Aviation Dictionary
On this page you will find a searchable and comprehensive alphabetical list of aviation terms. You can help us make it the most comprehensive list in the world. If we have missed anything, click on the ‘send us your word’ button to send us your word, acronym or definition and we will consider adding it to our dictionary.
Aviation Dictionary: O
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| OAT | Outside air temperature |
| OCTA | Outside controlled airspace |
| OEI | One engine inoperative |
| OGE | Out of ground effect |
| OH&S | Occupational health and safety |
| Okta | A method used to describe the amount of cloud cover in the sky, divided into eighths ; eg: 8/8 is overcast |
| Oleo | An aircraft shock absorber on the landing system of most aircraft. It is a pneumatic, air-oil hydraulic shock absorber. Some smaller aircraft may have coil springs and both serve to dampen the impact of landing, with the hydraulic system being more effective. |
| Orbit | A procedure normally used to generate spacing between aircraft. An orbit is simply a turn at a constant altitude and a constant AoB in your current position. It is NOT the same as a hold. |
| OVC | Overcast 8 Oktas |
| Overbanking | The tendency of an aircraft to want to increase its angle of bank, or continue to roll into the turn on its own, because of the differing amounts of lift created on both wings during the turn |
| Overhead | A position fix directly over a point; ie overhead an airfield means that you are directly above that airfield |
| Overhead Join | A procedure for aircraft to join an aerodrome circuit safely. This is normally done at a minimum of 500 feet above the circuit height with a descent to circuit height on the non-traffic side of the aerodrome circuit. It is important to be familiar with the specific aerodrome plates as the circuit direction can be either left hand or right hand based on the wind direction, aerodrome layout for noise control over populated areas, terrain, or other operational requirements |
| Overshoot | This is when the aircraft runs off the end of the runway, which could be either on take-off or landing. |
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