1Dk4eXg

air
airburst
3 Air-inflatable retarder (similar to ballute).
4 Air-intercept radar.
5 Advanced integrated recorder.
6 Aerospace Information Report (SAE).
air Air near Earth’s surface usually taken to be (% by
volume): nitrogen 78.08; oxygen 20.95; argon 0.93; other
gases (in descending order of concentration, carbon
dioxide, neon, helium, methane, krypton, hydrogen,
xenon and ozone) 0.04. In practice also contains up to 4%
water vapour. ISA SL pressure at 16.6°C is 10.332
kg m –2 ( = 761.848 mm Hg) and density 1.2255 kg m –3 .
air abort Abort after take-off.
Airac Aeronautical information regulation and control,
system for disseminating air navigation information
(Notams).
Airad Airmen advisory (local).
AI radar Airborne interception radar, carried by fighter
for finding and tracking aerial targets.
Air Adviser RAF officer charged with assisting
commander of a multiservice Task Force [e.g. Falklands
1982].
air attack An experienced firefighter who not only
provides the IC(8) with an overview but also knows how
best to allocate resources.
air-augmented rocket Usual form of this propulsion
system is for first stage of combustion, or primary rocket
propellant or gas-generator, to yield fuel-rich range of
products which then combine in second stage of combustion
with atmospheric air (normally induced through
ram intake). Objective is to increase specific impulse, by
using oxygen from atmosphere, and also burn time and
vehicle range.
air bag Rapidly inflated flexible bag to cushion VL of
UAV or other object.
airband Those frequencies used for aeronautical voice
communications.
air base 1 Loosely, military or general-aviation airfield
(term used mainly by popular media).
2 In photogrammetry, line joining two air stations.
3 Length of (2).
4 Scale distance between adjacent perspective centres as
reconstructed in plotting instrument.
air bearing Gas bearing using air as working fluid.
air-bearing table Table supported on single spherical air
bearing and thus free to tilt, without sensible friction, to
any attitude within design constraints.
air-blast switch Electrical circuit-breaker in which arc
formed on breaking circuit is blown away by high-velocity
air jet.
air-blast transformer In this context, as in some other
electric and electronic equipment dissipating large heat
flux, air-blast signifies forced air cooling.
air bleed See Bleed (2).
air block Rectilinear volume of atmosphere between
designated FLs over published geographical area.
airblown seal A seal between two rotating assemblies,
usually of labyrinth type, fed with air at pressure slightly
higher than surroundings, thus excluding oil or other
contaminants.
airborne Sustained by atmosphere or vertical component
of propulsive thrust. Implication is that vehicle is not
above sensible atmosphere; term not normally used in
connection with spaceflights not involving aerodynamically
supported vehicles, but applicable to wingless jet-lift
devices.
airborne alert Generally, long-duration mission flown
by strategic bomber, in all respects ready to make real
attack, to reduce reaction time and remove possibility of
destruction by ICBM or SLBM attack on its base. Until
World War 2 ‘air alert’ was method of deploying interceptor
(pursuit) forces, keeping them on sustained flight
in likely combat area under ground vector control.
Airborne Cigar Powerful transmitters on which RAF
bombers broadcast misleading instructions to german
night fighters in WW2.
airborne early warning, AEW Use of aircraft to lift
powerful search radar to greatest possible height to extend
line-of-sight coverage (very approximately, LOS radius in
statute miles is square root of 1.5 times observer’s height
in feet). Modern AEW can give a PPI covering 170,000 sq
miles, throughout which two low-level aircraft in close
formation can be individually distinguished against
ground clutter.
airborne fog blind Translucent blind or hood admitting
light to cockpit or flight deck whilst removing external
visual cues.
airborne force Force constituted for airborne operations.
airborne gunlaying turret, AGLT Bomber-defence gun
turret incorporating automatic provisions for aim-off and
other corrections when engaging aerial targets.
airborne interception, AI Use of aircraft to find, and
close with, another aircraft; specifically, use of fighter to
intercept, challenge by IFF and, if dissatisfied, destroy
another aircraft.
airborne operation Movement of combat forces and
logistic support into combat zone by air.
airborne radio relay Use of airborne relay stations to
increase range, flexibility or security of communications.
airborne target handover system Coded data-link
enabling aircraft to hand over target (usually on ground)
to a friendly station, without voice.
Air Box Air Ministry (RAF, colloq.).
airbrake Passive device extended from aircraft to
increase drag. Most common form is hinged flap(s) or
plate(s), mounted in locations where operation causes no
significant deterioration in stability and control at any
attainable airspeed. Term not normally applied to flaps,
drag chute or thrust-reverse systems.
air-breathing Aspiring air, specifically aircraft propulsion
system which sustains combustion of fuel with
atmospheric oxygen. Imposes constraints on vehicle speed
and height, but invariably offers longer range than rocket
system for same vehicle size or mass.
airbridge 1 Elevated metal ‘bridges’ linking logic gates
on an integrated circuit chip.
2 See bridge.
Air Britain Despite name, international enthusiast
body, formed 1948, now has (Historians) added to title
[office Dunstable, UK].
Airbrokers Association Formed 1949, became BAC1
[office London].
airburst Detonation of explosive device well above
Earth’s surface. Almost all nuclear weapons are
programmed for optimised airburst height, which varies
with weapon and target.
31