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I figured that would throw you for a loop. 🤗 OK, in layman’s terms, I will try to explain those concepts, though for someone not familiar with aviation, it still might be difficult. MSA=minimum safe altitude within 100 nautical miles, self explanatory. MVAC=minimum vectoring altitude chart. Establishes the minimum altitude, that aircraft under radar control, can be given radar control instructions. Sometimes super imposed on the radar scope, though after using it, the controller totally memorizes the chart, and doesn’t need it. SID=standard instrument departure. STAR=standard terminal arrival route. Both SID and STAR use navigational aids, that pilots navigate off of. TACAN=tactical air navigation. The frequency is classified, but is UHF. They go by channels. IE, Channel 49 etc. TACAN also has DME (distance measuring equipment) VOR=VHF Omni range, frequency in not classified. Does not have DME, but VOR DME does. Both TACAN and VOR put out theoretically an infinite number of radials, but only 360 are useable (001 to 360) Pilots navigate off TACANs and VORs, both enroute and in terminal areas, following radial and DME. RNAV=area navigation. I am not so familiar with it, but as far as I know, aircraft go from point to point, rather than radial and DME. CAT 1 and 2 ILS=instrument landing system. It shows glide path and runway centerline information. CAT 2 being more accurate than CAT 1.
A year ago, my son had no clue what any of these meant. Now, he is an expert. He just finished learning instrument navigation.
There is another method, besides ILS. It’s called PAR=precision approach radar. When I was in Vietnam, with visibility near zero, I got many compliments from pilots, telling me I put him right dead on the runway centerline. I thought to myself, of course I did, you nerd. I know exactly what I am doing, and I am very good at what I do. That’s because, in the weather, pilots tended do exactly what they were told, so quite naturally, I put them down, dead on the runway centerline. 👍🤣✈️
I hammered it into my son’s head from day one. Do what the controller tells you to do, when he tells you to do it. 👍