| C |
Celsius or centigrade |
| c/n |
construction (or:
constructor's) number; manufacturer's serial number |
| C/R |
Contra-rotating; also:
counter-rotating |
| C2 |
Command and control |
| C3 |
Command, control and communications |
| C3CM |
Command, control, communications and
countermeasures |
| C3I |
Command, control, communications and
intelligence |
| CAA |
Civil Aviation Authority (UK) |
| CAB |
Civil Aeronautics Board (US) |
| cabane |
Structure to support load above fuselage or wing |
| cabin altitude |
Height above S/L at which ambient pressure is
identical to the inside of the cabin |
| CAD |
Computer aided design |
| CAF |
Canadian Armed Forces |
| CAM |
Computer aided manufacture |
| CAMS |
Computer aided maintenance system |
| canard |
Fixed or moveable foreplanes ahead of CG |
| CAP |
Combat air patrol |
| CAR |
Civil airworthiness regulations |
| CAS |
Calibrated airspeed;
also: calculated airspeed;
also: close air support |
| casevac |
Casualty evacuation |
| Cat |
Category |
| CATAC |
Commandement Aérienne Tactique;
tactical air command of France |
| CATIC |
China National Aero-technology Import and Export
Corporation |
| CBLS |
Carrier, bomb, light store (RAF) |
| CBR |
California bearing ratio;
also: chemical, biological, radiological;
also: common bomb |
| |
rack |
| CBU |
Cluster bomb unit |
| CBW |
Chemical & biological warfare |
| CCD |
Charge coupled device |
| CCIP |
Continuously-computed impact point |
| CCTS |
Combat Crew Training Squadron (USAF) |
| CCV |
Control configured vehicle |
| CDU |
Cockpit display unit |
| CEAA |
Commandement des Ecoles de l'Armée de l'Air;
air training command of France |
| CEAM |
Centre d'Expériences Aériennes Militaires |
| CEAT |
Centre d'Essais Aéronautiques de
Toulouse |
| Ceconite |
Covering material for light aircraft; trade name |
| CEO |
Chief executive officer |
| CEP |
Concurrent evaluation phase;
also: circular error probability |
| CEV |
Centre d'Essais en Vol |
| CFB |
Canadian Forces Base |
| CFE |
Conventional Forces in Europe (treaty);
also: contractor-furnished equipment; also: |
| |
Central Fighter Establishment (RAF; defunct) |
| CFI |
Certified flying instructor |
| CFIT |
Controlled flight into terrain |
| CFE |
Conventional Forces in Europe |
| CFRP |
Composite fibre-reinforced plastics |
| CFS |
Central flying school |
| CFT |
Conformal fuel tank |
| CG |
Centre of gravity |
| CGAS |
Coast Guard Air Station (USCG) |
| chord |
Width between the leading edge and trailing edge
of an aerofoil |
| CIP |
Common integrated processor |
| CinC |
Commander-in-Chief |
| CIS |
Commonwealth of Independent States (loosely:
former Soviet-Union) |
| CKD |
Component knock-down (parts delivered for
assembly) |
| CLCD |
Colour liquid-crystal display |
| clean
(aircraft) |
flight with flaps, slats and undercarriage
retracted and no external stores |
| cm |
Centimetre |
| CMS |
Cockpit management system |
| CNI |
Communications, navigation, identification |
| CO |
Commanding officer also:
carbon monoxide |
| coarse pitch |
Large angle between propeller blade chord and
propeller disc; giving higher speed |
| COC |
Command Operations Center |
| COD |
Carrier on-board delivery |
| C of A |
Certificate of airworthiness |
| COIN |
Counter insurgency |
| collective pitch |
Primary helicopter flight control; changes pitch
of all rotor blades simultaneously; |
| |
controls vertical speed and direction |
| com or
comm |
Communications |
| combat SAR |
Combat search and rescue |
| combi |
Combined passengers and freight |
| COMPG |
Composite Group (USAF) |
| comint |
Communications intelligence |
| constant speed |
Propeller on which pitch is adjusted
automatically to maintain desired rpm |
| continuation trainer |
Aircraft used by experienced pilots for
refresher training |
| contra-rotating |
Propellers or rotors turning in different
directions on same axis |
| counter-rotating |
Propellers or rotors turning in different
directions on different axis |
| convertible |
Transport aircraft able to carry both passengers
and cargo, but not simultaneously |
| COO |
Chief operating officer |
| core |
Central, gas generator portion, of a turbofan
engine |
| CoS |
Chief-of-Staff |
| COTAM |
Commandement du Transport Aérienne
Militaire; air transport command of France |
| COTS |
Commercial of the shelf |
| CPL |
Commercial Pilot's License |
| CPP |
Cost per passenger |
| CPS |
Central processing system |
| CPT |
Cockpit procedure trainer |
| CPU |
Central processing unit |
| CRAF |
Civil Reserve Air Fleet (USAF) |
| CRL |
Common rail launcher |
| CSA |
Command support aircraft (USAF) |
| CSAR |
re: Combat SAR |
| CSAS |
Command and stability augmentation system |
| CSD |
Constant speed drive |
| CSE |
Common support equipment |
| CSP |
Common signal processor |
| CRT |
Cathode ray tube |
| CSW |
Conventional stand-off weapon |
| CTOL |
Conventional take-off and landing |
| CTP |
Chief test pilot |
| CTS |
Composite Training Squadron (USAF);
also: central tactical system |
| CTTO |
Central Tactics and Trials Organisation (UK) |
| CTW |
Composite Training Wing (USAF) |
| CV |
Aircraft carrier (USN) |
| CVA |
Aircraft carrier, attack (USN) |
| CVH |
Aircraft carrier, helicopter (USN) |
| CVL |
Aircraft carrier, light (USN) |
| CVN |
Aircraft carrier, nuclear powered (USN) |
| CVR |
Cockpit voice recorder |
| CVS |
Aircraft carrier, anti-submarine warfare (USN) |
| CVV |
Aircraft carrier, medium sized (USN) |
| CVW |
Carrier Air Wing (USN) |
| CW |
Continuous wave;
also: chemical warfare |
| CWR |
Colour weather radar |
| cyclic pitch control |
Primary helicopter flight control; rotor disc
tilts in desired direction to cause rotation |
| |
about roll or pitch axis |