Aviation Acronyms and Mnemonics

For student pilots or those getting ready for BFRs or practical tests, and for general review



Day VFR required equipment:

GOOSE A CAT

or A FAST MOOSE

or TOMATO FLAMES

or ATOMS x 2

G as gauge

O il temperature

O il pressure

S eat belts

E LT

A ltimeter

C ompass

A irspeed indicator

T achometer A irspeed indicator

F uel guages

A ltimeter

S eat belt/shoulder harness

T achometer

M agnetic compass

O il pressure guage

O il temp.guage

S afety gear

E LT T achometer

O il pressure

M anifold pressure

A ltimeter

T emperature sensor (liquid-cooled)

O il temperature (air cooled)

F uel gauge

L anding gear position

A irspeed indicator

M agnetic compass

E LT

S eat belts A ltimeter

T achometer

O il pressure

M agnetic compass

S eat belts

A irspeed indicator

T emperature sensor (liquid-cooled)

O il temperature (air cooled)

M anifold pressure

S trobe light (if plane certified after 3/96)

Night VFR: FLAPS or APES

F uses (spares) or circuit breakers

L anding light (if for hire)

A nticollision lights

P osition lights

S ource of electricity A nticollision lights

P osition lights

E lectric source

S pare fuses or circuit breakers

IFR required equipment: GRAB CARD

or DECARAT



G enerator

R adios

A ttitude indicator

B all

C lock

A djustable altimeter

R ate of turn indicator

D irectional gyro D irectional gyro

E lectric source

C lock

A ttitude indicator

R adios

A djustable altimeter

T urn and slip coordinator

Preflight information required for flights away: RAW FAT

R unway lengths

A lternates

W eather

F uel requirements

A TC delays

T akeoff/landing distance data



Engine-out emergency: PL(ease!) START

or ABCDE



P itch for best glide

L anding site

S eat belts

T roubleshoot

A pproach

R adios

T urn off A irspeed

B est place to land

C hecklist

D eclare

E xecute

Partial-panel compass turns: UNOS

U ndershoot

N orth

O vershoot

S outh

Compass dip: ANDS

A ccelerate

N orth

D ecelerate

S outh

IFR mandatory reports: FAME Performance

F ixes: arriving or leaving

A ltitude changes

M issed approach

E quipment: loss or problems

P erformance: poor climb/descend, TAS change

Airport sign types: MIDDLR

M andatory instruction

I nformation

D estination

D irection

L ocation

R unway distance remaining

Flight Clearance: CRAFTS

C learance

R outing

A ltitude

F requency

T ransponder

S pecial

Weather briefing: SACrED WiNd

S ynopsis

A dverse conditions

C urrent weather

E nroute forecast

D estination terminal forecast

W inds aloft

N otams

Weather charts: CoPS WARS

Co nstant pressure

P rognostic

S urface analysis

W eather depiction

A rea forecast (FA)

R adar summary (SD)

S evere weather outlook (AC)

Special use airspace: MCPRAWN (the Scottish shrimp!)

M ilitary Operations

C ontrolled Firing

P rohibited

R estricted

A lert

W arning

N ational Security

Aircraft certification categories: TURN PALE

T ransport

U tility

R estricted

N ormal

P rovisional

A crobatic

L imited

E xperimental

NTSB Notification: P-FACTION

P roperty damage more than $25,000

F ire, in flight

A ccident

C ollision, in flight

T urbine failure

I llness of crew member

O verdue aircraft

N o control: control failure of any sort

Mnemonics

Flight Clearance: CRAFTS

Clearance, Routing, Altitude, Frequency, Transponder, Special

Or, more correctly:

In Clear Deep Rivers And Hot Springs, Fish Swim.

ID, Cleared to, departure, routing, altitudes, hold instructions, special, frequency, squawk