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minimum break-off height
minimum break-off height For practical purposes,
minimum descent height.
minimum burner pressure That below which combustion
in idling engine may be extinguished, maintained by *
valve.
minimum-control speed VMC Lowest IAS at which aeroplane
can always be flown safely (eg after sudden
worst-case engine failure); specified as such in flight
manual. See VMCA, VMCG, VMCL.
minimum crossing altitude Lowest altitudes at certain
radio fixes at which aircraft may cross en route to higher
IFR MEA (FAA).
minimum decision altitude Minimum descent altitude
(NESN, NFSN).
minimum descent altitude 1 MDA, lowest altitude,
expressed in feet above MSL, without sight of runway to
which descent is authorized on final approach or during
circle-to-land manoeuvre in execution of standard instrument
approach where no electronic glideslope is provided
such as ILS, PAR (FAA). See MD height.
2 Decision height (UK and others).
minimum descent height, MDH Height above touchdown,
at which pilot making a non-precision instrument
approach must either see to land or initiate overshoot,
based entirely on topography and characteristics
(including sink) of aircraft. Not used in US.
minimum design weight Not normally used: existing definitions
are generally similar to operating weight.
minimum-energy orbit See Hohmann orbit.
minimum en route altitude That between radio fixes
which meets obstruction clearances and assures good
radio reception or navaid signal coverage; MEAs apply to
entire width of all airways or other direct routes (FAA).
minimum equipment item Device whose failure does not
delay departure, also called allowable deficiency,
despatch deviation.
minimum flying speed Lowest TAS at which aeroplane
or autogyro can maintain height; often well below VMCA
or angle of attack at which operative stall-warning system
would trigger.
minimum fuel 1 Smallest quantity of fuel with which
aircraft may be authorized to fly.
2 Smallest quantity of fuel with which c.g. can fall
within permitted range, normally sufficient for 30 min at
maximum continuous power.
3 Lowest quantity of fuel necessary to assure safe
landing in sequence with other traffic without ATC
priority (USAF).
minimum glide path This has appeared in print but is
surely meaningless. There is only one glideslope angle at
each ILS.
minimum gliding speed Lowest TAS at which aircraft
can fly without propulsion; below VMCA, or best-range
gliding speed.
minimum groundspeed system Subsystem in AFCS
which continuously calculates correct approach speed
using TAS, G/S and W/V (entered into FMS by pilot) to
protect against windshear.
minimum holding altitude Lowest altitude prescribed for
holding pattern which complies with obstruction clearance
and assures good radio/navaid signal reception.
minimum human force At least three sets of measures in
use as basis for aircraft/spacecraft design, factored to
allow for injury, fatigue, g, anoxia and other influences.
minimum vectoring altitude
minimum IFR altitude As published in FAR-95 and 97,
1,000 ft above highest obstruction [2,000 ft in designated
mountainous areas] within 5 statute miles of track [FAR
word is “course”], or as otherwise authorized by ATC.
minimum line of detection Arbitrary line at which hostile
aircraft must be detected if defending interceptors are to
destroy them before they reach vital area; usually same at
ATC (1) line.
minimum line of interception Arbitrary line at which
hostile aircraft should be intercepted by aircraft if friendly
AAA and SAMs are to destroy all objects not thus intercepted.
minimum military requirement Specification or description
of infrastructure designed to meet immediate or
obvious future need and no more, on ‘no frills’ basis
(NATO).
minimum navigation performance specification,
MNPS Effective from October 1978 over ocean areas
FL275–400, calling for certain standards of navigation
and close adherence to flightplan, and permitting major
reductions in separation.
minimum normal burst altitude Height AGL below
which air-defense nuclear warheads are not normally
detonated (DoD).
minimum obstruction clearance altitude Specified altitude
between ratio fixes on VOR/LF airways, off-airway
routes or segments, which meets obstruction clearances
and ensures acceptable signal coverage only with 22 nm of
each VOR (FAA).
minimum off-route altitude MORA charts published by
Jeppesen show details of terrain and obstruction clearance
within 10 nm of track.
minimum operating strip All-weather runway devoid of
non-portable facilities, see BOP (USMC).
minimum reception altitude Lowest altitude required to
receive adequate signals to determine VOR/Tacan/Vortac
fixes (FAA).
minimum rpm Engine rotational speed normally
governed; with throttle on rearmost stop the speed
depends on a governor, IAS and possibly other factors,
such as MLG microswitch allowing a ground condition
with superfine propeller pitch.
minimum runway Not defined, other than a limiting
runway for particular aircraft or mission, with regard to
weather, aids and surrounding terrain.
minimums Minima.
minimum safe altitude warning, MSAW Included in
ARTS, monitors all controlled aircraft and alerts
controller of potentially unsafe situations, usually 100 ft
below MDA.
minimum safe distance Sum of radius of safety and
buffer distance.
minimum sector altitude That which in emergency will
provide 300 m (984.2 ft) clearance within specified sector
within 25 nm radius of radio aid.
minimum-sink speed Of glider, self-explanatory, but
note that MSS is not the same as speed for best L/D or
glide ratio.
minimum speed See mininum flying speed.
minimum TAS Corresponds to IAS for minimum flying
speed, and below MSL or on cold day can be lower.
minimum vectoring altitude Lowest altitude, expressed
in feet AMSL, to which aircraft may be vectored by radar
controller.
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