for aviation safety and operations.
Read DefinitionICAO English Proficiency
A standardised language test confirming a pilot can communicate clearly in English for aviation radio communication.
Read DefinitionIFR
Instrument Flight Rules — flight conducted primarily by reference to cockpit instruments, used in poor visibility or at higher altitudes.
Read DefinitionInstrument Rating
A qualification allowing a pilot to fly in conditions requiring sole reference to instruments (IFR).
Read DefinitionL
Landing Gear
The wheeled structure that supports an aircraft on the ground and absorbs landing impact.
Read DefinitionLine Training
On-the-job flying experience a new airline pilot completes under supervision before flying unsupervised.
Read DefinitionLog Book
The official record of a pilot's flight hours, training, and experience, required for licence applications.
Read DefinitionM
MCC
Multi-Crew Cooperation — a training course teaching pilots to operate effectively as a team in a multi-pilot aircraft.
Read DefinitionMETAR
A standardised routine report of current weather conditions at an airport, updated hourly.
Read DefinitionMayday
The internationally recognised radio distress call, used only when facing a life-threatening emergency.
Read DefinitionMulti-Engine Rating
An add-on qualification allowing a pilot to operate aircraft with more than one engine.
Read DefinitionN
P
PPL
Private Pilot Licence — allows a pilot to fly for personal use, but not for compensation or hire.
Read DefinitionPan-Pan
An urgency radio call used when a situation isn't immediately life-threatening but requires assistance.
Read DefinitionPariksha
DGCA's online examination portal used to register for and take written exams.
Read DefinitionPre-Flight Inspection
The physical check of an aircraft's condition and equipment that a pilot must perform before every flight.
Read DefinitionQ
R
RTR(A)
Restricted Radio Telephony Operator's Licence (Aeronautical) — required to operate aircraft radio communication equipment.
Read DefinitionRadio Telephony
Standardised voice communication procedures used between pilots and air traffic control.
Read DefinitionRudder
A control surface on the vertical tail fin used to control the aircraft's yaw, or left-right nose movement.
Read DefinitionRunway
The defined surface used by aircraft for takeoff and landing.
Read DefinitionS
SPL
Student Pilot Licence — issued before solo flight, allowing supervised flight training.
Read DefinitionSeniority List
An airline's internal ranking of pilots, typically based on date of hire, affecting pay, routes, and promotion.
Read DefinitionSkill Test
The practical flight test conducted by an examiner to assess a candidate's readiness for licence issue.
Read DefinitionSkill Test Examiner
A DGCA-authorised examiner who conducts the practical flight test required for licence issue.
Read DefinitionSlats
Extendable surfaces on the wing's leading edge that improve lift at low speeds.
Read DefinitionSolo Flight
A flight conducted by a student pilot alone in the aircraft, without an instructor on board.
Read DefinitionSquawk
The four-digit code a pilot sets on the aircraft's transponder so air traffic control can identify the flight on radar.
Read DefinitionT
TAF
Terminal Aerodrome Forecast — a standardised weather forecast for conditions expected at an airport over a set period.
Read DefinitionTMA
Terminal Control Area — controlled airspace surrounding one or more major airports, protecting climbing and descending traffic.
Read DefinitionTaxiway
The paved path an aircraft uses to move between the runway and the terminal or hangar.
Read DefinitionTechnical General
A DGCA CPL/ATPL exam subject covering aircraft systems, engines, and instruments common across aircraft types.
Read DefinitionTechnical Specific
A DGCA exam subject focused on the systems of a specific aircraft type the candidate is being trained on.
Read DefinitionTransponder
An onboard device that transmits the aircraft's identity and altitude to air traffic control radar.
Read DefinitionTurbulence
Irregular, disruptive air movement that causes an aircraft to experience sudden and sometimes rough motion.
Read DefinitionType Rating
Additional certification required to fly a specific aircraft type, such as the Airbus A320 or Boeing 737.
Read DefinitionV
VFR
Visual Flight Rules — flight conducted by visual reference to the ground and horizon, in clear weather conditions.
Read DefinitionValidation
Recognition by DGCA of a licence issued by another country's civil aviation authority, allowing it to be used in India without a full re-issue.
Read DefinitionVisibility
The greatest distance at which prominent objects can be seen and identified, a key factor in flight planning and minima.
Read Definition