FAR/AIM: R

RAD-

(See ROUTE AMENDMENT DIALOG.)

RADAR- A device that provides information on range, azimuth, and/or elevation of objects by measuring the time interval between transmission and reception of directional radio pulses and correlating the angular orientation of the radiated antenna beam or beams in azimuth and/or elevation.

1. Primary Radar- A radar system in which a minute portion of a radio pulse transmitted from a site is reflected by an object and then received back at that site for processing and display at an air traffic control facility.
2. Secondary Radar/Radar Beacon (ATCRBS)- A radar system in which the object to be detected is fitted with cooperative equipment in the form of a radio receiver/transmitter (transponder). Radar pulses transmitted from the searching transmitter/receiver (interrogator) site are received in the cooperative equipment and used to trigger a distinctive transmission from the transponder. This reply transmission, rather than a reflected signal, is then received back at the transmitter/receiver site for processing and display at an air traffic control facility.

   (See COOPERATIVE SURVEILLANCE.)

   (See INTERROGATOR.)

   (See NON-COOPERATIVE SURVEILLANCE.)

   (See TRANSPONDER.)

   (See ICAO term RADAR.)

   (Refer to AIM.)

RADAR [ICAO]- A radio detection device which provides information on range, azimuth and/or elevation of objects.

1. Primary Radar- Radar system which uses reflected radio signals.
2. Secondary Radar- Radar system wherein a radio signal transmitted from a radar station initiates the transmission of a radio signal from another station.

RADAR ADVISORY- The provision of advice and information based on radar observations.

(See ADVISORY SERVICE.)

RADAR ALTIMETER-

(See RADIO ALTIMETER.)

RADAR APPROACH- An instrument approach procedure which utilizes Precision Approach Radar (PAR) or Airport Surveillance Radar (ASR).

(See AIRPORT SURVEILLANCE RADAR.)

(See INSTRUMENT APPROACH PROCEDURE.)

(See PRECISION APPROACH RADAR.)

(See SURVEILLANCE APPROACH.)

(See ICAO term RADAR APPROACH.)

(Refer to AIM.)

RADAR APPROACH [ICAO]- An approach, executed by an aircraft, under the direction of a radar controller.

RADAR APPROACH CONTROL FACILITY- A terminal ATC facility that uses radar and nonradar capabilities to provide approach control services to aircraft arriving, departing, or transiting airspace controlled by the facility.

(See APPROACH CONTROL SERVICE.)

1. Provides radar ATC services to aircraft operating in the vicinity of one or more civil and/or military airports in a terminal area. The facility may provide services of a ground controlled approach (GCA); i.e., ASR and PAR approaches. A radar approach control facility may be operated by FAA, USAF, US Army, USN, USMC, or jointly by FAA and a military service. Specific facility nomenclatures are used for administrative purposes only and are related to the physical location of the facility and the operating service generally as follows:
   1. Army Radar Approach Control (ARAC)
      (US Army).
   2. Radar Air Traffic Control Facility (RATCF) (USN/FAA and USMC/FAA).
   3. Radar Approach Control (RAPCON)
      (USAF/FAA, USN/FAA, and USMC/FAA).
   4. Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) (FAA).
   5. Airport Traffic Control Tower (ATCT) (FAA). (Only those towers delegated approach control authority.)

RADAR ARRIVAL- An aircraft arriving at an airport served by a radar facility and in radar contact with the facility.

(See NONRADAR.)

RADAR BEACON-

(See RADAR.)

RADAR CLUTTER [ICAO]- The visual indication on a radar display of unwanted signals.

RADAR CONTACT [ICAO]- The situation which exists when the radar blip or radar position symbol of a particular aircraft is seen and identified on a radar display.

RADAR ENVIRONMENT- An area in which radar service may be provided.

(See ADDITIONAL SERVICES.)

(See RADAR CONTACT.)

(See RADAR SERVICE.)

(See TRAFFIC ADVISORIES.)

RADAR FLIGHT FOLLOWING- The observation of the progress of radar-identified aircraft, whose primary navigation is being provided by the pilot, wherein the controller retains and correlates the aircraft identity with the appropriate target or target symbol displayed on the radar scope.

(See RADAR CONTACT.)

(See RADAR SERVICE.)

(Refer to AIM.)

RADAR IDENTIFICATION- The process of ascertaining that an observed radar target is the radar return from a particular aircraft.

(See RADAR CONTACT.)

(See RADAR SERVICE.)

RADAR IDENTIFIED AIRCRAFT- An aircraft, the position of which has been correlated with an observed target or symbol on the radar display.

(See RADAR CONTACT.)

(See RADAR CONTACT LOST.)

RADAR MONITORING-

(See RADAR SERVICE.)

RADAR NAVIGATIONAL GUIDANCE-

(See RADAR SERVICE.)

RADAR POINT OUT- An action taken by a controller to transfer the radar identification of an aircraft to another controller if the aircraft will or may enter the airspace or protected airspace of another controller and radio communications will not be transferred.

RADAR REQUIRED- A term displayed on charts and approach plates and included in FDC NOTAMs to alert pilots that segments of either an instrument approach procedure or a route are not navigable because of either the absence or unusability of a NAVAID. The pilot can expect to be provided radar navigational guidance while transiting segments labeled with this term.

(See RADAR ROUTE.)

(See RADAR SERVICE.)

RADAR ROUTE- A flight path or route over which an aircraft is vectored. Navigational guidance and altitude assignments are provided by ATC.

(See FLIGHT PATH.)

(See ROUTE.)

RADAR SEPARATION-

(See RADAR SERVICE.)

RADAR SERVICE- A term which encompasses one or more of the following services based on the use of radar which can be provided by a controller to a pilot of a radar identified aircraft.

1. Radar Monitoring- The radar flight-following of aircraft, whose primary navigation is being performed by the pilot, to observe and note deviations from its authorized flight path, airway, or route. When being applied specifically to radar monitoring of instrument approaches; i.e., with precision approach radar (PAR) or radar monitoring of simultaneous ILS, RNAV and GLS approaches, it includes advice and instructions whenever an aircraft nears or exceeds the prescribed PAR safety limit or simultaneous ILS RNAV and GLS no transgression zone.

   (See ADDITIONAL SERVICES.)

   (See TRAFFIC ADVISORIES.)

2. Radar Navigational Guidance- Vectoring aircraft to provide course guidance.
3. Radar Separation- Radar spacing of aircraft in accordance with established minima.

   (See ICAO term RADAR SERVICE.)

RADAR SERVICE [ICAO]- Term used to indicate a service provided directly by means of radar.

1. Monitoring- The use of radar for the purpose of providing aircraft with information and advice relative to significant deviations from nominal flight path.
2. Separation- The separation used when aircraft position information is derived from radar sources.

RADAR SURVEILLANCE- The radar observation of a given geographical area for the purpose of performing some radar function.

RADAR TRAFFIC ADVISORIES- Advisories issued to alert pilots to known or observed radar traffic which may affect the intended route of flight of their aircraft.

(See TRAFFIC ADVISORIES.)

RADAR TRAFFIC INFORMATION SERVICE-

(See TRAFFIC ADVISORIES.)

RADAR VECTORING [ICAO]- Provision of navigational guidance to aircraft in the form of specific headings, based on the use of radar.

RADIAL- A magnetic bearing extending from a VOR/VORTAC/TACAN navigation facility.

RADIO-

1. A device used for communication.
2. Used to refer to a flight service station; e.g., "Seattle Radio" is used to call Seattle FSS.

RADIO ALTIMETER- Aircraft equipment which makes use of the reflection of radio waves from the ground to determine the height of the aircraft above the surface.

RADIO BEACON-

(See NONDIRECTIONAL BEACON.)

RADIO-CONTROLLED (RC)- The use of control signals transmitted radio to a remotely controlled device, as in radio-controlled model airplanes.

RADIO DETECTION AND RANGING-

(See RADAR.)

RADIO MAGNETIC INDICATOR- An aircraft navigational instrument coupled with a gyro compass or similar compass that indicates the direction of a selected NAVAID and indicates bearing with respect to the heading of the aircraft.

RAIS-

(See REMOTE AIRPORT INFORMATION SERVICE.)

RAMP-

(See APRON.)

RANDOM ALTITUDE- An altitude inappropriate for direction of flight and/or not in accordance with FAA Order JO 7110.65, paragraph 4-5-1, VERTICAL SEPARATION MINIMA.

RANDOM ROUTE- Any route not established or charted/published or not otherwise available to all users.

RC-

(See ROAD RECONNAISSANCE.)

RCAG-

(See REMOTE COMMUNICATIONS AIR/GROUND FACILITY.)

RCC-

(See RESCUE COORDINATION CENTER.)

RCO-

(See REMOTE COMMUNICATIONS OUTLET.)

RCR-

(See RUNWAY CONDITION READING.)

RECEIVER AUTONOMOUS INTEGRITY MONITORING (RAIM)- A technique whereby a civil GNSS receiver/processor determines the integrity of the GNSS navigation signals without reference to sensors or non-DoD integrity systems other than the receiver itself. This determination is achieved by a consistency check among redundant pseudorange measurements.

RECEIVING CONTROLLER- A controller/facility receiving control of an aircraft from another controller/facility.

RECEIVING FACILITY-

(See RECEIVING CONTROLLER.)

RECONFORMANCE- The automated process of bringing an aircraft's Current Plan Trajectory into conformance with its track.

RECREATIONAL FLYER- Pilot of a UAS who is operating under 49 USC §44809, Exception for Limited Recreational Operations of Unmanned Aircraft.

REDUCED VERTICAL SEPARATION MINIMUM (RVSM) AIRSPACE- RVSM airspace is defined as any airspace between FL 290 and FL 410 inclusive, where eligible aircraft are separated vertically by 1,000 feet. Authorization guidance for operations in this airspace is provided in Advisory Circular AC 91-85.

REFINED HAZARD AREA (RHA)- Used by ATC. Airspace that is defined and distributed after a failure of a launch or reentry operation to provide a more concise depiction of the hazard location than a Contingency Hazard Area.

(See AIRCRAFT HAZARD AREA.)

(See CONTINGENCY HAZARD AREA.)

(See TRANSITIONAL HAZARD AREA.)

REIL-

(See RUNWAY END IDENTIFIER LIGHTS.)

RELEASE TIME- A departure time restriction issued to a pilot by ATC (either directly or through an authorized relay) when necessary to separate a departing aircraft from other traffic.

(See ICAO term RELEASE TIME.)

RELEASE TIME [ICAO]- Time prior to which an aircraft should be given further clearance or prior to which it should not proceed in case of radio failure.

REMOTE AIRPORT INFORMATION SERVICE (RAIS)- A temporary service provided by facilities, which are not located on the landing airport, but have communication capability and automated weather reporting available to the pilot at the landing airport.

REMOTE COMMUNICATIONS AIR/GROUND FACILITY- An unmanned VHF/UHF transmitter/receiver facility which is used to expand ARTCC air/ground communications coverage and to facilitate direct contact between pilots and controllers. RCAG facilities are sometimes not equipped with emergency frequencies 121.5 MHz and 243.0 MHz.

(Refer to AIM.)

REMOTE COMMUNICATIONS OUTLET (RCO)- An unmanned communications facility remotely controlled by air traffic personnel. RCOs serve FSSs. Remote Transmitter/Receivers (RTR) serve terminal ATC facilities. An RCO or RTR may be UHF or VHF and will extend the communication range of the air traffic facility. There are several classes of RCOs and RTRs. The class is determined by the number of transmitters or receivers. Classes A through G are used primarily for air/ground purposes. RCO and RTR class O facilities are nonprotected outlets subject to undetected and prolonged outages. RCO (O's) and RTR (O's) were established for the express purpose of providing ground-to-ground communications between air traffic control specialists and pilots located at a satellite airport for delivering en route clearances, issuing departure authorizations, and acknowledging instrument flight rules cancellations or departure/landing times. As a secondary function, they may be used for advisory purposes whenever the aircraft is below the coverage of the primary air/ground frequency.

REMOTE IDENTIFICATION (RID)- A system for electronic identification and secure oversight of UAS.

(See 4 CFR Part 89.)

(See AIM.)

REMOTE PILOT- Pilot of a UAS who is not operating as a recreational flyer under 49 USC §44809, the Exception for Limited Recreational Operations of Unmanned Aircraft.

REMOTE PILOT IN COMMAND (RPIC)- The RPIC is directly responsible for and is the final authority as to the operation of the unmanned aircraft system.

REMOTE TRANSMITTER/RECEIVER (RTR)-

(See REMOTE COMMUNICATIONS OUTLET.)

REPORTING POINT- A geographical location in relation to which the position of an aircraft is reported.

(See COMPULSORY REPORTING POINTS.)

(See ICAO term REPORTING POINT.)

(Refer to AIM.)

REPORTING POINT [ICAO]- A specified geographical location in relation to which the position of an aircraft can be reported.

REROUTE IMPACT ASSESSMENT (RRIA)- A capability within the Traffic Flow Management System that is used to define and evaluate a potential reroute prior to implementation, with or without miles-in-trail (MIT) restrictions. RRIA functions estimate the impact on demand (e.g., sector loads) and performance (e.g., flight delay). Using RRIA, traffic management personnel can determine whether the reroute will sufficiently reduce demand in the Flow Constraint Area and not create excessive "spill over" demand in the adjacent airspace on a specific route segment or point of interest (POI).

RESCUE COORDINATION CENTER (RCC)- A search and rescue (SAR) facility equipped and manned to coordinate and control SAR operations in an area designated by the SAR plan. The U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Air Force have responsibility for the operation of RCCs.

(See ICAO term RESCUE CO-ORDINATION CENTRE.)

RESCUE CO-ORDINATION CENTRE [ICAO]- A unit responsible for promoting efficient organization of search and rescue service and for coordinating the conduct of search and rescue operations within a search and rescue region.

RESOLUTION ADVISORY- A display indication given to the pilot by the Traffic alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS II) recommending a maneuver to increase vertical separation relative to an intruding aircraft. Positive, negative, and vertical speed limit (VSL) advisories constitute the resolution advisories. A resolution advisory is also classified as corrective or preventive.

RESTRICTED AREA-

(See SPECIAL USE AIRSPACE.)

(See ICAO term RESTRICTED AREA.)

RESTRICTED AREA [ICAO]- An airspace of defined dimensions, above the land areas or territorial waters of a State, within which the flight of aircraft is restricted in accordance with certain specified conditions.

RHA-

(See REFINED HAZARD AREA.)

RID-

(See REMOTE IDENTIFICATION.)

RMI-

(See RADIO MAGNETIC INDICATOR.)

RNAV-

(See AREA NAVIGATION (RNAV).)

RNAV APPROACH- An instrument approach procedure which relies on aircraft area navigation equipment for navigational guidance.

(See AREA NAVIGATION (RNAV).)

(See INSTRUMENT APPROACH PROCEDURE.)

RNAV VISUAL FLIGHT PROCEDURE (RVFP)- An RVFP is a special visual flight procedure flown on an IFR flight plan. It is flown in visual conditions and clear of clouds must be maintained. An RVFP is flown using an approved RNAV system to maintain published lateral and vertical paths to runways without an instrument approach procedure. It requires an ATC clearance and may begin at other points along the path of the charted procedure when approved by ATC. An RVFP is not published in the Federal Register for public use and the operator is required to have a specific Operations Specification approval. Required ceiling and visibility minima are published on the procedure chart. An RVFP does not have a missed approach procedure and is not evaluated for obstacle protection.

ROAD RECONNAISSANCE (RC)- Military activity requiring navigation along roads, railroads, and rivers. Reconnaissance route/route segments are seldom along a straight line and normally require a lateral route width of 10 NM to 30 NM and an altitude range of 500 feet to 10,000 feet AGL.

ROLLOUT RVR-

(See VISIBILITY.)

ROTOR WASH- A phenomenon resulting from the vertical down wash of air generated by the main rotor(s) of a helicopter.

ROUND-ROBIN FLIGHT PLAN- A single flight plan filed from the departure airport to an intermediary destination(s) and then returning to the original departure airport.

ROUTE- A defined path, consisting of one or more courses in a horizontal plane, which aircraft traverse over the surface of the earth.

(See AIRWAY.)

(See JET ROUTE.)

(See PUBLISHED ROUTE.)

(See UNPUBLISHED ROUTE.)

ROUTE ACTION NOTIFICATION- EDST notification that an ADR/ADAR/AAR has been applied to the flight plan.

(See ATC PREFERRED ROUTE NOTIFICATION.)

(See EN ROUTE DECISION SUPPORT TOOL.)

ROUTE AMENDMENT DIALOG (RAD)- A capability within the Traffic Flow Management System that allows traffic management personnel to submit or edit a route amendment for one or more flights.

ROUTE SEGMENT- As used in Air Traffic Control, a part of a route that can be defined by two navigational fixes, two NAVAIDs, or a fix and a NAVAID.

(See FIX.)

(See ROUTE.)

(See ICAO term ROUTE SEGMENT.)

ROUTE SEGMENT [ICAO]- A portion of a route to be flown, as defined by two consecutive significant points specified in a flight plan.

RPIC-

(See REMOTE PILOT IN COMMAND.)

RRIA-

(See REROUTE IMPACT ASSESSMENT.)

RSA-

(See RUNWAY SAFETY AREA.)

RTR-

(See REMOTE TRANSMITTER/RECEIVER.)

RUNWAY- A defined rectangular area on a land airport prepared for the landing and takeoff run of aircraft along its length. Runways are normally numbered in relation to their magnetic direction rounded off to the nearest 10 degrees; e.g., Runway 1, Runway 25.

(See PARALLEL RUNWAYS.)

(See ICAO term RUNWAY.)

RUNWAY [ICAO]- A defined rectangular area on a land aerodrome prepared for the landing and takeoff of aircraft.

RUNWAY CENTERLINE LIGHTING-

(See AIRPORT LIGHTING.)

RUNWAY CONDITION CODES (RwyCC)- Numerical readings, provided by airport operators, that indicate runway surface contamination (for example, slush, ice, rain, etc.). These values range from "1" (poor) to "6" (dry) and must be included on the ATIS when the reportable condition is less than 6 in any one or more of the three runway zones (touchdown, midpoint, rollout).

RUNWAY CONDITION READING- Numerical decelerometer readings relayed by air traffic controllers at USAF and certain civil bases for use by the pilot in determining runway braking action. These readings are routinely relayed only to USAF and Air National Guard Aircraft.

(See BRAKING ACTION.)

RUNWAY CONDITION REPORT (RwyCR)- A data collection worksheet used by airport operators that correlates the runway percentage of coverage along with the depth and type of contaminant for the purpose of creating a FICON NOTAM.

(See RUNWAY CONDITION CODES.)

RUNWAY END IDENTIFIER LIGHTS (REIL)-

(See AIRPORT LIGHTING.)

RUNWAY ENTRANCE LIGHTS (REL)-An array of red lights which include the first light at the hold line followed by a series of evenly spaced lights to the runway edge aligned with the taxiway centerline, and one additional light at the runway centerline in line with the last two lights before the runway edge.

RUNWAY GRADIENT- The average slope, measured in percent, between two ends or points on a runway. Runway gradient is depicted on Government aerodrome sketches when total runway gradient exceeds 0.3%.

RUNWAY IN USE/ACTIVE RUNWAY/DUTY RUNWAY- Any runway or runways currently being used for takeoff or landing. When multiple runways are used, they are all considered active runways. In the metering sense, a selectable adapted item which specifies the landing runway configuration or direction of traffic flow. The adapted optimum flight plan from each transition fix to the vertex is determined by the runway configuration for arrival metering processing purposes.

RUNWAY LIGHTS-

(See AIRPORT LIGHTING.)

RUNWAY MARKINGS-

(See AIRPORT MARKING AIDS.)

RUNWAY OVERRUN- In military aviation exclusively, a stabilized or paved area beyond the end of a runway, of the same width as the runway plus shoulders, centered on the extended runway centerline.

RUNWAY PROFILE DESCENT- An instrument flight rules (IFR) air traffic control arrival procedure to a runway published for pilot use in graphic and/or textual form and may be associated with a STAR. Runway Profile Descents provide routing and may depict crossing altitudes, speed restrictions, and headings to be flown from the en route structure to the point where the pilot will receive clearance for and execute an instrument approach procedure. A Runway Profile Descent may apply to more than one runway if so stated on the chart.

(Refer to AIM.)

RUNWAY SAFETY AREA- A defined surface surrounding the runway prepared, or suitable, for reducing the risk of damage to airplanes in the event of an undershoot, overshoot, or excursion from the runway. The dimensions of the RSA vary and can be determined by using the criteria contained within AC 150/5300-13, Airport Design, Chapter 3. Figure 3-1 in AC 150/5300-13 depicts the RSA. The design standards dictate that the RSA shall be:

1. Cleared, graded, and have no potentially hazardous ruts, humps, depressions, or other surface variations;
2. Drained by grading or storm sewers to prevent water accumulation;
3. Capable, under dry conditions, of supporting snow removal equipment, aircraft rescue and firefighting equipment, and the occasional passage of aircraft without causing structural damage to the aircraft; and,
4. Free of objects, except for objects that need to be located in the runway safety area because of their function. These objects shall be constructed on low impact resistant supports (frangible mounted structures) to the lowest practical height with the frangible point no higher than 3 inches above grade.

   (Refer to AC 150/5300-13, Airport Design, Chapter 3.)

RUNWAY STATUS LIGHTS (RWSL) SYSTEM- The RWSL is a system of runway and taxiway lighting to provide pilots increased situational awareness by illuminating runway entry lights (REL) when the runway is unsafe for entry or crossing, and take-off hold lights (THL) when the runway is unsafe for departure.

RUNWAY TRANSITION-

(See SEGMENTS OF A SID/STAR.)

RUNWAY TRANSITION WAYPOINT-

(See SEGMENTS OF A SID/STAR.)

RUNWAY USE PROGRAM- A noise abatement runway selection plan designed to enhance noise abatement efforts with regard to airport communities for arriving and departing aircraft. These plans are developed into runway use programs and apply to all turbojet aircraft 12,500 pounds or heavier; turbojet aircraft less than 12,500 pounds are included only if the airport proprietor determines that the aircraft creates a noise problem. Runway use programs are coordinated with FAA offices, and safety criteria used in these programs are developed by the Office of Flight Operations. Runway use programs are administered by the Air Traffic Service as "Formal" or "Informal" programs.

1. Formal Runway Use Program- An approved noise abatement program which is defined and acknowledged in a Letter of Understanding between Flight Operations, Air Traffic Service, the airport proprietor, and the users. Once established, participation in the program is mandatory for aircraft operators and pilots as provided for in 14 CFR Section 91.129.
2. Informal Runway Use Program- An approved noise abatement program which does not require a Letter of Understanding, and participation in the program is voluntary for aircraft operators/pilots.

RUNWAY VISUAL RANGE (RVR)-

(See VISIBILITY.)

RVFP-

(See RNAV VISUAL FLIGHT PROCEDURE.)

RwyCC-

(See RUNWAY CONDITION CODES.)

RwyCR-

(See RUNWAY CONDITION REPORT.)