CrewGlossary™

Towards the rear, or stern, of a boat. Also, the back end of an aircraft.

A verbal order to leave the vessel immediately, usually in the face of some imminent overwhelming danger. It is an order issued by the Master or a delegated person in command. It is usually the last resort after all other mitigating actions have failed or become impossible, and destruction or loss of the ship is imminent. Usually preceded by transmitting an SOS signal if time allows, and customarily followed by a command to 'man the lifeboats' or life rafts.

Abreast of or at right angles to the fore and aft line of the vessel

A merchant seaman qualified to perform all routine duties, or a junior rank in some navies. Also, able-bodied seaman or AB.

On or in a vessel, synonymous with "on board".

On or above the deck, in plain view, not hiding anything.

A website account identifies a sign in with a username and password. An account might be as basic as just to receive and manage email subscriptions or hold more detailed information to enable faster communications with other users.

afloat and unattached to in any way to the shore or seabed. It may also imply that a vessel is not anchored and not under control, therefore goes where the wind and current take her, (loose from moorings, or out of place). Also refers to any gear not fastened down or put away properly. It can also be used to mean "absent without leave".

Monies paid to a bank account for the Captain of the yacht to provision on the charterer’s behalf. Key provisioning are fuel, food, drinks and port fees. The Captain is obligated to keep all receipts and balance the account for the charterer. At the end of the charter, the Captain provides a full account of expenditures, and any amounts not used will be refunded.

A service established in support of international civil aviation, whose objective is to ensure the flow of information necessary for the safety, regularity, and efficiency of international air navigation.

Towards the stern or rear of the vessel

Resting on or touching the ground or bottom.

A service provided by ground-based air traffic controllers who direct aircraft on the ground and through controlled airspace that can provide advisory services to aircraft in non-controlled airspace. The primary purpose of ATC worldwide is to prevent collisions, organize and expedite the flow of air traffic, and provide information and other support for pilots.

An area of land set aside for the take-off, landing, and maintenance of aircraft.

The shape of a surface such as a wing, blade, turbine or rotor that generates lift from air passing over it.

A complex of runways and buildings for the take-off, landing, and maintenance of civil aircraft, with facilities for passengers.

The airport apron, ramp or tarmac is the area of an airport where aircraft are parked, unloaded or loaded, refuelled, or boarded.

The speed of an aircraft relative to the air.

This expression has a naval origin. Hands is another word for sailors and deck is a part of the boat. In a storm or other emergency, the captain might yell 'all hands on deck'. This is a command for all the sailors to come to the deck of the boat to help navigate the storm.
Nowadays, people use this for any situation, not just on a boat. Hands means any nearby people or workers and deck means the location of the event or speaker.

Above the ship's uppermost solid structure; overhead or high above.

By the side of a ship or pier.

A in NATO phonetic alphabet

A sensitive aneroid barometer calibrated and graduated to measure altitudes by the decrease of atmospheric pressure with height, used in aircraft for finding distance above sea level, terrain, or some other reference point.

An object designed to prevent or slow the drift of a ship, attached to the ship by a line or chain; typically a metal, hook-like object designed to grip the bottom under the body of water.

Black shape hoisted in the forepart of a ship to show that the ship is anchored in a fairway.

White light displayed by a ship at anchor.

Port charge, or fee, relating to a vessel moored at approved anchorage site in a harbour.

A suitable place for a ship to anchor, usually an area of a port or harbour.

Said of an anchor when just clear of the bottom. Often misspelled as 'anchor's away'.

The acute angle between the oncoming air or relative wind and a reference line on the airplane or wing.

A category of commercially available underwater hull paints (also known as bottom paints). They are applied as the outer (outboard) layer to the hull of a ship or boat, to slow aquatic growth.

Go backward, put the engine in reverse

A harbour used to provide shelter from a storm.

A flight instrument that informs the pilot of the aircraft orientation relative to Earth's horizon, and gives an immediate indication of the smallest orientation change. Formerly known as the gyro horizon or artificial horizon.

An automatic tracking system that uses transponders on ships and is used by vessel traffic services. AIS is intended to assist a vessel's watchstanding officers and allow maritime authorities to track and monitor vessel movements, supplying unique identification, position, course, and speed. AIS information supplements marine radar, which continues to be the primary method of collision avoidance for water transport

An angular measurement in a spherical coordinate system: the direction of a celestial object from the observer, expressed as the angular distance from the north or south point of the horizon to the point at which a vertical circle passing through the object intersects the horizon.

An instrument used to take bearings of celestial objects.

An instrument employed for ascertaining the position of the sun with respect to magnetic north. The azimuth of an object is its bearing from the observer measured as an angle clockwise from true north.