Glossary acronyms

Many terms used throughout this program are explained here.

Not on the list? see DOD Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms (PDF with almost 400 pages)

ACS – Airman Certification Standards

AE - Aerospace Education, a CAP term

AEM - Aerospace Education Members, a CAP term

AFAM - Air Force Assigned Missions

AFSOC - Air Force Special Operations Command

AGL – Above Ground Level

AIF - Aircraft Information File / similar to UIF - UAS Information File

AMA - Academy of Model Aeronautics

AOR - Area Of Responsibility

AP - Airborne Photographer for manned aircraft

ASI - Aviation Safety Inspector , an FAA term

BVLOS - Beyond Visual Line Of Sight / VLOS - Visual Line Of Sight

COA - Certificates of Authorization (or Waiver), an FAA term

CAPF - Civil Air Patrol Form

CAPM - Civil Air Patrol Manual

CAPP - Civil Air Patrol Pamphlet

CAPR - Civil Air Patrol Regulation

CAP/USAF - Civil Air Patrol / United States Air Force

CAP/USAF DO - CAP/USAF Director of Operations

CAP/USAF LR - CAP/USAF Liaison Region

CAP/USAF LR/CC - CAP/USAF Liaison Region Commander

CFR - Code of Federal Regulations

COTS - Commercial Off The Shelf (aircraft or drone) / non-COTS - opposite

CRM - Crew Resource Management

DF - Direction Finder / UDF - Urban Direction Finder

DO – Director of Operations

DoD - Department of Defense

DOL - Department Of Labor

DOU - Director of Operations UAS, a CAP term

DOV - Standardization and Evaluation Officer, a CAP term

DPE - Designated Pilot Examiner, FAA term

DR - Disaster Relief

ECD - Electronic Chart Display

EFB - Electronic Flight Bag

ES - Emergency Services / GES - General Emergency Services

F&Ps - Familiarization and Preparatory Trainings on CAP SQTRs

FAA - Federal Aviation Administration

FAR - Federal Aviation Regulations

FBO – Fixed Base Operator

FCF - Functional Check Flight

FECA - Federal Employee Compensation Act

FEMA - Federal Emergency Management Agency

FOC - Full Operational Capacity, a CAP term, 10 fully qualified sUAS Teams / see also IOC

FRO - Flight Release Officer, a CAP term

FTCA - Federal Tort Claims Act

GCS - Ground Control Station

GES - General Emergency Services / ES - Emergency Services

GIS - Geospatial Information Systems

HAZMAT - Hazardous Materials

HHA - Hold Harmless Agreement

HLS - Homeland Security

HQ - Headquarters / NHQ - National Headquarters

IAA - Incident Awareness and Assessment

IACE – International Air Cadet Exchange

IAW - In Agreement With; as in agreement with policies, procedures, rules, regulations etc

IC - Incident Commander

ICS - Incident Command System

ICUT - Introductory Communications User Training, a CAP term

IFR - Instrument Flight Rules / VFR - Visual Flight Rules, an FAA term

IMU - Inertial Measurement Unit

IOC - Initial Operational Capacity, a CAP term, 5 fully qualified sUAS Teams / see also FOC

IR - Infrared

IS - Independent Study courses on FEMA

JROTC – Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps

LAANC - Low Altitude Authorization Notification Capability, an FAA term

LKP - Last Known Position

MART - Mission Aircrew Reference Text, a CAP term

MOA - Memorandum of Agreement

MOU - Memorandum of Understanding

MO - Mission Observer, a CAP qualification for manned aircraft

MP - Mission Pilot, a CAP qualification for manned aircraft

MS - Mission Scanner, a CAP qualification for manned aircraft

MSL – Mean Sea Level

NAS - National Airspace System, an FAA term

NCPSC - National Check Pilot Standardization Course

NESA - National Emergency Services Academy

NHQ - National Headquarters / HQ - Headquarters

NIMS - National Incident Management System

nm – nautical miles

NOAA - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NOC - National Operations Center, a DHS term

NOTAM - Notice To Airmen, an FAA term

NTSB - National Transportation Safety Board

OI - Operating Instructions

Ops Quals - Operations Qualifications, a CAP term in eServices

ORM - Operational Risk Management / RAW /

PIC - Pilot In Command, an FAA term

POD - Probability of Detection

PTS – Practical Test Standards

RAW - Risk Assessment Worksheet / ORM / RM

RM - Risk Management / ORM / RAW

ROTC – Reserve Officer Training Corps

RTH - Return To Home

SA - Situational Awareness

sUAS - small Unmanned Aircraft System

small means aircraft on take-off weighs less than 55 pounds

System includes everything; the controller, aircraft, ground station, etc

SAR - Search and Rescue

SET - Skills Examiner Trainer, a CAP term

SIRS - Safety Information and Reporting System, a CAP term

sm – statute miles

SMS - Safety Management System, a CAP term

SOF - Safety of Flight

SQTR(s) - Specialty Qualification Training Record(s), a CAP term

STEAM - Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics

STEM - Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics

TFR - Temporary Flight Restriction, an FAA term

TOP - Teacher Orientation Program, a CAP term

UA - Unmanned Aircraft, just the aircraft

UAS - Unmanned Aircraft System / see also: sUAS - small Unmanned Aircraft System

System includes everything; the controller, aircraft, ground station, etc

UAST - Unmanned Aircraft System Technician, CAP qualification

UASMP - Unmanned Aircraft System Mission Pilot, CAP qualification

UAV - Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, just the aircraft

UDF - Urban Direction Finder / DF - Direction Finder

UIF - UAS Information File / similar to AIF - Aircraft Information File

USAF - United States Air Force

VFR - Visual Flight Rules / IFR - Instrument Flight Rules, an FAA term

VLOS - Visual Line Of Sight / BVLOS - Beyond Visual Line Of Sight

VMC - Visual Meteorological Conditions, an FAA term

VO - Visual Observer

WIMRS - Web Mission Information and Reporting System, a CAP term

ZULU - time zone indicator for Universal Time

Not on the list? see DOD Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms (PDF with almost 400 pages)