Word on the Wing: six words from the headlines
Welcome to Word on the Wing, our regular look at the aviation English behind the news. Below are six terms that turned up in recent aviation stories — from a budget airline’s collapse to a hydrogen-powered jet engine — each with a clear definition, an example, and a note on how to use it.
The six terms
- low-cost carrier (LCC) (noun) — an airline that offers very low fares and charges separately for extras such as bags, seats and meals. Spirit was the best-known low-cost carrier in the United States before it shut down. Often shortened to LCC; the same idea is also called a budget or no-frills airline.
- runway incursion (noun) — any time an aircraft, vehicle or person is wrongly on a runway that is in use. The collision at Newark was a serious runway incursion: a truck was on the runway as the jet touched down. It is one of aviation’s most watched safety risks; the opposite goal is a “clear” runway.
- eVTOL (noun) — an electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft: a small electric aircraft that rises straight up like a helicopter. The FAA has cleared the first eVTOL air taxis to fly in 26 states. Say it “ee-vee-tol.” The small pads they use are sometimes called vertiports.
- backlog (noun) — the queue of orders a manufacturer has received but not yet delivered. China’s purchase of 200 jets added years of work to Boeing’s order backlog. In manufacturing a large backlog is usually good news — it means guaranteed future work. The common collocation is order backlog.
- zero-emission (adjective) — producing none of the exhaust gases that harm the climate, such as carbon dioxide. A hydrogen aircraft is called zero-emission because burning hydrogen produces only water. Hyphenate it before a noun: a zero-emission flight. Compare low-emission, which means less, not none.
- tariff (noun) — a tax a government places on goods coming into the country. The aircraft order was part of a deal to ease the tariffs between the United States and China. Don’t confuse it with a fare (what a passenger pays) or a fee (a charge for a service).
Practice
Fill each gap with one of the six terms (change the form if you need to):
- Spirit was a famous American ______, charging low fares but extra for bags and seats.
- A truck on the live runway caused a dangerous ______ at Newark.
- The FAA approved the first ______ air taxis to operate in 26 states.
- China’s order of 200 jets added years of work to Boeing’s order ______.
- Because it produces only water, a hydrogen aircraft is described as ______.
- The deal was designed to reduce the ______ on goods traded between the two countries.
CEFR Level B2 / ICAO Level 5
Several of these words came straight from the headlines — read how one famous low-cost carrier finally shut its doors.