Possible Clues:

• A small word from USA, for example, literally speaking
• ABBA checking on volume before I adjusted it on SOS, for example
• A short word, eg, may be one
• One of the cutbacks in the literary world? In not so many words!
• Cutting books on the subject of getting into flying
• Literary cutbacks suggests letters are in short supply
• Shortening, as in pastry, etc.
• Is it because of literary cut backs, letters are in short supply?
• Plane, for example, flying above Britain
• A word shortened