--- title: "Learn Aviation — Jargon, Explainers & Quiz | FlightLogic" description: "Aviation explained for curious travellers: a jargon A–Z, plain-English explainers on how planes fly, turbulence, ATC and runway numbers — plus a 10-question…" url: https://flightlogic.co.uk/learn/ source: FlightLogic (flightlogic.co.uk) licence: "Content © Elite Digital AI Solutions Ltd. Cite the URL above and the page author." --- *Links marked * may earn us a commission at no extra cost to you. We do not provide financial advice. How we make money .* Learn aviation · 11 explainers · 77 jargon terms # Aviation, explained for the aviation-curious Not booking admin — the flying itself. What keeps a 777 in the air, why runways have numbers, what the captain actually means by "flight level three-five-zero", and how to tell an A350 from a 787 at the gate. FlightLogic's Learn aviation section explains flying itself — not booking admin. Read the 77-term aviation jargon A–Z, test yourself with the 10-question aviation quiz, and work through 11 plain-English explainers covering how planes fly, turbulence, air traffic control, boarding-pass codes, fare classes, airport codes, aircraft identification, runway numbers, ETOPS and pilot announcements. ## Start here - [Reference Aviation jargon A–Z 77 terms from APU to yaw — go-arounds, squawk codes, wake turbulence and everything the captain says, decoded.](https://flightlogic.co.uk/learn/jargon/) - [Interactive The aviation quiz Ten questions drawn from the jargon and explainers. Score 9+ and you're cabin crew material.](https://flightlogic.co.uk/learn/quiz/) ## How flying works Lift, turbulence, ocean crossings and the people guiding your flight. - [How planes fly: lift, thrust, drag and weight explained The four forces every flight balances — and why the wing changes shape for takeoff and landing. 8 min read](https://flightlogic.co.uk/learn/how-planes-fly/) - [Turbulence explained: what it is, why it happens, and why aircraft shrug it off Clear-air, thermal, wake and mountain-wave turbulence — what each feels like, and what actually keeps you safe. 8 min read](https://flightlogic.co.uk/learn/turbulence-explained/) - [Air traffic control explained: who's guiding your flight, and when Follow a London Heathrow–New York JFK flight through every control handover, from pushback to the gate. 9 min read](https://flightlogic.co.uk/learn/air-traffic-control-explained/) - [Why twin-engine jets now rule the oceans: ETOPS explained From the 60-minute rule to ETOPS-330: how engine reliability retired the four-engine airliner. 8 min read](https://flightlogic.co.uk/learn/why-twinjets-fly-across-oceans/) - [What is sustainable aviation fuel (SAF)? A plain-English explainer of SAF, blends, mandates and what passengers should (and should not) believe at checkout. 7 min read](https://flightlogic.co.uk/learn/what-is-sustainable-aviation-fuel/) ## Decoding your flight Boarding passes, fare buckets, airport codes, runways and PA announcements. - [Decoding your boarding pass: what every code and letter actually means Fare class letters, SSSS, sequence numbers and the barcode — a field guide to the slip of paper that runs your journey. 7 min read](https://flightlogic.co.uk/learn/decoding-your-boarding-pass/) - [Airline fare classes explained: why the same seat has twelve prices Booking buckets, the alphabet soup of Y/J/W/F, and how revenue management prices your exact seat. 8 min read](https://flightlogic.co.uk/learn/airline-fare-classes-explained/) - [Airport codes explained: why Heathrow is LHR and Toronto is YYZ IATA vs ICAO, the Canadian Y mystery, and the stories behind ORD, MSY and the EG-prefix map. 7 min read](https://flightlogic.co.uk/learn/airport-codes-explained/) - [Runway numbers explained: what 09L and 27R actually mean Magnetic headings, parallel runway letters, and why the wind decides which runway you use. 7 min read](https://flightlogic.co.uk/learn/runway-numbers-explained/) - [Pilot announcements decoded: what the flight deck is really telling you Flight levels, armed doors, cross-checks, holds and finals — a phrasebook for the PA system. 7 min read](https://flightlogic.co.uk/learn/pilot-announcements-decoded/) ## Spotter's guide Aircraft identification from the terminal window. - [How to identify aircraft: a spotter's guide from the terminal window Engines, winglets, noses and windows — the field marks that separate an A350 from a 787 from a 777. 9 min read](https://flightlogic.co.uk/learn/how-to-identify-aircraft/) ## Booking terms instead? This section covers aviation itself. For the booking, ticketing and passenger-rights vocabulary — ATOL, codeshares, UK261 and the rest — head to the [travel & aviation glossary](https://flightlogic.co.uk/glossary/), and for consumer advice see all [160 FlightLogic guides](https://flightlogic.co.uk/guides/).