- pallet (1) for freight, rigid platform for handling by forklift or conveyor; (2) for missile, interface mounting and electronics box outside aircraft.
- Pascal SI unit of pressure = 1Nm-2 (one Newton per square metre).
- payload Disposable load generating revenue (passengers, cargo, mail and other paid items); in military aircraft, loosely used to mean total load carried of weapons, cargo or other equipment.
- Performance Aircraft capabilities after S/L take-off at MTOW in ISA with normal full tankage, except as otherwise specified, and with landing data at MLW (where different).
- PFA Popular Flying Association (UK).
- PGM Precision-guided munition.
- phased array Radar in which the beam is scanned electronically in one or both axes without moving the antenna.
- Pirate Passive infra-red airborne tracking equipment.
- PLA Prelaunch activities.
- plane A lifting surface (for example wing, tailplane).
- plc Public limited company (company constitution).
- plug door Door larger than its frame in pressurised fuselage, either opening inwards or arranged to retract parts before opening outwards.
- plume The region of hot air and gas emitted by a helicopter jetpipe.
- ply Indication (ply rating) of tyre strength in a specific application; not necessarily the actual number of carcass plies in the tyre.
- pneumatic de-icing Covered with flexible surfaces alternately pumped up and deflated to throw off ice.
- port Left side, looking forward.
- power-by-wire Using electric power alone (not electro-hydraulic) to drive control surfaces and perform other mechanical tasks.
- power loading Aircraft weight (usually MTOW) divided by total propulsive power or thrust at T-O. For helicopters, based on transmission rating rather than total engine power.
- power train A complete mechanical drive system, for example the sequence of gearwheels, clutches and shafts transmitting power from one or more engines to the rotors of a helicopter.
- PPV Pre-production verification.
- prepreg Glass fibre cloth or rovings pre-impregnated with resin to simplify layup.
- pressure fuelling Fuelling via a leakproof connection through which fuel passes at high rate under pressure.
- primary flight controls Those used to control trajectory of aircraft (thus, not trimmers, tabs, flaps, slats, airbrakes or lift dumpers, and so on).
- primary flight display Single screen bearing all data for aircraft flight-path control.
- propfan A family of new-technology propellers characterised by multiple scimitar-shaped blades with thin sharp-edged profile. Single and contrarotating examples promise to extend propeller efficiency up to an aircraft Mach number of about 0.8.
- proprotor Large propeller, tilting for forward or vertical flight.
- PT Pesawat Terbang (Indonesian company constitution).
- Pty Proprietary (company constitution).
- pulse Doppler Radar sending out pulses and measuring frequency-shift to detect returns only from moving target(s) seen against background clutter.
- pylon Structure linking aircraft to external load (engine nacelle, drop tank, bomb, and so on).
