Appendix 1: Glossary

The following words and terms represent some of those that are often encountered in the field of aviation. For a more complete list of definitions, a mechanic or technician should consult an aviation dictionary. abrasion resistant PTFE   a solid insulation wall of PTFE with hard, nonconductive grit positioned midway in the wall thickness, and significantly improves the resistance of the PTFE material to damage from wear. acetylene—gas composed of two parts of carbon and two parts of hydrogen. When burned in the atmosphere of oxygen, it produces one of the highest flame temperatures obtainable. acetylene regulator—manually adjustable device used to reduce cylinder pressure to torch pressure and to keep the pressure constant. They are never to be used as oxygen regulators. adherend—one of the members being bonded together by adhesive. Airworthiness Directive   a regulation issued by the FAA that applies to aircraft, aircraft engines, propellers, or appliances, when an unsafe condition exists and that condition is likely to exist or develop in other products of the same type design. airworthy—is when an aircraft or one of its component parts meets its type design and is in a condition for safe operation. ambient light—the visible light level measured at the surface of the part. ampere (A)   the basic unit of current flow. One A is the amount of current that flows when a difference of potential of 1 V is applied to a circuit with a resistance of 1 Ω. One coulomb per second. antenna   a device designed to radiate or intercept electromagnetic waves. anti-tear strips—strips of fabric of the same material as the airplane is covered with, laid over the wing rib under the reinforcing tape. apparent power—the product of volts and am-peres in AC circuits where the current and voltage are out of phase. or intended to be used in operating or controlling an aircraft in flight, is installed in or attached to the aircraft, and is not part of an airframe, engine or propeller. arm   a measurement of distance, in inches, feet, etc., used in weight and balance calculations. Normally only the longitudinal arm is of practical importance. The three axial arms are longitudinal arm, lateral arm, and vertical arm. automatic direction finder (ADF)   a radio receiver utilizing a directional loop antenna that enables the receiver to indicate the direction from which a radio signal is …