Glossary

C Center of gravity limits. The specified forward and aft points within which the CG must be located during flight. Cabin altitude. Cabin pressure in terms of equivalent altitude These limits are indicated on pertinent airplane specifications. above sea level. Center of gravity range. The distance between the forward Cage. The black markings on the ball instrument indicating and aft CG limits indicated on pertinent airplane specifications. its neutral position. Center of pressure. A point along the wing chord line where Calibrated. The instrument indication compared with a lift is considered to be concentrated. For this reason, the center standard value to determine the accuracy of the instrument. of pressure is commonly referred to as the center of lift. Calibrated orifice. A hole of specific diameter used to delay Centrifugal flow compressor. An impeller-shaped device the pressure change in the case of a vertical speed indicator. that receives air at its center and slings the air outward at high velocity into a diffuser for increased pressure. Also referred Calibrated airspeed. The speed at which the aircraft to as a radial outflow compressor. is moving through the air, found by correcting IAS for instrument and position errors. Centrifugal force. An outward force that opposes centripetal force, resulting from the effect of inertia during a turn. Camber. The camber of an airfoil is the characteristic curve of its upper and lower surfaces. The upper camber is more Centripetal force. A center-seeking force directed inward pronounced, while the lower camber is comparatively flat. toward the center of rotation created by the horizontal This causes the velocity of the airflow immediately above the component of lift in turning flight. wing to be much higher than that below the wing. CG. See center of gravity. Canard. A horizontal surface mounted ahead of the main wing to provide longitudinal stability and control. It may Changeover point (COP). A point along the route or be a fixed, movable, or variable geometry surface, with or airway segment between two adjacent navigation facilities without control surfaces. or waypoints where changeover in navigation guidance should occur. Canard configuration. A configuration in which the span of the forward wings is substantially less than that of the Chart Supplement U.S. (formerly Airport/Facility main wing. Directory). An FAA publication containing information on all airports, communications, and NAVAIDs. Cantilever. A wing designed to carry loads without external struts. Checklist. A tool that is used as a human factors aid in aviation safety. It is a systematic and sequential list of all CAS. Calibrated airspeed. operations that must be performed to properly accomplish a task. CDI. Course deviation indicator. Chord line. An imaginary straight line drawn through an Ceiling. The height above the earth’s surface of the lowest airfoil from the leading edge to the trailing edge. layer of clouds, which is reported as broken or overcast, or the vertical visibility into an obscuration. Circling approach. A maneuver initiated by the pilot to align the aircraft with a runway for landing when a straight- Center of gravity (CG). The point at which an airplane in landing from an instrument approach is not possible or is would balance if it were possible to suspend it at that point. not desirable. It is the mass center of the airplane, or the theoretical point at which the entire weight of the airplane is assumed to be concentrated. It may be expressed in inches from the reference datum, or in percentage of mean aerodynamic chord (MAC). The location depends on the distribution of weight in the airplane. G-6