Glossary



(Most Common Examples: Air Wisconsin, American Eagle, Big Sky Airlines, Comair, Compass Airlines, ExpressJet, Great Lakes Airlines, Horizon Air, Mesa Airlines, Pinnacle Airlines, PSA Airlines, Republic Airlines, SkyWest Airlines, Trans States Airlines) Examples: Embraer 120 (SkyWest)/ Bombardier Q400 (Colgan Air)/ ATR-42 and ATR-72 (American Eagle)/ Saab 340B (Mesaba Airlines) Examples: Embraer ERJ-135, ERJ-145 (ExpressJet)/ Embraer E-170, E-175 (Republic Airlines)/ Bombardier CRJ-700, CRJ-900 (Comair) Examples: Models made by Airbus, such as the A320 (US Airways)/ Models made by Boeing, such as the 777 (United Airlines)
 * Airline Hub:** A centrally-located airport at which an airline harbors most of it's connecting flights. A passenger may book a ticket with one stop in an intermediary hub to board a second flight taking the passenger to their final destination. (Example: Chicago-O'Hare for United Airlines and United Express).
 * Carrier:** Another word for airline.
 * Regionals:** Airlines that operate exclusively with aircraft having under 100 seats that fly scheduled commerical air service.
 * Hot-Button Issue:** Theme within the topic choice which consumers, companies, and regulators are in current debate over.
 * Pilot Fatigue**: Tiredness and sleepiness from working long hours that possibly contributes to mistakes made flying as Pilot in Command.
 * Accident:** A possibly fatal crash involving a passenger airliner in which the aircraft is damaged beyond repair.
 * Incident:** A non-fatal slip up with a passenger airliner in which the aircraft can be repaired and fly again.
 * Mainstream Media:** Agencies with public reports that are televised and possibly connected with an internal internet/print publication. *Internet sites alone do not count for this definition of mainstream.
 * Appear:** To be believed in non-radical public opinion by a majority as a result of media reports.
 * FRONTLINE >FLYING CHEAP:** An hour-long documentary by PBS produced at WGBH which examines training and regulations at regional airlines around the country. Available on DVD or iTunes (2/9/10)
 * Part 121 Air Carrier:** The FAA's definition of an airline that does business in the U.S. under government certification and regulation (must have capacity 9 passengers or more each flight).
 * FAA:** The United States Federal Aviation Administration, part of the Department of Transportation.
 * National Transportation Safety Board:** Commonly referred to by their their initials, NTSB, they are a government function that examines accidents in all aspects of travel and publishes safety reports.
 * Fear Tactics:** Unprofessional non-fiction reporting that influences public opinion into a fearsome state.
 * Turn Time:** The amount of time between when an airliner arrives at a gate to offload passengers and when it pushes back from the gate to get the next flight underway. (typically under 1 hour in domestic operation)
 * Propeller Aircraft (Piston Engine):** A plane that uses one or more propeller engine with the older form of engineering that aircraft with pistons which rotate the propeller. Example: Cessna 402 nine seater (Cape Air)/ most others no longer in service within the U.S.
 * Turboprop Aircraft:** A plane that uses one or more propeller engine with the newer engineering of turbine-rotated propellers that increase efficiency and service range.
 * Regional Jet/RJ:** A jet powered aircraft with fewer than 100 seats, most common models are made by Bombardier (of Canada) or the firm Embraer (of Brazil)
 * Mainline Aircraft:** A typically jet powered aircraft that holds more than 100 seats, including "heavies" which have twin-aisles and many more seats up to 500.
 * Massport:** The Masschusetts Port Authority, a branch of the state DOT which operates and oversees Logan and Hanscom along with other shippng ports.