Glossary Papakupu

Explanations of abbreviations and acronyms.
All ' 1 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

    G

    GA
    general aviation
    Galley
    Nautical term for a kitchen
    Ganger
    Traditional railway terminology for the supervisor of an infrastructure team (work gang) of track workers
    Gangway
    The inter-carriage walking surface provided between adjoining passenger carriages.
    Gantline
    A rope of approximately 20 millimetres in diameter used for hauling sailors and tools aloft. It has sufficient strength to support someone should they fall
    Gas generator RPM
    Engine gas generator (compressor) speed, expressed as a percentage of revolutions per minute
    Gas temperature
    The average measured temperature of the gas path in an engine
    Gate
    Passenger or aircraft departure position at a terminal
    Gauge
    The distance between the inside faces of railheads, measured 16 mm below the running surface.
    Gauge face
    The portion of rail head that faces inward on a railway track, to which grease can be applied
    General shunting
    The movement of one or more rail vehicles by means of pulling or pushing.
    Generator set enclosure
    The generator set enclosure includes the engine, generator, fuel system and cooling and exhaust systems.
    Generator tripped
    Generator automatically shut down because of overload
    Geon
    The dark grey material at the edge of some windshields, where rivets attach the windshields to window frames.
    GeVis
    A KiwiRail software application that displays dynamic geographical location of trains on the network. It is a source of information and is not designed for use as a safe-working system.
    GFS
    Global Forecast System
    Give-way vessel
    Under the collision-prevention rules – a vessel that is directed to keep out of the way of another vessel
    Glideslope
    An instrument landing system that indicates the proper path of descent for an aircraft preparing to land.
    Global Forecast System (GFS)
    A USA-based National Center for Environmental Prediction weather forecast model that generates data for, among others, wind. The system couples four separate models (atmosphere, ocean, land/soil and sea ice) to work together and predict global weather conditions.
    GNSS
    Global Navigation Satellite System: A satellite system that provides location data for navigation purposes; one of Compass, Galileo, Glonass, or GPS.
    GNZ
    Gliding New Zealand Incorporated
    Go around
    A discontinued approach to land. Sometimes termed an overshoot.
    Go-around
    To discontinue a landing approach and re-circuit for another attempt
    Governor
    A device that senses engine and rotor speed and makes adjustments to help maintain the desired speed.
    GPS
    Global Positioning System - A system that uses satellites to determine coordinates and location positions on a map.
    Grade separation
    To isolate road and rail traffic from one another by the construction of a bridge or tunnel/underpass.
    Grade specification
    Requirements and limits that define the properties and quality of a product, ensuring it performs correctly and meets safety and environmental standards
    GRAFOR
    Graphical aviation forecast
    Grandfathering
    A provision in which an old rule continues to apply to an existing vessel while a new rule will apply to all future vessels. Those exempt from the new rule are said to have grandfather rights
    Grandparent rights
    A provision in which an old rule continues to apply to an existing vessel while a new rule applies to all future vessels. Those exempt from the new rule are said to have grandparent rights.
    Gravel bar
    An elevated region of sediment that has been deposited by the flow of a river
    Grease applicator
    Linked to the control box to allow grease to be applied to the gauge face of the inside of the rail head
    Greater Wellington Regional Council
    The owner of the Wellington region commuter trains
    Grid wind
    Because of the strong convergence of the meridians and the variable location of the Magnetic Poles, navigation by reference to True or Magnetic in Antarctica is difficult. Therefore an artificial reference is adopted in which the Greenwich (Prime) Meridian is taken to be grid north. An aircraft flying parallel to this meridian, for example from McMurdo towards South Pole, would be flying a track of grid north. A wind blowing from 90º right of this track would be coming from grid east or grid 090
    Grooved
    Cut across to assist with water runoff and aid braking
    Gross Tonnage
    Measurement of a ship's overall internal volume
    Ground effect
    A helicopter is ‘in ground effect’ when the downwash from the main rotor strikes the surface, stopping the downward wash and generating an increase in pressure, effectively a cushion of air that decreases the power required to maintain height. The effect reduces as the helicopter moves further from the surface, meaning more power will be required. At a height equivalent to the distance of half to one rotor diameter, the effect is considered to be nil and the helicopter is said to be ‘out of ground effect’
    Ground Handling
    Services provided to aircraft while on the ground
    Ground-relay fault
    An unintentional electrical path that runs between a power source and a ground surface.
    Groundspeed
    The speed of an object over the ground
    GSMEACQ
    GSMEACQ means Ground, Situation, Mission, Execution, Admin, Command, Questions
    GT
    Gross tonnes
    Guard's wagon
    A wagon that is attached to the rear of a freight train and serves as an office for the train guard while they are in transit.
    Gudgeon
    A hole or socket in which a pintle rotates.
    Gunnel
    Gunnel is an alternative spelling of gunwale, the upper side of a ship or boat or the uppermost planks of a wooden vessel.
    Gunwale
    The top edge of the hull of a boat.
    Gyroscopic precession
    Is when a force applied to a spinning gyroscope is transmitted 90 degrees in the direction of rotation i.e. pushing the front of a clockwise spinning disc down results in it tilting to the right.