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Glite Dictionary
GCA

GCA

1 8.5
A landing method where ground controllers guide a pilot using radar in bad weather
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : GCA
  • The control tower provided GCA support to guide the aircraft through the heavy fog.

Examples

  • I'm going to turn you over to our GCA expert - who will talk you down.

    Skyjacked (1972)

  • The military up there uses GCA all the time.

    Skyjacked (1972)

  • Have them get their best GCA man on the stick.

    Skyjacked (1972)

  • Adjust to 612 your GCA.

    Heist (2001)

  • Request gca pickup.

    The Great Santini (1979)

  • During a storm, the pilot relied on GCA for a safe landing despite poor visibility.

  • When facing bad weather, pilots are trained to use GCA techniques to ensure a successful landing.

Synonyms

ground-controlled approach
vsGCA
  • Specialized
7.5

A way controllers use radar to guide pilots by radio to land in low visibility

focuses on highly precise radar signals giving exact position information for landing

Surface Forms

GCA singular
GCAs plural

Morphology

GCA = G + C + A

This is an initialism whose letters (G, C, A) do not by themselves convey the meaning unless the expansion (e.g., 'ground-controlled approach') is known, so learners cannot derive the sense from the components.

Etymology

GCA is short for Ground-Controlled Approach, with ground meaning 'land', control meaning 'to guide', and approach meaning 'to come in to land'. So GCA is literally people on the ground guiding a plane to land with radar, which is why pilots ask for it in bad weather.