ACL

ACL - Airport Co-ordination Limited is an independent (!) Company responsible for slot allocation at co-ordinated airports and is owned by 9 of the UK's leading airlines who each contribute towards its operation. Current members are:

1.  – British Airways
2.  – bmi British Midland
3.  – Virgin Atlantic Airways
4.  – Monarch Airlines
5.  – Thomson Airways
6.  – Thomas Cook Airlines
7.  – Jet 2
8.  – Flybe
9.  – EasyJet

http://www.acl-uk.org/default.aspx

AIS

AIS — Aeronautical Information Service: run by NATS; issues Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) to airlines on security, safety and navigational matters.

http://www.nats-uk.ead-it.com/public/index.php.html

ANMAC

The Aircraft Noise Monitoring Advisory Committee (ANMAC) is a forum chaired by the DfT which meets to discuss matters of policy relating to aircraft noise and track monitoring, and can influence Government policy formulation on aviation noise issues. There is representation from the three London airports, their respective Consultative Committees and technical advisors, scheduling committees, NATS, and the Department of Operational Research and Analysis.

AUC

AUC - Air Transport Users Committee: a non-statutory body appointed and financed by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to represent the users of air transport. Responds to complaints from passengers about poor quality flights and advises on possible legal redress.

BAA

BAA Limited (BAA) is a limited company owned by a consortium led by Grupo Ferrovial. In the UK, BAA Limited owns and operates six airports: London Heathrow, London Stansted, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Southampton. It recently sold London Gatwick to GIP.

Through a subsidiary (BAA Lynton) it manages and develops airport property and a portfolio of off-airport properties.

BAA has recently expanded into international operations, including retail contracts at Boston Logan International Airport and Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (through its subsidiary BAA USA, Inc.), and a management contract with the City of Indianapolis to run the Indianapolis International Airport (as BAA Indianapolis, Inc.).

CAA

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is a public corporation established by Parliament in 1972 as an independent aviation regulator and provider of air traffic services. It recovers its costs by levying charges on the UKs airports and airlines. The CAA is responsible for:

1.  – Air Safety (Setting safety rules and investigating air accidents)
2.  – Economic Regulation (Overseeing the landing fees which airports can charge)
3.  – Airspace Regulation (Approving the UKs air navigation rules)
4.  – Consumer Protection (Looking after passengers when an airline or tour operator collapses)
5.  – Research & consultancy on environmental matters

http://www.caa.co.uk/

The DfT is currently considering updating legislation and increasing the remit of the CAA to include much greater responsibility for the environment. The DfT held a formal consultation which invited responses by 10th March 2010 on the proposed new role.

CAEP

The Committee on Aviation Environmental Protection (CAEP) is an international committee which assists the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in formulating new policies and adopting new Standards on aircraft noise and aircraft engine emissions.

The current structure of the Committee includes five working groups and one support group. Two of the working groups deal with the technical and operational aspects of noise reduction and mitigation.

The other three working groups deal with technical and operational aspects of aircraft emissions, and with the study of market-based measures to limit or reduce emissions such as emissions trading, emissions-related charges and voluntary measures.

The support group provides information on the economic costs and environmental benefits of the noise and emissions options.

DfT

The Department for Transport (DfT) is the Government department which is responsible for the formulation of government policy on air transport and the development of all necessary policy, legislation and regulations in relation to airports, air traffic control and airlines which in relation to noise would include;

1.  – Noise abatement policies for aircraft arriving at and departing from UK airports
2.  – The location of Noise Preferential Routes for aircraft departing from UK airports
3.  – Night flight regulations

http://www.dft.gov.uk/

EASA

EASA - European Aviation Safety Agency: established by Council Regulation (EC) No 1592/2002, which puts in place common rules on aviation safety and environmental certification and creates an aviation safety agency: to draw-up common standards to ensure the highest level of safety; to oversee their uniform application across Europe, and to promote them at world level.

ECAC

ECAC - European Civil Aviation Conference: an autonomous body set up in 1955 following a decision by the Council of Ministers of the Council of Europe. It is an autonomous body which is neither a completely independent body nor a body subordinate to International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and integrated with it. Its objectives are to review generally the development of European air transport in order to promote the co-ordination, the better utilisation and the orderly development of air transport. Its principal interest is the economic aspects of air transport and to advise and assist European signatory states in the preparation of their national regulations. There are similar regional conferences in Africa (AFCAC) and Latin America (LACAC).

Eurocontrol

Eurocontrol : provider of ATC for overflights of European countries. Civil Aviation Authority collects fees on their behalf and acts to detain aircraft where debts to Eurocontrol have built up.

http://www.eurocontrol.int/corporate/public/subsite_homepage/index.html

FEU

The Flight Evaluation Unit (FEU) is the team employed by Gatwick Airport Limited to monitor the noise levels and track-keeping of all departing aircraft, respond to public complaints and enquiries and report on performance and complaints statistics to the airport's Consultative Committee GATCOM.

FLOPC

The Flight Operations Performance Committee (FLOPC) is a group brought together by Gatwick Airport Limited. FLOPC meets monthly, is chaired by the Managing Director of Gatwick Airport Limited and is attended by representatives of the Flight Evaluation Unit, the Department for Transport, National Air Traffic Services and several major airlines using Gatwick.

FLOPC looks at technical issues relating to airline and air traffic operating performance, with particular emphasis on the environmental impact of aircraft operations on the local community. Some of the issues discussed have been departure track keeping performance, continuous descent approach procedures for arrivals and infringements of the DfT noise limits for departing aircraft. A monthly 'league table' of track deviations is compiled on a rolling year basis, and presented for discussion at each FLOPC meeting. Any airline which demonstrates repeated poor track keeping performance is asked to attend a meeting to explain their operation.

GAL

Gatwick Airport Limited (GAL) is the privately owned limited company which owns and operates all the assets and facilities at Gatwick Airport. GAL is in turn owned by Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP)

http://www.gatwickairport.com/

GATCOM

The Gatwick Airport Consultative Committee (GATCOM) is a committee set up in order to meet statutory requirements for public consultation by Gatwick Airport Limited. GATCOM discusses issues relating to employment, surface access and resource use as well as aircraft performance. It's membership includes representative from local authorities, local interest groups, relevant businesses, airlines and the DfT and it is advised by Senior Managers from Gatwick Airport Limited.

The Gatcom Steering Group (the Chairman and Vice-Chairman and ten other members of GATCOM) gives preliminary consideration to new or detailed matters to be dealt with by GATCOM, identifies the facts and major issues and make recommendations thereon.

The Passenger Advisory Group monitors the procedures and facilities available to passengers and to make recommendations for their improvement.

http://www.ukaccs.info/gatwick/

GIP

Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) is an investment fund which invests worldwide in Infrastructure assets in air transport infrastructure, ports, freight rail, power and utilities, natural resources infrastructure, water distribution and treatment, and waste management.

GIP owns Gatwick Airport Limited and has a 75% ownership interest in London City Airport. GIP's other investments include Biffa Limited and Great Yarmouth Port Company in the UK as well as infrastructure businesses in the United States, India and Argentina.

GIP is part-owned by Credit Suisse and General Electric, the world's largest company and has offices in London, New York, Hong Kong and Sydney and an operations team in Stamford, Connecticut.

ICAO

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), an agency of the United Nations, codifies the principles and techniques of international air navigation and fosters the planning and development of international air transport to ensure safe and orderly growth.

The ICAO Council adopts standards, recommended practices and defines the protocols for air accident investigation in countries signatory to the Convention on International Civil Aviation, commonly known as the Chicago Convention. The ICAO Air Transport Bureau (ATB) has four sections

1.  – Aviation Security and Facilitation Policy (SFP) Section
2.  – Economic Analyses and Databases (EAD) Section
3.  – Economic Policy and Infrastructure Management (EPM) Section
4.  – Joint Financing (JF) Section
5.  – Environmental (ENV) Section

ICAO's activities in the environment field are primarily focused on those problems that benefit most from a common co-ordinated approach, on a worldwide basis, namely aircraft noise and the impact of aircraft engine emissions. Most of this work is undertaken through the ICAO Council's Committee on Aviation Environmental Protection (CAEP), which consists of Members and Observers from States, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations representing aviation industry and environmental interests.

http://www.icao.int

NaTMAG

The Noise and Track Monitoring Advisory Group (NaTMAG) at London Gatwick is a group chaired by Gatwick Airport Limited with membership drawn from DfT, NATS, GATCOM, the airline industry, local Environmental Health officers, and acoustic consultants. It's role is;

1.  – To oversee the operation of the BAA Gatwick Flight Evaluation Units system to ensure that the requirements of the local community are taken into account in respect of the production of statistics, information and complaint handling,
2.  – To advise BAA Gatwick on issues relating to noise and track monitoring which derive from the results obtained from the monitoring equipment,
3.  – To assist BAA Gatwick in seeking improvements to the noise climate and track-keeping performance around Gatwick, and
4.  – To provide information and recommendations regarding noise and track monitoring to the GATCOM via the GATCOM Steering Group.

NATS

National Air Traffic Services (NATS) is a Public Private Partnership (in effect a private company) established by the Transport Act 2000. The Airline Group owns 46% of NATS, staff own 5%, BAA owns 4% and the Government retains a minority 49% interest. NATS itself is a holding company and in turn has established two limited liability subsidiaries NATS En route Limited and NATS (Services) Limited.

NATS En route Limited provides en-route air traffic services for aircraft flying through UK airspace under a licence from the CAA, in accordance with its licence, NATS must permit access to UK airspace whilst making the most efficient overall use of airspace and meeting on a continuous basis any reasonable level of overall demand. NATS' long term strategy is to rationalise its operations to the Swanwick Centre and a new Prestwick Centre but presently provides services from four centres:

1.  – London Area Control Centre at Swanwick, Hampshire
2.  – London Terminal Control Centre at Swanwick, Hampshire
3.  – Scottish Area Control Centre and Oceanic Area Control Centre at Prestwick, Ayrshire
4.  – Manchester Area Control Centre located at Manchester Airport

NATS (Services) Limited is a separate company which provides air traffic control services at 15 major UK airports under separate contracts to the airport operators;London Heathrow, London Gatwick, London Stansted, London Luton, London City, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Manchester, Birmingham, Cardiff, Bristol, Farnborough, Southampton, Belfast International.

http://www.nats.co.uk/

SRG

SRG - Safety Regulation Group: part of the Civil Aviation Authority dealing with safety issues relating to UK (licensing of airlines and pilots etc) and foreign airlines (advising on complaints relating to safety and carrying out ramp checks of aircraft and audits of airlines/ aviation authorities).