Airline Jargon For Beginners

We decode the mysterious jargon that is exchanged between pilots, air traffic controllers and crew

- Charlie Page

“TAKE-OFF SLOT”

When there is an increased demand on Air Traffic Control (ATC), they may issue flights with a Calculated Take-off Time (CTOT) or ‘slot’. This is the time before which the flight is not allowed to get airborne.

If bad weather is forecast at the destination airport, it is likely that flights will have to wait in the sky before their turn to land. This increases the workload on ATC and results in aircraft using more fuel. If the delays become too great, flights may have to divert to another airport.

Rather than all flights arriving at the same time, it is better for an aircraft to wait on the ground until a time at which ATC can safely accept it into the traffic flow. Once airborne in accordance with their ‘slot’, the pilots know that their delay at the destination will be much less, greatly reducing the necessity of a diversion.

“COMPLETING THE LAST OF THE PAPERWORK”

As much as airlines are trying to reduce paper use in daily operations, some requirements still remain. For every flight, the pilots are issued with a loadsheet and a NOTOC (Notice To Captain).

Complied by a special department in the airline, the loadsheet tells the pilots the weight and balance information of their aircraft. From this, they can tell how many passengers and bags are on board, how much cargo and how much fuel has been loaded. They can then accurately calculate their speeds and engine power required for take-off.

The NOTOC informs the crew of any special cargo that is being carried onboard. This could be from the benign such as fruits and vegetables, to items classified as dangerous goods such as batteries and explosive gases. This confirms to the crew that the cargo is being carried safely and enables them to respond in the correct manner should any problems arise.