Airline Equipment Key Terms

Know acronyms and standard terms before making an airline equipment purchase

By Michelle Cramer

The airline industry is a giant in the world of transportation, which means there is an abundance of equipment needed to keep things running smoothly on a daily, and even hourly, basis. With such a large industry and so many supplies needed to keep that industry going, it's likely that you will come across some terms that may not make much sense to you. While we can't cover them all, this article touches on a few.

Aerospace

Aerospace is the Earth's atmosphere. You may find the term used in reference to the airline or aviation industry, since this industry designs, manufactures, operates and maintains vehicles that travel through the atmosphere.
Try: The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics explains the concept behind aerospace engineering and further defines the term.

GSE

GSE stands for ground-support equipment. This refers to any equipment or machinery used on the tarmac, such as equipment that starts aircraft, performs maintenance, fuels the aircraft or transports cargo and passengers.
Try: The California Environmental Protection Agency - Air Resources Board has up-to-date information detailing the progress being made through programs working to make GSE better for the environment.

GPS

GPS stands for global positioning system. GPS equipment is an essential element of the pilot's navigation of an airplane while in the air. Satellites in orbit around the Earth transmit real-time signals to a GPS system to provide an accurate location for the airplane, helping pilots stay on course.
Try: Garmin provides detailed information about GPS and how it works.

CBPS

CBPS refers to Click Bond process specifications. Click Bond is a standardized bonded fastening system widely used within the aerospace industry to bond and strengthen equipment.
Try: ENFASCO offers a guide to more than 200 Click Bond products, which, it claims, are just a small sampling of the more than 1,000 products available and used in a broad range of industries including aerospace.

Galley

The galley is the area on an aircraft in which flight attendants prepare food for the passengers. Various airline galley equipment may include the galley itself, storage compartments, ovens, microwaves and other small-scale kitchen equipment.
Try: Enflite and other retailers offer aircraft galley equipment.

AS 9100

AS 9100, also known as Aerospace 9100 or AS9100:2000, is a quality-management system put in place for the aerospace industry with the purpose of satisfying internal and government regulatory requirements for management standards. You may come across airline equipment that retailers claim meets "AS 9100" standards.
Try: Find more information on AS 9100 at The ISO 9000 Network.