Phrases & Expressions

Measured from the moment an aircraft leaves its chocks until it stops at the chocks after the flight.

• The flight time from chock to chock was 4 hours.
• Many airlines pay pilots for the hours from chock to chock.

An automatic TCAS voice warning telling the crew to descend at once to avoid another aircraft.

• The TCAS warning said "Descend, descend", so the pilot lowered the nose.
• When TCAS calls "Descend, descend", the crew must follow it immediately.

A long-term solution that effectively resolves a problem.

• We need a durable solution to this issue.
• Local integration is seen as a durable solution.

A decision on whether a project or action can proceed or must be stopped.

• The committee will make a go/no-go decision next week.
• We need a go/no-go decision before investing more money.

In air traffic control, to stop and wait before a runway or another given point.

• The controller told the pilot to hold short of runway 27.
• We were told to hold short of the runway while another aircraft landed.

At heights above the transition altitude, where height is given as a flight level based on standard pressure.

• We are now in the flight levels.
• The aircraft climbed into the flight levels.

An automated or pilot announcement indicating the decision height or minimum altitude has been reached.

• The system announced 'Minima minima' at the decision height.
• Hearing 'minima minima' means you must decide to land or go around.

A TCAS collision-avoidance alert telling pilots to keep their vertical speed out of the red area shown.

• The TCAS called 'monitor vertical speed' as we climbed through 9,000 feet.
• After the 'monitor vertical speed' alert, the pilot kept the climb rate unchanged.

An older air traffic control instruction, similar to 'line up and wait'.

• The pilot acknowledged, 'Position and hold.'
• This phrase has largely been replaced by 'line up and wait'.

To ask a country's ambassador to return home, usually because of a serious disagreement between the countries.

• They decided to recall their ambassador.
• The country will recall its ambassador in protest.