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Glossary

The terms you’ll meet in our games, in plain language.

Narrow-body

An airliner with one aisle, usually up to six seats per row. The A320 and 737 families are the best-known examples.

Wide-body

An airliner with two aisles, usually seven to ten seats per row in economy. Think 787, A350, 777 and 747.

Jet

Powered by jet engines. Today’s airliners use turbofans: a large fan at the front moves most of the air around the engine core, which makes them quieter and more efficient than early turbojets.

Turboprop

A turbine engine that turns a propeller. Efficient on short routes, which is why regional airlines fly the ATR 72 and Dash 8.

Piston

Propellers turned by piston engines, like a car engine. Airliners such as the DC-3 flew this way before turbines took over in the 1950s and 1960s.

Regional jet

A small jet airliner, typically 50 to 100 seats, built for shorter routes. The Bombardier CRJ and Embraer E-Jets are examples.

Tri-jet

An airliner with three engines, often one in the tail. The 727, DC-10, MD-11 and L-1011 TriStar were tri-jets.

Family and variant

A family is a group of aircraft sharing one basic design; each version is a variant. The A320 family includes the A318, A319, A320 and A321. Longer versions are called stretches.

neo and MAX

Re-engined versions of existing designs. “neo” stands for New Engine Option (A320neo, A330neo); Boeing calls its re-engined 737 the 737 MAX.

First flight

The year that variant first flew. Airline service usually starts a year or more later.

Typical seats

How many passengers an aircraft carries in a common layout. Real numbers vary a lot between airlines, so we use typical published figures.

Range

How far an aircraft can fly with a typical load of passengers. Real range depends on weight, weather and reserves.

ETOPS

Rules that let twin-engine airliners fly routes far from the nearest diversion airport, such as across oceans. They are why twins replaced most three- and four-engine long-haul aircraft.

ICAO type code

A short code for an aircraft type used in flight plans and on flight-tracking sites, such as B738 for the 737-800 or A20N for the A320neo.

IATA airport code

The three-letter code on your boarding pass and bag tag, such as AMS or LHR.

ICAO airport code

The four-letter code pilots and air traffic control use, such as EHAM for Amsterdam. The first letter shows the region of the world.

Runway designator

The number painted at each end of a runway: its compass heading divided by ten. 09 points roughly east, 27 roughly west. L, C and R mark parallel runways.

Elevation

How high the airport is above sea level. High airports need longer runways, because thinner air means less lift and engine power.

Hub

An airport an airline uses as its main base, where passengers change between flights.

Great-circle distance

The shortest distance between two points on the globe. It’s why flights from Europe to Asia often pass over Russia or the Arctic.