Glossary Papakupu
Explanations of abbreviations and acronyms.
- Backing
- Moving in an anti-clockwise direction.
- Backing wind
- A backing wind is a shift of wind direction in an anti-clockwise manner, for example from north to west.
- Backtracking
- Backtracking refers to the procedure where an aircraft taxies along an active runway in the direction opposite to that being used for takeoff or landing.
- Bail off
- Disembark as quickly as possible.
- Balanced rudder
- 20–40% of the rudder blade is forward of the rudder stock
- Balise
- A balise is an electronic beacon or transponder placed between the rails of a railway as part of train control or a protection system.
- Ballast
- Crushed stone supporting and stabilizing railway sleepers
- Ballast Water
- Water carried in ship tanks to improve stability
- Balloon
- A balloon includes an envelope, control lines, burners, a basket and other equipment fitted or required to be carried
- Banker locomotives
- Banker locomotives are additional locomotives used when required to assist trains up steep gradients.
- Banner signals
- Banner signals – sometimes referred to as banner repeaters or indicators – are provided on the approaches to certain signals, usually those that have restricted sighting due to the curvature of a line, building or tunnel on the approach, to give advance information of the signal aspects.
- Barely readable
- “Barely readable” is an assessment on the legibility of a transmission
- BARS
- Basic Aviation Risk Standards (Flight Safety Foundation)
- Base leg
- A flight path at right angles to the landing runway off its approach end. The base leg extends from the downwind leg to the intersection of the extended runway centreline
- Basic weight
- Weight of the airframe and engines, fixed equipment and full oil tanks but not including fuel, passengers or baggage and cargo
- Beam-on
- Refers to waves coming at a right angle to the ship.
- Beech
- The aircraft was manufactured by Beech Aircraft Corporation and is nominated as Beech in ICAO documentation. However, sometimes Beech aircraft are referred to as Beechcraft, a subsequent branding from the same manufacturer.
- Beneficial ship owner
- A beneficial ship owner is the ultimate owning entity of a ship or representative thereof (either individual, company, group or organisation) and is the entity that benefits from the rent and/or the sale of the ship.
- Berth
- Designated location in a port where a vessel docks
- Berthing Plan
- Schedule and allocation of berths for arriving vessels
- BFR
- Biennial Flight Review
- Bilge
- The compartment at the bottom of the hull of a ship where water collects so that it may be pumped out of the ship at a later time.
- Bill of Lading
- Negotiable sea transport document acknowledging receipt and contract of carriage
- Bird strike
- Bird strikes involving collisions with multiple birds are much more likely to cause serious risk or harm to the aircraft.
- Blackout
- A sudden total loss of electrical power on the ship.
- Bladder fuel tank
- A fuel tank with a flexible bladder in an aluminium enclosure that has the ability to change shape without splitting open and spilling its flammable content
- Block
- Section of railway track with movement authority for a single train at a time
- Blue fit test
- During a blue fit test, the tapered surface of the pintle is coated in a blue fluid. The pintle is then hydraulically inserted into the taper of the lower casting, then removed. The amount of fluid transferred to the surface of the taper in the lower casting shows the percentage of surface contact between the two items.
- BOL
- Block of Line
- Bonding wires
- Used to create an electrical connection between two or more conductive parts. They are commonly used in grounding, electrical enclosures and electronic components.
- Bosun
- Abbreviated version of boatswain: foreman or supervisor of the deck crew.
- Bow thruster
- A lateral propulsion device installed near the front of the vessel used for manoeuvring at slow speed.
- Brake application
- A full brake application in the normal operating mode, without using the emergency position.
- Brake handle
- The brake system for locomotives only, not the whole train; the LE can apply or remove the brakes to their locomotive or other paired locomotives that are configured together.
- Brake pipe
- The pipe that joins the train brake system together in between each rail vehicle allowing air pressure to control the application or removal of the train’s brakes.
- Brakes
- The front locomotive’s pairing configuration allowed locomotive three to have its brakes operate along with the train’s carriages as it was not required to be paired like the others attached to the front of the train.
- Branch lines
- A railway line that runs off a main line and generally carries fewer trains.
- Breakbulk
- Cargo shipped as individual pieces rather than in containers
- Breakbulk cargo
- Breakbulk refers to cargo that is transported in individual units as opposed to standard shipping containers.
- Breakwater
- Structure protecting a harbour from waves
- Bridge Resource Management
- Teamwork and communication practices on a ship's bridge
- Brinel
- Bearing brinelling is permanent damage to the bearing raceways, caused by contact forces that exceed the material limit.
- Brittle fracture
- The sudden or rapid fracture of a component under stress without undergoing any noticeable permanent deformation.
- Brittle overload
- The sudden fracture of a material when stresses exceed its load-bearing capacity.
- Broadcast storm
- A broadcast storm occurs when a network system is overwhelmed by continuous multicast or broadcast traffic.
- Broken cloud
- Five- to seven-eighths’ cloud cover
- Buff compression force
- The inward force applied to the carriage-coupler connection
- Bulk Cargo
- Cargo in large quantities unpackaged such as grain ore or coal
- Bulk carrier
- A ship designed to carry loose cargo such as grains, coal and logs.
- Bulkhead
- Nautical term for a wall
- Bulwarks
- Solid handrails.
- Bushing
- A cylindrical sleeve that facilitates rotational movement between two parts.
- BVLoS
- Beyond visual line of sight
- Bypass the alarms
- A method of connecting electrical circuits directly to the power source by diverting around (bypassing) potentially faulty equipment. This allows the rest of the circuit to continue operating normally. It is used by signals technicians in emergency situations or for fault-finding.