Tower En Route Control (TEC).  The control of IFR en route traffic within delegated airspace between two or more adjacent approach control facilities, designed to expedite traffic and reduce control and pilot communication requirements. 

TPP.  See United States Terminal Procedures Publication. 

Tracking.  Flying a heading that will maintain the desired track to or from the station regardless of crosswind conditions. 

Traffic Alert Collision Avoidance System (TCAS). An airborne system developed by the FAA that operates independently from the ground-based Air Traffic Control system. Designed to increase flight deck awareness of proximate aircraft and to serve as a “last line of defense” for the prevention of mid-air collisions. 

Traffic information service (TIS). A ground-based service providing information to the flight deck via data link using the S-mode transponder and altitude encoder to improve the safety and efficiency of “see and avoid” flight through an automatic display that informs the pilot of nearby traffic. 

Transcribed Weather Broadcast (TWEB).  Meteorological and aeronautical data recorded on tapes and broadcast over selected NAVAIDs. Generally, the broadcast contains route- oriented data with specially prepared NWS forecasts, inflight advisories, and winds aloft. It also includes selected current information such as weather reports (METAR/SPECI), NOTAMs, and special notices. 

Transponder. The airborne portion of the ATC radar beacon system. 

Transponder code.  One of 4,096 four-digit discrete codes ATC assigns to distinguish between aircraft. 

Trend. Immediate indication of the direction of aircraft movement, as shown on instruments. 

Trim. Adjusting the aerodynamic forces on the control surfaces so that the aircraft maintains the set attitude without any control input. 

TWEB.  See Transcribed Weather Broadcast. 

True airspeed. Actual airspeed, determined by applying a correction for pressure altitude and temperature to the CAS. 

UHF. See ultra-high frequency. 

Ultra-high frequency (UHF). The range of electromagnetic frequencies between 962 MHz and 1213 MHz. 

Uncaging.  Unlocking the gimbals of a gyroscopic instrument, making it susceptible to damage by abrupt flight maneuvers or rough handling. 

Underpower.  Using less power than required for the purpose of achieving a faster rate of airspeed change. 

United States Terminal Procedures Publication (TPP). Booklets published in regional format by the NACO that include DPs, STARs, IAPs, and other information pertinent to IFR flight. 

Unusual attitude. An unintentional, unanticipated, or extreme aircraft attitude. 

User-defined waypoints.  Waypoint location and other data which may be input by the user, this is the only GPS database information that may be altered (edited) by the user. 

Variation. Compass error caused by the difference in the physical locations of the magnetic north pole and the geographic north pole. 

VASI.  See visual approach slope indicator. 

VDP.  See visual descent point. 

Vectoring.  Navigational guidance by assigning headings. 

Venturi tube.  A specially shaped tube attached to the outside of an aircraft to produce suction to allow proper operation of gyro instruments. 

Vertical speed indicator (VSI). A rate-of-pressure change instrument that gives an indication of any deviation from a constant pressure level. 

Very-high frequency (VHF). A band of radio frequencies falling between 30 and 300 MHz. 

Very-high frequency omnidirectional range (VOR). Electronic navigation equipment in which the flight deck instrument identifies the radial or line from the VOR station, measured in degrees clockwise from magnetic north, along which the aircraft is located. 

Vestibule.  The central cavity of the bony labyrinth of the ear, or the parts of the membranous labyrinth that it contains. 

VFR.  See visual flight rules. 

VFR-on-top.  ATC authorization for an IFR aircraft to operate in VFR conditions at any appropriate VFR altitude. 

