The term 'flying start' is a phrase used to describe a successful beginning to something. The crossword solutions for this term are NEST (4 letters), AERO (4 letters), AVI (3 letters), and AER (3 letters). NEST is an abbreviation for National Education Standards and Testing, which is a program that sets standards for education in the United States. AERO is an abbreviation for aeronautics, which is the science of designing and flying aircraft. AVI is an abbreviation for aviation, which is the operation of aircraft. Finally, AER is an abbreviation for aerodynamics, which is the study of how air moves around objects.