RADAR -- RUNWAY VISUAL RANGE
RADAR- A device which, by measuring the time interval
between transmission and reception of radio pulses
and correlating the angular orientation of the
radiated antenna beam or beams in azimuth and/or
elevation, provides information on range, azimuth,
and/or elevation of objects in the path of the
transmitted pulses.
a. Primary Radar- A radar system in which a
minute portion of a radio pulse transmitted
from a site is reflected by an object and then
received back at that site for processing and
display at an air traffic control facility.
b. Secondary Radar/Radar Beacon (ATCRBS)- A
radar system in which the object to be detected
is fitted with cooperative equipment in the
form of a radio receiver/transmitter (transponder).
Radar pulses transmitted from the searching
transmitter/receiver (interrogator) site are
received in the cooperative equipment and used
to trigger a distinctive transmission from the
transponder. This reply transmission, rather
than a reflected signal, is then received back
at the transmitter/receiver site for processing
and display at an air traffic control facility.
(See INTERROGATOR.)
(See TRANSPONDER.)
(See ICAO term PRIMARY RADAR.)
(See ICAO term RADAR.)
(See ICAO term SECONDARY RADAR.)
(Refer to AIM.)
RADAR [ICAO]- A radio detection device which provides
information on range, azimuth and/or elevation
of objects.
a. Primary Radar- Radar system which uses reflected
radio signals.
b. Secondary Radar- Radar system wherein a radio
signal transmitted from a radar station initiates
the transmission of a radio signal from another
station.
RADAR ADVISORY- The provision of advice and information
based on radar observations.
(See ADVISORY SERVICE.)
RADAR ALTIMETER- (See RADIO ALTIMETER.)
RADAR APPROACH- An instrument approach procedure
which utilizes Precision Approach Radar (PAR)
or Airport Surveillance Radar (ASR).
(See AIRPORT SURVEILLANCE RADAR.)
(See INSTRUMENT APPROACH PROCEDURE.)
(See PRECISION APPROACH RADAR.)
(See SURVEILLANCE APPROACH.)
(See ICAO term RADAR APPROACH.)
(Refer to AIM.)
RADAR APPROACH [ICAO]- An approach, executed by
an aircraft, under the direction of a radar controller.
RADAR APPROACH CONTROL FACILITY- A terminal ATC
facility that uses radar and nonradar capabilities
to provide approach control services to aircraft
arriving, departing, or transiting airspace controlled
by the facility
(See APPROACH CONTROL SERVICE.)
a. Provides radar ATC services to aircraft operating
in the vicinity of one or more civil and/or
military airports in a terminal area. The facility
may provide services of a ground controlled
approach (GCA); i.e., ASR and PAR approaches.
A radar approach control facility may be operated
by FAA, USAF, US Army, USN, USMC, or jointly
by FAA and a military service. Specific facility
nomenclatures are used for administrative purposes
only and are related to the physical location
of the facility and the operating service generally
as follows:
1. Army Radar Approach Control (ARAC) (Army).
2. Radar Air Traffic Control Facility (RATCF)
(Navy/FAA).
3. Radar Approach Control (RAPCON) (Air Force/FAA).
4. Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON)
(FAA).
5. Air Traffic Control Tower (ATCT) (FAA).
(Only those towers delegated approach control
authority.).
RADAR ARRIVAL- An aircraft arriving at an
airport served by a radar facility and in
radar contact with the facility.
(See NONRADAR.)
RADAR BEACON- (See RADAR.)
RADAR CONTACT-
a. Used by ATC to inform an aircraft that it
is identified on the radar display and radar
flight following will be provided until radar
identification is terminated. Radar service
may also be provided within the limits of necessity
and capability. When a pilot is informed of
"radar contact," he automatically
discontinues reporting over compulsory reporting
points.
(See RADAR CONTACT LOST.)
(See RADAR FLIGHT FOLLOWING.)
(See RADAR SERVICE.)
(See RADAR SERVICE TERMINATED.)
(Refer to AIM.)
b. The term used to inform the controller that
the aircraft is identified and approval is granted
for the aircraft to enter the receiving controllers
airspace.
(See ICAO term RADAR CONTACT.)
RADAR CONTACT LOST- Used by ATC to inform a pilot
that radar data used to determine the aircraft's
position is no longer being received, or is no
longer reliable and radar service is no longer
being provided. The loss may be attributed to
several factors including the aircraft merging
with weather or ground clutter, the aircraft operating
below radar line of sight coverage, the aircraft
entering an area of poor radar return, failure
of the aircraft transponder, or failure of the
ground radar equipment.
(See CLUTTER.)
(See RADAR CONTACT.)
RADAR CLUTTER [ICAO]- The visual indication on
a radar display of unwanted signals.
RADAR CONTACT [ICAO]- The situation which exists
when the radar blip or radar position symbol of
a particular aircraft is seen and identified on
a radar display.
RADAR ENVIRONMENT- An area in which radar service
may be provided.
(See ADDITIONAL SERVICES.)
(See RADAR CONTACT.)
(See RADAR SERVICE.)
(See TRAFFIC ADVISORIES.)
RADAR FLIGHT FOLLOWING- The observation of the
progress of radar identified aircraft, whose primary
navigation is being provided by the pilot, wherein
the controller retains and correlates the aircraft
identity with the appropriate target or target
symbol displayed on the radar scope.
(See RADAR CONTACT.)
(See RADAR SERVICE.)
(Refer to AIM.)
RADAR IDENTIFICATION- The process of ascertaining
that an observed radar target is the radar return
from a particular aircraft.
(See RADAR CONTACT.)
(See RADAR SERVICE.)
(See ICAO term RADAR IDENTIFICATION.)
RADAR IDENTIFICATION [ICAO]- The process of correlating
a particular radar blip or radar position symbol
with a specific aircraft.
RADAR IDENTIFIED AIRCRAFT- An aircraft, the position
of which has been correlated with an observed
target or symbol on the radar display.
(See RADAR CONTACT.)
(See RADAR CONTACT LOST.)
RADAR MONITORING- (See RADAR SERVICE.)
RADAR NAVIGATIONAL GUIDANCE- (See RADAR SERVICE.)
RADAR POINT OUT- An action taken by a controller
to transfer the radar identification of an aircraft
to another controller if the aircraft will or
may enter the airspace or protected airspace of
another controller and radio communications will
not be transferred.
RADAR REQUIRED- A term displayed on charts and
approach plates and included in FDC NOTAM's to
alert pilots that segments of either an instrument
approach procedure or a route are not navigable
because of either the absence or unusability of
a NAVAID. The pilot can expect to be provided
radar navigational guidance while transiting segments
labeled with this term.
(See RADAR ROUTE.)
(See RADAR SERVICE.)
RADAR ROUTE- A flight path or route over which
an aircraft is vectored. Navigational guidance
and altitude assignments are provided by ATC.
(See FLIGHT PATH.)
(See ROUTE.)
RADAR SEPARATION- (See RADAR SERVICE.)
RADAR SERVICE- A term which encompasses one or
more of the following services based on the use
of radar which can be provided by a controller
to a pilot of a radar identified aircraft.
a. Radar Monitoring- The radar flight-following
of aircraft, whose primary navigation is being
performed by the pilot, to observe and note
deviations from its authorized flight path,
airway, or route. When being applied specifically
to radar monitoring of instrument approaches;
i.e., with precision approach radar (PAR) or
radar monitoring of simultaneous ILS/MLS approaches,
it includes advice and instructions whenever
an aircraft nears or exceeds the prescribed
PAR safety limit or simultaneous ILS/MLS no
transgression zone.
(See ADDITIONAL SERVICES.)
(See TRAFFIC ADVISORIES.)
b. Radar Navigational Guidance- Vectoring aircraft
to provide course guidance.
c. Radar Separation- Radar spacing of aircraft
in accordance with established minima.
(See ICAO term RADAR SERVICE.)
RADAR SERVICE [ICAO]- Term used to indicate a
service provided directly by means of radar.
a. Monitoring- The use of radar for the purpose
of providing aircraft with information and advice
relative to significant deviations from nominal
flight path.
b. Separation- The separation used when aircraft
position information is derived from radar sources.
RADAR SERVICE TERMINATED- Used by ATC to inform
a pilot that he will no longer be provided any
of the services that could be received while in
radar contact. Radar service is automatically
terminated, and the pilot is not advised in the
following cases:
a. An aircraft cancels its IFR flight plan,
except within Class B airspace, Class C airspace,
a TRSA, or where Basic Radar service is provided.
b. An aircraft conducting an instrument, visual,
or contact approach has landed or has been instructed
to change to advisory frequency.
c. An arriving VFR aircraft, receiving radar
service to a tower-controlled airport within
Class B airspace, Class C airspace, a TRSA,
or where sequencing service is provided, has
landed; or to all other airports, is instructed
to change to tower or advisory frequency.
d. An aircraft completes a radar approach.
RADAR SURVEILLANCE- The radar observation of a
given geographical area for the purpose of performing
some radar function.
RADAR TRAFFIC ADVISORIES- Advisories issued to
alert pilots to known or observed radar traffic
which may affect the intended route of flight
of their aircraft.
(See TRAFFIC ADVISORIES.)
RADAR TRAFFIC INFORMATION SERVICE- (See TRAFFIC
ADVISORIES.)
RADAR VECTORING [ICAO]- Provision of navigational
guidance to aircraft in the form of specific headings,
based on the use of radar.
RADAR WEATHER ECHO INTENSITY LEVELS- Existing
radar systems cannot detect turbulence. However,
there is a direct correlation between the degree
of turbulence and other weather features associated
with thunderstorms and the radar weather echo
intensity. The National Weather Service has categorized
radar weather echo intensity for precipitation
into six levels. These levels are sometimes expressed
during communications as "VIP LEVEL"
1 through 6 (derived from the component of the
radar that produces the information-Video Integrator
and Processor). The following list gives the "VIP
LEVELS" in relation to the precipitation
intensity within a thunderstorm:
a. Level 1. WEAK
b. Level 2. MODERATE
c. Level 3. STRONG
d. Level 4. VERY STRONG
e. Level 5. INTENSE
f. Level 6. EXTREME
(See AC 00-45, Aviation Weather Services.)
RADIAL- A magnetic bearing extending from a VOR/VORTAC/TACAN
navigation facility.
RADIO-
a. A device used for communication.
b. Used to refer to a flight service station;
e.g., "Seattle Radio" is used to call
Seattle FSS.
RADIO ALTIMETER- Aircraft equipment which makes
use of the reflection of radio waves from the
ground to determine the height of the aircraft
above the surface.
RADIO BEACON- (See NONDIRECTIONAL BEACON.)
RADIO DETECTION AND RANGING- (See RADAR.)
RADIO MAGNETIC INDICATOR- An aircraft navigational
instrument coupled with a gyro compass or similar
compass that indicates the direction of a selected
NAVAID and indicates bearing with respect to the
heading of the aircraft.
RAMP- (See APRON.)
RANDOM ALTITUDE- An altitude inappropriate for
direction of flight and/or not in accordance with
FAA Order 7110.65, paragraph 4-5-1, VERTICAL SEPARATION
MINIMA.
RANDOM ROUTE- Any route not established or charted/published
or not otherwise available to all users.
RC- (See ROAD RECONNAISSANCE.)
RCAG- (See REMOTE COMMUNICATIONS AIR/GROUND FACILITY.)
RCC- (See RESCUE COORDINATION CENTER.)
RCO- (See REMOTE COMMUNICATIONS OUTLET.)
RCR- (See RUNWAY CONDITION READING.)
READ BACK- Repeat my message back to me.
RECEIVER AUTONOMOUS INTEGRITY MONITORING (RAIM)-
A technique whereby a civil GNSS receiver/processor
determines the integrity of the GNSS navigation
signals without reference to sensors or non-DoD
integrity systems other than the receiver itself.
This determination is achieved by a consistency
check among redundant pseudorange measurements.
RECEIVING CONTROLLER- A controller/facility receiving
control of an aircraft from another controller/facility.
RECEIVING FACILITY- (See RECEIVING CONTROLLER.)
REDUCE SPEED TO (SPEED)- (See SPEED ADJUSTMENT.)
REIL- (See RUNWAY END IDENTIFIER LIGHTS.)
RELEASE TIME- A departure time restriction issued
to a pilot by ATC (either directly or through
an authorized relay) when necessary to separate
a departing aircraft from other traffic.
(See ICAO term RELEASE TIME.)
RELEASE TIME [ICAO]- Time prior to which an aircraft
should be given further clearance or prior to
which it should not proceed in case of radio failure.
REMOTE COMMUNICATIONS AIR/GROUND FACILITY- An
unmanned VHF/UHF transmitter/receiver facility
which is used to expand ARTCC air/ground communications
coverage and to facilitate direct contact between
pilots and controllers. RCAG facilities are sometimes
not equipped with emergency frequencies 121.5
MHz and 243.0 MHz.
(Refer to AIM.)
REMOTE COMMUNICATIONS OUTLET- An unmanned communications
facility remotely controlled by air traffic personnel.
RCO's serve FSS's. RTR's serve terminal ATC facilities.
An RCO or RTR may be UHF or VHF and will extend
the communication range of the air traffic facility.
There are several classes of RCO's and RTR's.
The class is determined by the number of transmitters
or receivers. Classes A through G are used primarily
for air/ground purposes. RCO and RTR class O facilities
are nonprotected outlets subject to undetected
and prolonged outages. RCO (O's) and RTR (O's)
were established for the express purpose of providing
ground-to-ground communications between air traffic
control specialists and pilots located at a satellite
airport for delivering en route clearances, issuing
departure authorizations, and acknowledging instrument
flight rules cancellations or departure/landing
times. As a secondary function, they may be used
for advisory purposes whenever the aircraft is
below the coverage of the primary air/ground frequency.
REMOTE TRANSMITTER/RECEIVER- (See REMOTE COMMUNICATIONS
OUTLET.)
REPORT- Used to instruct pilots to advise ATC
of specified information; e.g., "Report passing
Hamilton VOR."
REPORTING POINT- A geographical location in relation
to which the position of an aircraft is reported.
(See COMPULSORY REPORTING POINTS.)
(See ICAO term REPORTING POINT.)
(Refer to AIM.)
REPORTING POINT [ICAO]- A specified geographical
location in relation to which the position of
an aircraft can be reported.
REQUEST FULL ROUTE CLEARANCE- Used by pilots to
request that the entire route of flight be read
verbatim in an ATC clearance. Such request should
be made to preclude receiving an ATC clearance
based on the original filed flight plan when a
filed IFR flight plan has been revised by the
pilot, company, or operations prior to departure.
RESCUE COORDINATION CENTER- A search and rescue
(SAR) facility equipped and manned to coordinate
and control SAR operations in an area designated
by the SAR plan. The U.S. Coast Guard and the
U.S. Air Force have responsibility for the operation
of RCC's.
(See ICAO term RESCUE CO-ORDINATION CENTRE.)
RESCUE CO-ORDINATION CENTRE [ICAO]- A unit responsible
for promoting efficient organization of search
and rescue service and for coordinating the conduct
of search and rescue operations within a search
and rescue region.
RESOLUTION ADVISORY-A display indication given
to the pilot by the traffic alert and collision
avoidance systems (TCAS II) recommending a maneuver
to increase vertical separation relative to an
intruding aircraft. Positive, negative, and vertical
speed limit (VSL) advisories constitute the resolution
advisories. A resolution advisory is also classified
as corrective or preventive
RESTRICTED AREA- (See SPECIAL USE AIRSPACE.)
(See ICAO term RESTRICTED AREA.)
RESTRICTED AREA [ICAO]- An airspace of defined
dimensions, above the land areas or territorial
waters of a State, within which the flight of
aircraft is restricted in accordance with certain
specified conditions.
RESUME OWN NAVIGATION- Used by ATC to advise a
pilot to resume his own navigational responsibility.
It is issued after completion of a radar vector
or when radar contact is lost while the aircraft
is being radar vectored.
(See RADAR CONTACT LOST.)
(See RADAR SERVICE TERMINATED.)
RESUME NORMAL SPEED- Used by ATC to advise a pilot
that previously issued speed control restrictions
are deleted. An instruction to "resume normal
speed" does not delete speed restrictions
that are applicable to published procedures of
upcoming segments of flight, unless specifically
stated by ATC. This does not relieve the pilot
of those speed restrictions which are applicable
to FAR 91.117.
RMI- (See RADIO MAGNETIC INDICATOR.)
RNAV- (See AREA NAVIGATION.)
RNAV [ICAO]- (See ICAO Term AREA NAVIGATION.)
RNAV APPROACH- An instrument approach procedure
which relies on aircraft area navigation equipment
for navigational guidance.
(See AREA NAVIGATION.)
(See INSTRUMENT APPROACH PROCEDURE.)
ROAD RECONNAISSANCE- Military activity requiring
navigation along roads, railroads, and rivers.
Reconnaissance route/route segments are seldom
along a straight line and normally require a lateral
route width of 10 NM to 30 NM and an altitude
range of 500 feet to 10,000 feet AGL.
ROGER- I have received all of your last transmission.
It should not be used to answer a question requiring
a yes or a no answer.
(See AFFIRMATIVE.)
(See NEGATIVE.)
ROLLOUT RVR- (See VISIBILITY.)
ROUTE- A defined path, consisting of one or more
courses in a horizontal plane, which aircraft
traverse over the surface of the earth.
(See AIRWAY.)
(See JET ROUTE.)
(See PUBLISHED ROUTE.)
(See UNPUBLISHED ROUTE.)
ROUTE SEGMENT- As used in Air Traffic Control,
a part of a route that can be defined by two navigational
fixes, two NAVAID's, or a fix and a NAVAID.
(See FIX.)
(See ROUTE.)
(See ICAO term ROUTE SEGMENT.)
ROUTE SEGMENT [ICAO]- A portion of a route to
be flown, as defined by two consecutive significant
points specified in a flight plan.
RSA- (See RUNWAY SAFETY AREA.)
RTR- (See REMOTE TRANSMITTER/RECEIVER.)
RUNWAY- A defined rectangular area on a land airport
prepared for the landing and takeoff run of aircraft
along its length. Runways are normally numbered
in relation to their magnetic direction rounded
off to the nearest 10 degrees; e.g., Runway 1,
Runway 25.
(See PARALLEL RUNWAYS.)
(See ICAO term RUNWAY.)
RUNWAY [ICAO]- A defined rectangular area on a
land aerodrome prepared for the landing and takeoff
of aircraft.
RUNWAY CENTERLINE LIGHTING- (See AIRPORT LIGHTING.)
RUNWAY CONDITION READING- Numerical decelerometer
readings relayed by air traffic controllers at
USAF and certain civil bases for use by the pilot
in determining runway braking action. These readings
are routinely relayed only to USAF and Air National
Guard Aircraft.
(See BRAKING ACTION.)
RUNWAY END IDENTIFIER LIGHTS- (See AIRPORT LIGHTING.)
RUNWAY GRADIENT- The average slope, measured in
percent, between two ends or points on a runway.
Runway gradient is depicted on Government aerodrome
sketches when total runway gradient exceeds 0.3%.
RUNWAY HEADING- The magnetic direction that corresponds
with the runway centerline extended, not the painted
runway number. When cleared to "fly or maintain
runway heading," pilots are expected to fly
or maintain the heading that corresponds with
the extended centerline of the departure runway.
Drift correction shall not be applied; e.g., Runway
4, actual magnetic heading of the runway centerline
044, fly 044.
RUNWAY IN USE/ACTIVE RUNWAY/DUTY RUNWAY- Any runway
or runways currently being used for takeoff or
landing. When multiple runways are used, they
are all considered active runways. In the metering
sense, a selectable adapted item which specifies
the landing runway configuration or direction
of traffic flow. The adapted optimum flight plan
from each transition fix to the vertex is determined
by the runway configuration for arrival metering
processing purposes.
RUNWAY LIGHTS- (See AIRPORT LIGHTING.)
RUNWAY MARKINGS- (See AIRPORT MARKING AIDS.)
RUNWAY OVERRUN- In military aviation exclusively,
a stabilized or paved area beyond the end of a
runway, of the same width as the runway plus shoulders,
centered on the extended runway centerline.
RUNWAY PROFILE DESCENT- An instrument flight rules
(IFR) air traffic control arrival procedure to
a runway published for pilot use in graphic and/or
textual form and may be associated with a STAR.
Runway Profile Descents provide routing and may
depict crossing altitudes, speed restrictions,
and headings to be flown from the en route structure
to the point where the pilot will receive clearance
for and execute an instrument approach procedure.
A Runway Profile Descent may apply to more than
one runway if so stated on the chart.
(Refer to AIM.)
RUNWAY SAFETY AREA- A defined surface surrounding
the runway prepared, or suitable, for reducing
the risk of damage to airplanes in the event of
an undershoot, overshoot, or excursion from the
runway. The dimensions of the RSA vary and can
be determined by using the criteria contained
within AC 150/5300-13, Airport Design, Chapter
3. Figure 3-1 in AC 150/5300-13 depicts the RSA.
The design standards dictate that the RSA shall
be:
a. Cleared, graded, and have no potentially
hazardous ruts, humps, depressions, or other
surface variations;
b. Drained by grading or storm sewers to prevent
water accumulation;
c. Capable, under dry conditions, of supporting
snow removal equipment, aircraft rescue and
firefighting equipment, and the occasional passage
of aircraft without causing structural damage
to the aircraft; and,
d. Free of objects, except for objects that
need to be located in the runway safety area
because of their function. These objects shall
be constructed on low impact resistant supports
(frangible mounted structures) to the lowest
practical height with the frangible point no
higher than 3 inches above grade.
(Refer to AC 150/5300-13, Airport Design, Chapter
3.)
RUNWAY USE PROGRAM- A noise abatement runway selection
plan designed to enhance noise abatement efforts
with regard to airport communities for arriving
and departing aircraft. These plans are developed
into runway use programs and apply to all turbojet
aircraft 12,500 pounds or heavier; turbojet aircraft
less than 12,500 pounds are included only if the
airport proprietor determines that the aircraft
creates a noise problem. Runway use programs are
coordinated with FAA offices, and safety criteria
used in these programs are developed by the Office
of Flight Operations. Runway use programs are
administered by the Air Traffic Service as "Formal"
or "Informal" programs.
a. Formal Runway Use Program- An approved noise
abatement program which is defined and acknowledged
in a Letter of Understanding between Flight
Operations, Air Traffic Service, the airport
proprietor, and the users. Once established,
participation in the program is mandatory for
aircraft operators and pilots as provided for
in FAR Part 91.129.
b. Informal Runway Use Program- An approved
noise abatement program which does not require
a Letter of Understanding, and participation
in the program is voluntary for aircraft operators/pilots.
RUNWAY VISIBILITY VALUE- (See VISIBILITY.)
RUNWAY VISUAL RANGE- (See VISIBILITY.)
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