| Acronyms | Definition |
| AAAE | American Association of Airport Executive |
| AA/EEO | Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity |
| AASHTO | American Association of State Highway and Transp. Officials |
| AC | Advisory Circular |
| AC | Asphalt Cement |
| AC | Alternating Current |
| A/C | Aircraft |
| ACE | Aviation Careers Education; Association of Career Employees |
| ACIP | Airport Capital Improvement Program |
| ADA | Americans with Disabilities Act |
| ADF | Automatic Direction Finder |
| ADIZ | Air Defense Identification Zone |
| ADO | Airport District Office |
| ADT | Average Daily Traffic |
| AERO | Aeronautical; Bureau of Aeronautics |
| AFB | Air Force Base |
| AFS | Airways Facilities Sector |
| AFSCME | American Federation of State/County/Municipal Employees |
| AFSFO | Airways Facilities Sector Field Office |
| AFSO | Airways Facilities Sector Office |
| AFSS | Automated Flight Service Station |
| AGL | Above Ground Level |
| AGL | Great Lakes Region, FAA |
| AI | Asphalt Institute |
| AIM | Airman's Information Manual |
| AIMS | Airport Information Management System |
| AIP | Airport Improvement Program |
| AIRMET | Airmen's Meteorological Information |
| AL | Annual Leave |
| ALP | Airport Layout Plan |
| ALS | Approach Light System |
| ALSF | Approach Light System w/Sequenced Flashing Lights |
| ALT | Altitude |
| ANGB | Air National Guard Base |
| AOA | Airport Operations Area |
| AOPA | Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association |
| A/P | Autopilot |
| AP | Airport |
| APAT | Airport Auto Pilot |
| ARC | Airport Reference Code |
| ARFF | Airport Rescue & Fire Fighting |
| ARP | Airport Reference Point |
| ARPT | Airport |
| ARRAS | Airport Remote Radio Access System |
| ARSA | Airport Radar Service Area |
| ARTCC | Air Route Traffic Control Center |
| ASCE | American Society of Civil Engineers |
| ASAP | As soon as possible |
| ASIA | Austin Straubel International Airport |
| ASL | Above Sea Level |
| ASOS | Automated Surface Observation System |
| ASPH | Asphalt |
| ASR | Airport Surveillance Radar |
| ASTM | American Society for Testing and Materials |
| ATA | American Transport Association |
| ATA | actual time of arrival |
| ATC | air traffic control |
| ATCT | air traffic control tower |
| ATIS | automatic terminal information service |
| AUP | Agreed Unit Price |
| AVGAS | aviation gasoline |
| AWOS | Automatic Weather Observing/Report System |
| BAA [Top of Page] | Bureau of Accounting and Auditing DOT/DMB |
| BASE | cloud base |
| BC | back course |
| BOA | Bureau of Aeronautics |
| BRG | Bearing |
| BS&DP | Bureau of Systems and Data Processing (DOT/DBM) |
| BUR | bureau |
| CAA [Top of Page] | Civil Aviation Authority (Great Britain) |
| CAAA | Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 |
| CAB | Civil Aeronautical Board |
| CABC | Crushed Aggregate Base Course |
| CADD | Computer Assisted Design & Drafting |
| CADDS | Computer Assisted Design & Drafting System |
| CAICE | Computer Aided Civil Engineering (and Survey Software) - pronounced "casey" |
| CAP | Civil Air Patrol |
| CAS | Calibrated (computed) Air Speed |
| CAS | collision avoidance system |
| CAR | Council on Applied Research |
| CAT | category |
| CAT I | Facility providing operation down to 200 feet decision height and runway visual range not less than 2,600 feet |
| CAT II | Facility providing operation down to 100 feet decision height and runway visual range not less than 1,200 feet |
| CAT III | Facility providing operation with no decision height limit and along the surface of the runway with external visual reference during final phase of landing and with a runway and runway visual range not less than 2,600 feet |
| CBT | Computer Based Training |
| CC | carbon copy |
| CCO | Contract Change Order |
| CDI | Course Deviation Indicator |
| CDL | commercial drivers license |
| CE | Civil Engineer |
| CE | Career Executive |
| CEAL | Civil Engineering Automation Library |
| CFI | Certified Flight Instructor |
| CFII | Certified Flight Instructor Instrument |
| CFR | Code of Federal Regulations |
| CFR | Crash Fire & Rescue |
| CG | Center of Gravity |
| CHG | change |
| CIP | Capital Improvement Program |
| CL | center line |
| CMCP | corrugated metal culvert pipe |
| COE | corps of engineers (federal); U.S. Army Corps of Engineers |
| COGO | coordinate geometry |
| CONC | concrete |
| CONST | construction |
| COR | Council on Research |
| CPA | Certified Public Accountant |
| CRCP | continuously reinforced concrete pavement |
| CSCP | corrugated steel culvert pipe |
| CTAF | common traffic advisory frequency |
| CTH | County Trunk Highway |
| CZ | control zone |
| DB [Top of Page] | decibel |
| DBE | Disadvantage Business Enterprise |
| DC | direct current |
| DCRA | Dane County Regional Airport |
| DER | Department of Employee Relations |
| DF | direction finder |
| DGPS | Differential Global Positioning System |
| DH | decision height |
| DIR | direct |
| DME | distance measuring equipment |
| DOA | Department of Administration (state) |
| DOD | Department of Defense (federal) |
| DOE | Department of Energy (federal) |
| DOT | Department of Transportation |
| DNR | Department of Natural Resources (state) |
| DR | dead reckoning |
| DUATS | direct user access terminal system |
| EA [Top of Page] | Environmental Assessment |
| EAA | Experimental Aircraft Association |
| EAS | equivalent airspeed; essential air service |
| EFAS | en route flight advisory service (Flight Watch) |
| EIS | Environmental Impact Statement |
| ELEV | elevation |
| ELT | Emergency Locator Transmitter |
| EMS | Emergency Medical Services |
| ENRT | en route |
| EPA | Exceptional Performance Award |
| EPA | U.S. Environmental Protection Agency |
| EPIC | Expanded Program Implementation Committee |
| ERA | Employee Reimbursement Account Program |
| ESAL | Equivalent single axle loads |
| ETA | estimated time of arrival |
| ETA/D | estimated time of arrival/departure |
| FA [Top of Page] | area forecast; final approach |
| FAA | Federal Aviation Administration |
| FAR | Federal Aviation Regulations |
| FAR(S) | Federal Acquisition Regulation System |
| FAX | facismile |
| FBO | Fixed-base Operator |
| FCC | Federal Communications Commission |
| FCST | forecast |
| FDM | Facilities Development Manual |
| FDR | Flight Data Recorder |
| FHWA | Federal Highway Administration |
| FIDO | Flight Inspection District Office |
| FIFO | Flight Inspection Field Office |
| FL | flight level |
| FP | flight plan |
| FLSA | Fair Labor Standards Act |
| FM | fan marker |
| FOD | foreign object damage |
| FOB | fuel on board |
| FONSI | Finding of No Significant Impact |
| FOS | Financial Operating System |
| FP | state forecast |
| FRA | Federal Railroad Administration (USDOT) |
| FSDO | Flight Standards District Office |
| FSS | Flight Service Station |
| FT | Terminal Forecast |
| FTA | Federal Transit Administration |
| FUTA | Federal Unemployment Tax Act |
| FYI | for your information |
| GA [Top of Page] | general aviation |
| GADO | General Aviation District Office |
| GAO | General Accounting Office (federal) |
| GIS | Geographic Information Systems |
| GMIA | General Mitchell International Airport |
| GMT | greenwich mean time |
| GOVT | government |
| GPO | Government Printing Office |
| GPS | Global Positioning System |
| GS | glide slope |
| GS | ground speed |
| GSA | General Services Administration |
| GW | gross weight |
| GWT | gross weight |
| HAZMAT/HAZWASTE | hazardous materials and hazardous waste |
| HDG [Top of Page] | heading |
| HEAVY | wide body commercial aircraft |
| HFSTB | Hill Farms State Transportation Building |
| HIRL | high intensity runway lights |
| HMA | hot mix asphalt |
| HMO | Health Maintenance Organization |
| HNGR | hangar |
| HQ | headquarters |
| HWY | highway |
| IAS [Top of Page] | indicated airspeed |
| ICAO | International Civil Aviation Organization |
| ICC | Interstate Commerce Commission |
| ID | identifier |
| IDENT | identify or identifier or identification |
| IFR | instrument flight rules |
| ILS | Instrument Landing System (uses precision localizer and glide-slope radio transmitters near a runway to provide landing approach guidance) |
| IM | inner marker (ILS) |
| IMC | instrument meteorological conditions |
| IMS | Information Management System |
| INFO | information |
| INST | instrument |
| ISA | initial site assessment |
| ISO | International Standards Organization |
| ISTEA | Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act |
| ITOG | Information Technology Oversight Group (WisDOT) |
| ITS | Intelligent Transportation System |
| km | kilometers |
| KTS (kts) | knots |
| LAAS [Top of Page] | Local Area Augmentation System (GPS) |
| LAB | Legislative Audit Bureau |
| LAN | local area network |
| LAT | latitude |
| LAX | identifier for Los Angeles |
| LDN | day-night average noise level |
| LFB | Legislative Fiscal Bureau |
| LFR | Low-frequency radio range |
| LIRL | low intensity runway lights |
| LLWAS | low level wind shear alert system |
| LMM | compass locator at ILS middle marker |
| LOC | localizer |
| LOM | compass locator at ILS outer marker |
| LON | longitude |
| LONG | longitude |
| LORAN | long range area navigation system |
| LTE | Limited Term Employee |
| LUST | leaking underground storage tanks |
| M [Top of Page] | mach number |
| MACH | speed ratio to speed of sound |
| MAG | magnetic |
| MALS | medium intensity approach lighting system |
| MALSF | medium intensity approach lighting system with sequenced flashers |
| MALSR | medium intensity approach lighting system with runway alignment indicator lights |
| MAP | missed approach point |
| MARAD | Federal Maritime Administration |
| MB | marker beacon |
| MBE | Minority Business Enterprises |
| MCA | minimum controllable attitude |
| MCA | minimum crossing altitude |
| MGR | manager |
| MHz | megahertz |
| MIRL | medium intensity runway edge lights |
| MLS | microwave landing system |
| MM | middle marker (ILS) |
| MOA | military operations area |
| MOA | Memorandum of Agreement |
| Mode S | type of secondary surveillance radar (SSR) equipment which provides Mode A and Mode C interrogations, discrete address (Mode S) interrogations from the ground or air, and a data link capability |
| MOU | Memorandum of Understanding |
| MP | Master Plan |
| MPO | Metropolitan Planning Organization |
| MSL | mean sea level |
| MVA | minimum vector altitude |
| MVFR | marginal VFR |
| MUTCD | Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (Uniform Manual) |
| NA [Top of Page] | not authorized |
| N/A | not applicable |
| NAD | North American datum |
| NASA | National Aeronautics and Space Administration |
| NASAO | National Association of State Aviation Officials |
| NATA | National Air Transport Association |
| NAV | navigation |
| NAVAID | navigational aid |
| NBAA | National Business Aircraft Association |
| NCAT | National Center for Asphalt Technology |
| NDB | nondirectional radio beacon |
| NDB/DME | NDB and DME (co-located) |
| NEC | National Electric Code |
| NEPA | National Environmental Policy Act |
| NM | nautical miles |
| NOAA | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |
| NORAD | North American Air Defense Command |
| NOS | National Oceanic Survey |
| NOTAM | Notice to Airmen |
| NOx | Oxides of Nitrogen (a precursor of ozone) |
| NPCS | Non Primary Commercial Service |
| NPIAS | Nat'l Plan of Integrated Airport Systems |
| NTSB | National Transportation Safety Board |
| NWS | National Weather Service |
| O&D [Top of Page] | origin & destination |
| O/T | overtime |
| OAT | outside air temperature |
| ODALS | omnidirectional approach lighting system |
| OEA | Office of Environmental Analysis (state DOT) |
| OIG | Office of Inspector General (federal) |
| OM | outer marker (ILS) |
| OSHA | Occupational Health and Safety Administration |
| OT | overtime |
| PA [Top of Page] | precision approach |
| PA | pressure altitude |
| PAPI | precision approach path indicator |
| PCB | polychlorinated biphenols |
| PCC | Portland Cement Concrete |
| PCI | Pavement Condition Index |
| PCR | Public Communication Record (WisDOT) |
| PE | Professional Engineer |
| PEPED | Performance, Evaluation, Planning and Employee Development Program |
| PFC | Passenger Facilities Charges |
| PGL | Program Guidance Letter (FAA) |
| PIC | pilot in command |
| PIREP | pilot weather report |
| PLASI | pulsating visual approach slope indicators |
| PMS | Pavement Management System |
| PPM | Policy and Procedures Memorandums |
| PROP | propeller |
| PS&E | plan specifications and estimates |
| QC/QA [Top of Page] | Quality Control/Quality Assurance |
| QI | quality improvement |
| QUAD | quadrant |
| QUAD | quadrangle map |
| RADAR [Top of Page] | radio detection and ranging |
| RAIL | runway alignment indicator lights |
| RAP | Recycled Asphalt Pavement |
| RCCP | reinforced concrete culvert pipe |
| RE | Real Estate; Resident Engineer |
| REF | reference |
| REIL | runway end identifier lights |
| RFP | Request for Proposal |
| RNAV | area navigation (generic acronym for any device capable of aircraft guidance between pilot-defined waypoints |
| R/W or ROW | right of way |
| RVR | runway visual range |
| RW | runway |
| RWY | runway |
| SA [Top of Page] | surface observations |
| SAAIP | Summer Affirmative Action Intern Program (State) |
| SASP | State Airport System Plan |
| SDD | Standard Detail Drawing |
| SDF | simplified directional facility |
| SEA | State Engineers Association |
| SEA/TAC | Seattle/Tacoma International Airport |
| SET | Student Engineer Trainee Program |
| SHPO | State Historic Preservation Officer |
| SHRP | Strategic Highway Research Program |
| SI | international system of units (metric) |
| SID | standard instrument departure |
| SIG | Special Interest Group (WisDOT) |
| SIGMET | significant meteorological information |
| SM | statute miles |
| SMA | stone mastic (or matrix) asphalt |
| SOP | standard operating procedure |
| SP | special provision |
| SPEC | specification |
| SS | Supplemental Specifications |
| STOL | short take-off and landing |
| STWY | stopway |
| SVFR | special VFR |
| TACAN [Top of Page] | tactical air navigational aid |
| TAC | TACAN |
| TACH | Tachometer |
| TAM | Transportation Administrative Manual |
| TAS | true air speed |
| TCA | terminal control area |
| TCAS | Traffic Alert & Collision Avoidance System |
| TD | touchdown |
| TDA | Transportation Development Association |
| TDZ | touchdown zone |
| TEA | Transportation Economic Assistance |
| TEA-21 | Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century |
| TERPS | terminal instrument procedures |
| TFC | traffic |
| TIF | as in TIF districts (tax incremental finance) |
| TIPS | Transportation Interactive Procurement System |
| TLS | Transponder Landing System |
| TOGA | takeoff/go-around |
| TQM | Total Quality Management |
| TRACON | Terminal Radar Approach Control Facility |
| TRB | Transportation Research Board |
| TRSA | terminal radar service area |
| TVOR | terminal VOR |
| TWEB | transcribed weather broadcast |
| TWY | taxiway |
| UNICOM [Top of Page] | local airport advisory frequency |
| UHF | ultra high frequency |
| USDOT | United States Department of Transportation |
| USAF | United States Air Force |
| USGS | US Geological Survey |
| UST | underground storage tanks and related regulations |
| UTC | coordinated universal time |
| V [Top of Page] | velocity |
| VA | Victor Airways |
| VASI | visual approach slope indicator |
| VFR | visual flight rules |
| VHF | very high frequency |
| VMC | visual meteorological conditions |
| VOC | volatile organic compounds (a precursor of ozone) |
| VOR | VHF omni-directional radio range |
| VOR/DME | VOR and DME (co-located) |
| VORTAC | VOR and TACAN (co-located) |
| VOT | VOR test signal |
| VTOL | vertical take-off and landing |
| VX | speed for best angle of climb |
| VY | speed for best rate of climb |
| WAAS [Top of Page] | Wide Area Augmentation System (GPS) |
| WAC | world aeronautical chart |
| WO | without |
| WPT | way point |
| WWW | world wide web |
| WX | weather |
| X-BAND [Top of Page] | the frequency range between 8000 and 12500 MHz |
| Y2K | Year 2000 |
| Z | Greenwich mean time |
| ZULU | Greenwich mean time |