The Private Jet Broker Glossary 

A

ABOVE GROUND LEVEL (AGL) The vertical distance of the aircraft relative to the ground. Different from Above Sea Level (ASL)

AIR AMBULANCE Air charter of a private jet, helicopter or turbo-prop certified to provide air transport to medical patients. Typically granted priority in air traffic control.

AIR CHARTER Act of renting or leasing a jet or plane for transport of cargo or passengers for a specific trip. When remunerated, they have to comply with FAA CFR Part 135 regulations.

AIR CHARTER BROKER One who is contracted on behalf of the end user of the charter flight. A charter broker works to ensure flexibility and options for the purchaser of the air charter flight.

AIR CHARTER OPERATOR Responsible for the licensing, maintenance, safety and operations of the air charter company. The air charter operator is not always the owner of the jet, helicopter, or airliner that is available for charter.

AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL The service to pilots that promotes the safe, orderly and expeditious flow of air traffic. Usually each country operates its own Air Traffic Control service. 

AIRCRAFT The equipment used or intended to be used for flight. An aircraft is any machine that gains support or lift from the reaction of the air. This includes jets, airliners, drones, sea planes, and helicopters.

AIRPORT An area that is used for takeoffs and landings of aircrafts. Airports can be on land or water. Different from airfield.

AIRSPEED Speed of an aircraft relative to its surrounding air mass. Different from ground speed.

ALTERNATE AIRPORT Airport allowing an aircraft to land when landing at the intended airport is not possible, typically for safety, fuel, and weather reasons.

AIRWAY DISTANCE The actual (as opposed to straight line) distance flown by the aircraft between two points, after deviations required by Air Traffic Control or any required navigation requirement along published routes. Different from Track Miles.

ALTITUDE Vertical distance between an object and a surface reference point, in aviation usually being the sea level. 

ALPHA ICAO alphabet letter for the letter "A"

AOC (Air Operator Certificate) The approval granted from a national aviation authority to an aircraft operator to allow it to use an aircraft for commercial purposes. 

APU (Auxiliary Power Unit) An onboard source of power that enables air conditioning, heating, galley facilities and cabin lighting to be used on the ground when the main engines are not operating. The APU is actually a small additional jet engine that doesn’t provide any forward thrust and acts solely as a generator of electricity. Not all aircraft are equipped with an APU.

APRON Hard-surfaced or paved area around a hangar. 

AVIATION The general operation, development, production and use of aircraft. Often referring to the term of "aviation industry" as a whole.

AVINODE The most commonly used online aircraft charter marketplace.

AVGAS Short for "Aviation Gasoline". Usually followed by the octane rating. Used by piston-engined aircraft.

AVIONICS The electronic control systems airplanes use for flight such as communications, autopilots, and navigation.

B

BLOCK FLYING TIME Also called Gate-to-Gate time in commercial aviation, it's the time between an aircraft first moving from its parking place for the purpose of flight, until it comes to rest on the designated parking position and all engines are stopped. It's the time used in commercial aviation ticketing.

BLOCK RATES Contract rate for scheduling a fixed and usually larger than usual number of air charter time in advance on a prearranged agreement, usually resulting in lower hourly rates.

BLOCK SPEED The average speed of an aircraft, calculated from the moment it leaves the departure gate until it arrives at the destination gate

BRAVO ICAO alphabet letter for the letter "B"

BUSINESS JET CHARTER An aircraft that is chartered for the purpose or use in business transportation.

C

CARBON CREDIT tradable certificates representing the removal or avoidance of one metric tonne of carbon dioxide or equivalent greenhouse gases from the atmosphere. Used by companies and governments to offset emissions

CARBON EMISSIONS The principal greenhouse gas emission. Carbon is largely thought to be the most dangerous greenhouse gas.

CARBON OFFSET Monetary contributions to renewable energy research and production projects, designed to reflect and mitigate the user's own greenhouse gas emissions eg through air travel.

CARDINAL ALTITUDE Thousand foot increments of altitude to ensure vertical separation and avoid collision. Assigned based on magnetic direction, where odd altitudes assigned for eastbound flights, and even ones for westbound flights.

CATERING A catering, meal, or drink service provided for jet charters. Catering in private aviation generally refers to the provision of in-flight meals.

CEILING The heights above the earth's surface of the lowest layers of clouds or obscuring phenomena that is reported as broken, overcast, or obscuration, and not classified as thin or partial.

CHARLIE ICAO alphabet letter for the letter "C"

CHARTER CARD Usually called "Jet Card", pre-paid air charter plan, either for a block of charter hours at a pre-defined fee, or a set debit balance in dollars.

CRUISE SPEED The normal speed attained at altitude once the aircraft is no longer climbing and is en route.

COMMERCIAL FLIGHT A scheduled flight with a fixed origin, destination, and departure/arrival times, operating for remuneration. Commercial flights operate under the FAA CFR Part 121 regulations.

COMMUTER OPERATOR A regional, scheduled airline, providing regional and short-haul flights on a regular schedule, usually in high frequency.

CONTRAILS Short for "Condensation Trails", streaks of condensed water vapour created in the air by aircraft flying at high altitudes.

CONTROLLED AIRSPACE An airspace of defined borders within which Air Traffic Control service is provided to IFR (Instrument Flight Rules) flights and to VFR (Visual Flight Rules) flights in accordance with the airspace classification.

CORPORATE OPERATOR A company flight department which has earned a "Part 135" certificate to carry passengers for compensation.

CROSSWIND Winds blowing perpendicular or not parallel to the runway or the aircrafts flight path.

CRUISING ALTITUDE A level altitude maintained by an aircraft while in flight.

D

DEAD HEAD The necessary repositioning of flight or cabin crew, traveling as passengers on a flight to work a subsequent trip, usually paid and on-duty, but not operating the aircraft.

DECISION HEIGHT Also called "Minimum Height", height at which a decision must be made during an instrument approach to either continue the approach or to execute a missed approach.

DELTA ICAO alphabet letter for the letter "D"

DEMURRAGE Fees charged by an operator or airport when a charterer keeps an aircraft beyond the completion of the flight, or when an aircraft exceeds its allotted time at an airport, hangar, or apron.

DEPRECIATION Method to account for assets whose value decrease over time because of factors such as age, wear or market conditions.

DOUBLE ROUND TRIP Occurs when an air charter itinerary is designed such that it is more costly to keep the plane away from base than it would be to return home empty.

DUTY PERIOD The total time a pilot spends in preparation and execution of his flight duties. Ecompasses all work-related tasks such as commuting to the airport, pre-flight briefings, and post-flight checks and reporting. Different from Flight Duty Period.

E

EFIS (Electronic Flight Information Systems) Glass cockpit avionics that integrate all flight parameters into one optimized instrument. These modern systems offer enhanced reliability, reduced weight, simplified installation and overall cost savings.

ECHO ICAO alphabet letter for the letter "E"

EGPWS (Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System) Uses aircraft inputs such as position, attitude, heading, and air speed, and glide slope, which along with internal terrain, obstacles, and airport databases predict a potential conflict between the aircraft's flight path and terrain or an obstacle.

EMPTY LEGS A re-positioning flight where the aircraft is flying empty, flying over to its next revenue generating flight. Chartering an empty leg can often cost significantly less than a full-price charter.

ELT (Emergency Locator Transmitter) A radio transmitter activated automatically by the impact of an accident. Emits a warbling tone on the international emergency frequencies. ELT signals can be received by nearby FAA facilities, aircraft overhead, and search and rescue (SARSAT) satellites.

F

FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) The US Department of Transportation's agency for aviation in the United States.

FAA LID (FAA LOCATION IDENTIFIER) Airport, airfield or helipad 3 to 4 character identifiers as defined by the FAA. Common airports will usually have the same FAA LID and IATA Code. LAX for example is both an FAA LID and IATA Code. All airports, airfields, or helipads have an FAA LID. See IATA Code and ICAO Code.

FBO (Fixed Base Operator) Often colloquially called a "private jet terminal", provides ground services for air charter clients such as onsite mechanic, fuel service, catering, ground transportation and other transit services.

FERRY FLIGHT A flight for the purpose of returning an aircraft to base, delivering an aircraft from one location to another, moving an aircraft to and from a maintenance base.

FLEET MANAGER A commercial or private aviation entity or individual developed to subcontract the maintenance, operation or marketing of corporate or commercial aircraft.

FLIGHT PLAN Filed with an Air Traffic Control facility, it's the specific information regarding the flight or intended flight of an aircraft. It must be approved by either air traffic control or the governing aviation authority such as the FAA in the United States of America. 

FLIGHT TIME Time the aircraft is in flight. The point of time between take off and touchdown.

FLIGHT DUTY PERIOD A period which commences when a flight or cabin crew member is required to report for duty, and finishes when the aircraft finally comes to rest and the engines are shut down at the end of the last flight. Different from Duty Period.

FMS (FLIGHT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM) A specialized advanced on-board computer system that automates a wide variety of in-flight tasks, such as fuel calculation, navigation, flight planning, or performance management, therefore reducing the workload on the flight crew.

FOD (FOREIGN OBJECT DEBRIS) Refers to any object not intended on being on the runway, that may cause hazards to aircraft or people on the ground.

FOXTROT (OR FOX) ICAO alphabet letter for the letter "F".

FRACTIONAL OWNERSHIP The purchase of a "share" of an aircraft. Fractional owners are guaranteed access to an. They usually pay a fixed monthly maintenance fee as well as an hourly fee, with the major advantage of not having to carry crew, maintenance and all associated fees.

FUEL SURCHARGE An often temporary charge for the increased price of fuel to offset fuel price volatility.

FUSELAGE An aircraft's main body structure housing the flight crew, passengers, and cargo.

G

GENERAL AVIATION Refers strictly to private aviation used for private or leisure purposes, not for hire.

GOLF ICAO alphabet letter for the letter "G"

GPS (GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM). Satellite positioning, velocity and time system. Highly accurate navigation aid.

GPWS (GROUND PROXIMITY WARNING SYSTEM) System designed to alert pilots if their aircraft is in immediate danger of flying into the ground. Also called Ground-Collision Warning System.

GREAT CIRCLE DISTANCE The shortest distance between two points on a globe. 

GROUND SPEED The speed of an aircraft relative to the surface of the earth.

GROUND TRANSPORTATION A service provided for luxury jet charters before or after the flight. Ground transportation can be limo service or luxury car rental.

H

HANGAR An enclosed structure for housing aircraft.

HEAVY JET An aircraft with a maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) of 255,000 lbs.

HELICOPTER A rotor driven aircraft that uses vertical axes with pitched blades to generate lift and stability.

HELIPAD A helipad is used for takeoffs, landings and occasionally for parking of helicopters. Usually marked by the letter "H"

HELIPORT The area of land or water used for the landings and takeoffs of helicopters. 

HOTEL ICAO alphabet letter for the letter "H"

I

IATA (INTERNATIONAL CIVILI AVIATION AUTHORITY) Commonly pronounced "eye-uh-tuh", is the trade association for the world's airlines, setting technical, ticketing and safety standards in commercial aviation.

IATA Code are standardized 2-letter airline designators and 3-letter location identifiers for airports and cities defined by the International Air Transport Association. LAX for instance, is the IATA code for Los Angeles International Airport. Airports that do not have any form of commercial aviation activity usually do not have a IATA code. In the US, an airport will usually have the same IATA Code and FAA LID. See FAA LID.

ICAO (INTERNATIONAL CIVIL AVIATION AUTHORITY) Commonly pronounced "Eye-Kay-Oh", is an agency of the United Nations. The ICAO is charged with the development of principles and techniques of international air navigation.

ICAO Code are standardized 4-letter airport, airfield, and navigational aid identifiers defined by the International Air Transport Association. KLAX for instance is the ICAO identifier for Los Angeles International Airport. Most airports around the world have an ICAO code. Some US airports do not have an ICAO, but will always have an FAA LID. See FAA LID.

IFR (INSTRUMENT FLIGHT RULES) Rules of the road for flights permitted to penetrate clouds and low visibility conditions by reference to cockpit flight instruments and radio navigation. Aircraft must be equipped accodingly and pilots certified for IFR flight. Flight plans and ATC clearances are required. Flights are monitored and traffic separated by Air Traffic Control, usually by radar.

ILS (INSTRUMENT LANDING SYSTEM) A precision instrument approach system utilizing radio transmitters at the runway ends which provide precise left-right and up-down indications to the pilot permitting aircraft to land during periods of low ceilings or poor visibility.

IMC (INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS) Conditions such as visibility, distance between clouds, ceiling level that do not meet the standard for visual meteorological conditions, requiring pilot to navigate using instruments.

INDIA ICAO alphabet letter for the letter "I"

INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT Any airport designated by its contracting state to carry out the duties of customs and immigrations for international departing and arriving flights, along with other duties.

J

JET BROKER An intermediary who facilitates the leasing or purchasing of an aircraft. 

JET CHARTER Act of hiring crew; leasing an aircraft for the purpose of private air transportation.

JET CHARTER BROKER An intermediary who facilitates the charter of an aircraft. 

JET STREAM Narrow and high altitude winds, usually flowing from West to East. Frequently used by pilots and flights planner to reduce travel time and fuel efficiency.

JOINT OWNERSHIP Purchase or lease of a complete aircraft by a relatively small number of owners, often through a partnership or limited liability corporation.

JULIET ICAO alphabet letter for the letter "J"

K

KT (KNOT)  The most common measure of aircraft speed, representing the number of nautical miles travelled per hour, where 1 Knot equals 1 Nautical Mile per Hour (1Kt=1nm/hr)

KILO ICAO alphabet letter for the letter "K"

L

LAYOVER An extended period of time spent in the middle of the trip in a city other than home base for the aircraft and crew.

LEG A single direction of travel between two points. For an air charter itinerary, a leg could be represented by repositioning and fuel stops. See Empty Leg.

LIFT The upward force generating by the wings which, allowing the aircraft to go airborne.

LIGHT JET An aircraft with a maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) of up to approximately 20,000 lbs.

LIMA ICAO alphabet letter for the letter "L"

M

MACH SPEED The ratio of a vehicles speed relative to the local speed of sound.

MIKE ICAO alphabet letter for the letter "M" 

MEDEVAC (MEDICAL EVACUATION FLIGHT) Commonly referes to an aircraft or flight used to transport injured patients to hospital. See Air Ambulance.

MIDSIZE JET An aircraft with a maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) between approximately 20,000 and 45,000 lbs.

N

NATIONAL AIRSPACE SYSTEM The network of airspace, navigational services facilities and equipment, facilitating the movement of aircraft above ground.

NAUTICAL MILE A unit of distance for air and sea vessels corresponding to exactly 1,852 meters. It is based on the Earth's circumference and is equivalent to one minute of latitude (1/60th of a degree) along any meridian. 

NAVAIDS Any form of device that guides a pilot and aircraft from one area to another. 

NAVIGATION The process of recording, planning and controlling the movement of an aircraft or vehicle from one point to another.

 NATS Provider of Air Traffic Control services to aircraft flying in UK airspace and over the eastern part of the North Atlantic.

NBAA National Business Aviation Association.

NON-TOWERED AIRPORT An airport without a control tower or air traffic control. Pilot are responsible for their own separation.

NOTAM Aviation acronym for "Notice to Air Missions", but the currently accepted definition is "Notice to Airmen".

NOVEMBER ICAO alphabet letter for the letter "N"

O

OPERATOR Responsible for the licensing, maintenance, safety and operations of one or more private charter aircraft. The operator is not always the owner of the luxury jet, business jet or private jet that is available for charter.

ONE-WAYS A booked trip from one departing location to an arriving location, without a confirmed return trip back to the original departing location.

OSCAR ICAO alphabet letter for the letter "O"

P

PAPA ICAO alphabet letter for the letter "P"

PATTERN The path of aircraft traffic around an airfield, at an established height and direction, for the purpose of take-off, landing, or hold procedures. At tower-controlled fields, Air Traffic Controllers supervise the pattern by radio (or in non-radio or emergency conditions by red and green light signals.

PAYLOAD Anything that an aircraft carries beyond what is required for its operation during flight such as fuel and on-board equipment, referring to cargo or passengers.

PAX Aviation short-form term referring to "Passengers".

PIC (PILOT IN COMMAND) The pilot with ultimate authority, final decision, and responsibility for safety and operations of the aircraft during flight.

POINT TO POINT PRICING Pricing model based on the specific origin and destination.

POSITIONING Ferrying aircraft for departure from other than originating airport. See Empty Leg.

PRECIPITATION Any form of water (rain, snow, hail, or sleet) falling from the atmosphere.

PREFERRED VENDORS The vendor of choice for Air Charter Agents, Jet Charter Brokers or Charter Jet Operators. Usually built through strong relationship building, often resulting in preferential pricing.

PRIVATE AIRPORT An airport used by general aviation and private aviation but is ineligible for use by scheduled and commercial travel.

PRIVATE JET An aircraft owned by a private person or organization.

PRIVATE JET BROKER An intermediary who facilitates the hire of a private aircraft, usually comparing options from operators. See Jet Charter Broker and Jet Broker.

PRIVATE JET CHARTER Hiring a private jet aircraft for a specific itinerary, as opposed to ownership or fractional ownership of an aircraft. See Jet Charter.

PROHIBITED AREA An airspace area where flight and any form of aircraft operation is prohibited except by prior arrangement with the controlling agency.

Q

QUEBEC ICAO alphabet letter for the letter "Q"

R

RADAR Transmission of a radio pulse that provides information on range and elevation of objects in the path of transmitted pulses.

RADIO A device used by aircraft for the purpose of communication.

RAMP The apron or open "tarmac" in front of an FBO or terminal facility. This space is used for deplaning, parking of aircraft.

RELEASE TIME A departure time restriction issued to a pilot by ATC (either directly or through an authorized relay).

RESTRICTED AREA Airspace that (when "Active" or "Hot") usually restricts civilian or commercial aircraft such as in the event of rocket flight or military exercise.

REPOSITIONING TIME The travel time for charter aircraft traveling to or from base en route to the departure or from the destination of the particular air charter trip.

ROMEO ICAO alphabet letter for the letter "R"

RUNWAY Smooth area prepared for landings and takeoffs of aircrafts.

S

SEE AND AVOID A foundational aviation safety principle requiring pilots to actively scan for and maneuver to avoid other aircraft, particularly under Visual Flight Rules (VFR). In the US, helicopters are prohibited from operation under this measure when near busy airports.

SIERRA ICAO alphabet letter for the letter "S"

SIGMET (SIGNIFICANT METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION) An advisory issued in times of severe weather that is significant to the safety of all aircraft.

SLOT refers to the allowed time window an aircraft will be allowed to land or take off. 

SPEED OF SOUND A varying speed at which the sound travels through a medium. The speed of sound varies according to atmospheric conditions. See Mach Speed.

SPORT JET CHARTER The chartering of an aircraft for the purpose of transporting members of sports teams to sporting events.

STAGE LENGTH The length of the flight from take-off to landing in a single leg

STATUTE MILE A unit of length equal to 1,609.34 meters, primarily used in land navigation in the UK

SUPER MIDSIZE JET An aircraft with a maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) between approximately 45,000 and 95,000 lbs.

T

TAIL NUMBER An airplane's registration number.

TAIL WIND Winds that are more than 90 degrees to the longitudinal axis of the runway.

TANGO ICAO alphabet letter for the letter "T"

TARMAC An airport surface paved with the substance, especially a runway or an apron at a hangar.

TAWS (TERRAIN AWARENESS AND WARNING SYSTEM) An advanced type of GPWS that provides the flight crew earlier aural and visual warning of impending terrain, forward looking capability and continued operation in the landing configuration.

TAXI TIME Time the aircraft is in transit to the runway up to the point of take off.

TCA (Terminal Control Area) A volume of controlled airspace set up at the confluence of airways in the vicinity of one or more major airports to protect traffic climbing out from and descending into the airports.

TCAD (TRAFFIC COLLISION AVOIDANCE DEVICE) A passive anti-collision system detecting and alerting pilots to nearby transponders but not providing evasive instructions or coordination with other aircraft. See TCAS.

TCAD (TRAFFIC COLLISION AVOIDANCE DEVICE) An active cockpit system to detect other transponder-equipped aircraft, alert pilots, and command or coordinate evasive action between aircraft. See TCAD.

 THIRD PARTY VERIFICATION Refers to the verification of safety, maintenance and operations by an independent auditor.

TRANSPONDER An airborne transmitter that responds to ground-based interrogation signals to provide Air Traffic Controllers with more accurate and reliable position information than would be possible with "passive" radar; may also provided Air Traffic Control with an aircraft's altitude.

TAS (TRUE AIR SPEED) Takes wind out of the picture. True air speed is the speed of an aircraft relative to undisturbed air. A static plane on the ground with a head wind of 30 knots, will show an IAS (Indicated Air Speed) of 30 knots, but a TAS (True Air Speed) of 0, as the plane is not moving relative to the undisturbed air mass. See IAS.

TURBINE Engine that uses compressed air to generate thrust to spin a metal shaft inside the motor. Turbines are vital components in jet engines and also power turboprop aircraft.

TURBO JET AIRCRAFTS Aircrafts with jet engines that operate turbines which operate air compressors.

TURBO PROP AIRCRAFT An aircraft with a jet engine powering a turbine, in turn powering and propeller.

U

UNICOM (UNIVERSAL COMMUNICATION) A common radio frequency used at controlled airports for local pilot communication. UNICOM is also used by a Fixed Base Operator for general administrative uses, including fuel orders, parking instructions, etc.

UNIFORM ICAO alphabet letter for the letter "U"

ULTRA LONG RANGE JET An aircraft designed for intercontinental flights, typically with a maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) above 95,000 lbs. 

V

V/STOL Vertical and Short Take-off and Landing

VFR (VISUAL FLIGHT RULES) Regulations allowing pilots to operate aircraft in clear weather conditions, primarily by visually referencing the ground and surroundings. See IFR.

VICTOR ICAO alphabet letter for the letter "V"

VISIBILITY The ability to see and identify prominent un-lit objects during the day and lit objects of prominence at night, expressed in meters, therefore representing the unobstructed distance a pilot can see.

VMC (VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS) Conditions such as visibility, distance between clouds and a ceiling that is equal to or better than the specified minimums. See IMC.

VLJ An acronym for "Very Light Jet", referring to aircraft with a Maximum Take Off Weight (MTOW) of 10,000lbs.

W

WAIT TIME The time the aircraft is waiting on the tarmac for the departure of its next leg of the itinerary.

WYVERN WINGMAN A third-party rating system of private aircraft operators measuring adherence to ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) standards for safety management systems, emergency response plans, and internal evaluations. Included is a two-day, on-site audit recurring every 24 months.

WAYPOINT Predetermined geographical position defined relative to other navigational aids.

WEATHER MINIMUMS Lowest (worst) visibility conditions under which an aircraft may legally be flown under visual flight rules. When visibility is less than specified minimums, an aircraft must fly under instrument flight rules or not at all.

WHISKEY ICAO alphabet letter for the letter "W"

WINGLET A small, stabilizing, rudder-like addition to the tips of a wing to control or employ air movement, thereby increasing fuel economy.

WX Aviation short-form term for "weather", often referred to in conversation with other brokers, operators, and dispatchers.

X

X-RAY ICAO alphabet letter for the letter "X"

Y

YAW The side-to-side movement of an aircraft on its vertical axis.

YANKEE ICAO alphabet letter for the letter "Y"

YOKE The control wheel of an aircraft, similar to a car steering wheel.

Z

ZULU ICAO alphabet letter for the letter "Z"