Airport Airside Operations Glossary
56 terms total — 8 showing — Last updated 15 Sep 2026
GSE GSE
Ground Support Equipment — the range of specialised vehicles and machinery used to service aircraft on the apron.
SGHA
Standard Ground Handling Agreement — the IATA-standard contract governing the provision of ground handling services betw...
SOP
Standard Operating Procedure — a documented, step-by-step instruction that prescribes how a specific task is to be carri...
Stand
A designated aircraft parking position on the apron, identified by a number or alphanumeric code.
Stop Bar
A line of red lights embedded in a taxiway at a runway holding position, controlled by ATC to indicate when an aircraft...
Taxiway
A defined path on an airport surface, designated for the movement of aircraft between the runway and the apron or other...
Towbarless Tractor
A specialised ground vehicle that cradles and lifts the nose gear of an aircraft to push or tow it without the use of a...
Turnaround
The complete cycle of ground handling activities performed on an aircraft between its arrival and its subsequent departu...
VDGS
Visual Docking Guidance System: an electronic display system that provides real-time guidance to pilots for parking an a...