AAA
Anti-aircraft Artillery. Rapid-firing cannon or machine guns, often aimed by
computers and radar.
ACM
Air Combat Maneuvering, or dogfighting.
AGL
Above Ground Level. An airplane’s altimeter reads height above Mean Sea Level (MSL),
the more realistic measurement over land is height Above Ground Level. Most
military aircraft have a radar-altimeter, which reads aircraft height above
ground level.
Air Boss
Head of the Air Department on board a carrier; he rules the flight deck.
Air Wing
The entire complement of aircraft fielded by the carrier in battle: fighters,
attack jets, early-warning planes, tankers, helicopters, antisubmarine patrol
craft, etc.
Alert 5
A manned aircraft can launch within five minutes. The Navy has time restrictions
as to how long a crew can stand an Alert-5 watch. Similarly, Alert 15, Alert 30,
Alert 60.
Angels
Altitude, measured in thousands of feet (“angels fifteen” means 15,000 feet
above sea level). Also, a term lovingly ascribed to the rescue helicopter by any
aviator who has experienced an ejection and subsequent helicopter rescue.
Anti-Smash
Aircraft strobe, or anti-collision, lights.
AOM
All Officer’s Meeting. A vehicle that Commanding Officers use to keep Junior
Officers in a central location for a given amount of time to keep them from
screwing up his (or her ) command tour.
ASW
Anti-submarine warfare.
B/N
Bombardier-navigator; the specific term for the NFO in the A-6 aircraft.
“Back to the Taxpayers”
Where you send a wrecked aircraft.
Ball
An amber visual landing aid that the pilot uses to adjust aircraft-relative
position to a desired final approach glideslope. The primary optical landing
device on the carrier.
Bandit
Dogfight adversary positively identified as a bad guy. Hostile aircraft.
Basement
Hangar deck of the aircraft carrier.
Bat-turn
A tight, high-G change of heading. A reference to the rapid 180-degree Batmobile
maneuver in the old Batman television series.
Behind the Power Curve
Not keeping up with expectations.
Bent
Damaged or broken.
Bingo
Minimum fuel for a comfortable and safe return to base. Aircraft can fly and
fight past bingo fuel in combat situations, but at considerable peril.
Birds
Aircraft
Blower
Afterburner.
Blue-Water Ops
Carrier flight operations beyond the reach of land bases or bingo fields.
Boards Out
Speed brakes extended
Boat
Any Navy ship regardless of size. The aircraft carrier is “THE Boat.”
Bogey
Unidentified and potentially hostile aircraft.
Bohica
Bend over, here it comes again.
Bolter
A carrier landing attempt in which the tailhook fails to engage any of the
arresting wires, requiring a “go-around,” and in which the aircraft landing gear
contacts the deck. Otherwise it is a “low pass.”
Booming
Loud, raucous partying (“we were booming last night”); or, fast, exciting flying
(“we went booming through the mountains”).
Boondoggle
A great deal, usually obtained at the expense of others.
Boresight
Pilots use the term to describe concentrating on a small detail to the point of
causing some detriment to the “big picture.”
BOREX
A dull, repetitive exercise (a busy, tense one might be a SWEATEX).
Brain Housing Group
Mock-technical term for the skull.
Bravo Zulu
Praise for a good job.
Bubbas
Fellow squadron members; anyone who flies the same aircraft as you do.
Bumping
ACM (Air Combat Maneuvering), also called “bumping heads.”
BuNo
Bureau number, the permanent serial number that the Navy assigns to an aircraft
when it is built.
Burner
Afterburner; a system that feeds raw fuel into a jet’s hot exhaust, thus greatly
increasing both thrust and fuel consumption.
Buster
Controller term for full military power: to hurry up, go as fast as possible.
CAG
Commander of the air group (coined in the pre-1962 days when they were called
air groups — now they’re called air wings) — the carrier’s chief pilot.
CQ
Carrier qualification
Cat Shot
A carrier takeoff assisted by a steam-powered catapult. A “cold cat,” one in
which insufficient launch pressure has been set into the device, can place the
hapless aircraft in the water.
CAVU
Ceiling And Visibility Unlimited: the best possible flying weather.
C.E.P
Circular Error Probable. The average “miss” distance of ordnance hits from a
given aim point, such as a target bulls-eye.
Centurion
An aviator who has made 100 shipboard landings on one carrier, typically a
centurion patch is then issued and proudly worn on the flight jacket.
Charlie
The planned landing time aboard a carrier.
Charlie Foxtrot
Phonetics for “cluster-f%*k”
Check Six
Visual observation of the rear quadrant, from which most air-to-air attacks can
be expected. Refers to the clock system of scanning the envelope around the
aircraft; 12 o’clock is straight ahead, 6 o’clock is directly astern. Also a
common salutation and greeting among tactical pilots. Keep an eye on your
behind, be careful.
Cherubs
Altitude measured in hundreds of feet (“cherubs two” means 200 feet).
COD
Carrier On-Board Delivery aircraft, used to transfer personnel and cargo to and
from the carrier.
Cones
Students.
Crossdeck Pendant
An arresting wire on an aircraft carrier; or the attaching cord between a
VertRep helicopter to its externally slung cargo.
Dash Two
The second plane in a two-or-more aircraft formation; the wingman.
Delta
When an aircraft arrives at a boat for recovery, this instruction tells the
pilot to stay clear and save gas; refers to a holding pattern at the boat.
Delta Sierra
Phonetics for “dumb shit”: describes a stupid action, and erases all previous
Bravo Zulus and Sierra Hotels.
Dirty
Aircraft configured for landing with gear and flaps down.
Double Nuts / Nuts
Aircraft number ending in 00. The CAG’s bird usually numbered 100 or 00.
Down
Broken, not flying. A sick pilot is “down.”
Driver
Pilot.
ECM
Electronic Countermeasures; systems for jamming or misleading enemy weapons,
communications, and radar.
ELINT
Electronic Intelligence; the gathering of electronic emissions related to
communications, weapons control, or reconnaissance.
Envelope
The maximum performance parameters of an aircraft; flying at the edge of the
envelope can be both exciting and dangerous.
FAG
Fighter Attack Guy; derogatory term for F/A-18 Hornet drivers.
Father
Slang term for shipboard TACAN station. There is a Father on most Mothers.
Feet Wet/Dry
The former means “over-water,” the latter “over-land.”
Flathatting
Unauthorized low-level flying and stunting--thrilling, sometimes fatal, usually
career-ending if caught.
Flare
The nose-up landing posture normal for most land-based aircraft. Carrier jets
eliminate flare in favor of a slamming contact with the deck.
FM
Abbreviation for “f*cking magic”: very high-tech; used to describe how something you don’t understand actually works.
FOD
Foreign Object Damage. A constant concern on airfields and carrier decks where
jet engines operate. Jet intakes can ingest loose objects, and even the smallest
item — a rock, a bolt — can seriously damage jet turbine blades.
Fox One, Fox Two, Fox Three
Radio calls indicating the firing of a Sparrow, Sidewinder, or Phoenix
air-to-air missile, respectively.
Fur ball
A confused aerial engagement with many combatants. Several aircraft in tight
ACM.
G
High-performance aircraft subject airframes and occupants to centrifugal
forces far beyond simple gravity. One-G equals normal gravity; a pilot and plane
pulling 4-Gs in a turn will feel forces equal to four times the weight of
gravity.
G-suit
Nylon trousers that wrap around the legs and abdomen. Filled automatically with
compressed air in high-G maneuvers, the G-suit helps prevent the pooling of
blood in the lower extremities, thus retarding the tendency to lose
consciousness. Also known as “speedjeans.”
Gaff Off
Ignore.
Gizmo
A piece of technical gear (also doodad, thingamabob, or hog-ha)
Go Juice
Jet fuel or coffee.
Gomer
Slang for a dogfight adversary, the usage stemming from the old Gomer Pyle
television show.
Goo
Bad weather that makes it impossible to see; in the clouds.
Goon Up
Screw up.
Gouge
The latest inside information. Also the poop, the skinny. A summary of important
information.
Green Apple
The control knob for the cockpit’s emergency oxygen supply.
Greenie Board
Prominently displayed squadron scoreboard where the landing signal officers rate
the pilots’ carrier landings (any color other than green is bad ). Also called
the “weenie board.”
Gripe
A mechanical problem on an aircraft. An “up” gripe means you can still fly, a
“down” gripe means you can’t.
Gut Bomb
Any of the (limited) variety of single-handed culinary delights found in the
wardrooms or mess decks on the boat.
Hangar Queen
An aircraft that suffers chronic “downs”; hangar queens are often pirated for
spares for the squadron’s other aircraft, so when the aircraft leave the carrier
at the end of the cruise, the maintenance officer normally flies the hangar
queen because he knows which parts have been taken (the “queen’s” ejection seats
are especially well preflighted).
Hard Deck
An established minimum altitude for training engagements.
Heater
Sidewinder missile which homes in on heat sources.
Helo
Universal Navy/Marine term for helicopter. Don’t say “chopper” unless you’re
hanging out with the Army.
High Warble
Unduly agitated.
Hop
A mission, or flight
Hook Slap
When the tailhook of an aircraft landing on a carrier strikes the rounddown.
HUD
Heads Up Display. A transparent screen mounted on the dashboard on which
pertinent data from flight instruments and weapons systems are projected.The HUD
eliminates the need to look down into the cockpit to read instruments.
IFR
Instrument Flight Rules, permitting safe flight in conditions of limited
visibility
In-Flight Engagement
Snagging the arresting wire before the wheels touch the deck. This can result in
damage to the aircraft.
INS
Inertial Navigation System. A device that, when properly loaded and aligned,
permits the pilot to determine his location anywhere on earth within a few
hundred feet.
Jink
To maneuver violently to avoid a threat.
J.O.
Junior officer, usually with all the answers.
JO Bunkroom
The JO stateroom, where all the good parties are aboard The Boat
JOPA
Junior Officer Protective Association. The O-3s (lieutenants) and below in a
unit that band together for mutual protection. Sometimes called JORC (Junior
Officer Retaliation Corps).
JP-4, JP-5
Types of jet fuel: the aroma of which makes former aviators nostalgic for flight
operations.
Kick the Tires and Light the Fires
Formerly, to bypass or severely shorten the required routine of physically
inspecting the aircraft prior to flight.
LEAPEX
A jump-through-your-ass project, exercise, or drill. Something silly that needs
to be done NOW!
Lost the Bubble
Got confused or forgot what was happening.
Loading/Unloading
Increasing or decreasing angle of attack and G’s
LSO
Landing Signal Officer. Squadron member with considerable experience in carrier
landings, responsible for assisting others onto the deck and for grading their
efforts. Also known as “paddles.”
Martin-Baker Fan Club
If you eject, you’re a member (a reference to the Martin-Baker company,
manufacturer of ejection seats). An official list of members is maintained.
Meatball
The glideslope indication light that pilots watch when they’re trapping.
MiGCAP
Combat Air Patrol over ground-attack aircraft to protect against an air-to-air
threat.
Military Power
Maximum jet engine power without engaging afterburner.
Mini-Boss
The Assistant Air Boss.
Mort
Killed.
Mother, or Mom
The boat on which you are deployed, and where you launched from.
Mud-mover, Ground-pounder
Low-level attack aircraft such as the A-6 Intruder.
Music
Electronic jamming intended to deceive radar.
My Fun Meter is Pegged
Sarcastic comment for, “I am not enjoying this any more.”
NATOPS
The Naval Air Training and Operating Procedures Standardization program,
responsible for rules and regulations governing safe and correct operation of
all naval aircraft. Sometimes means in jest: “Not Applicable To Our Present
Situation.” NATOPS manuals are sometimes referred to as “the big blue sleeping
pill” in reference to their blue plastic covers.
NFO
Naval Flight Officer - Non pilot crew members such as a B/N, RIO, WSO, ECMO,
Etc...
NAFOD
No Apparent Fear of Death.
No-Load
An underachiever. Named after the process of warming up the catapults before a
launch.
No Joy
Failure to make visual sighting; or inability to establish radio communications.
Nugget
A first-tour aviator.
Padlocked
To have a bogey firmly in your sights.
Painted
Scanned by radar.
Passing Gas
Inflight refueling
Pass
The point at which fighters, closing head-on, flash past each other. Also, an
attempt at landing.
Penalty Box
If you get a wave off or a bolter, that’s where you go.
Pickle
A device held by the LSO that activates the “cut” light on the lens: as a verb,
to drop a bomb or external fuel tank.
Pinkie
A landing made at twilight between the official time of sunset (or sunrise) and
“real” darkness
PLAT
Pilot Landing Aid Television. a videotape camera that records all carrier
launches and recoveries.
Playmates
The pilots of other aircraft on the same mission as you.
Pointy End
The front of a boat
Popeye
What you are when you’re flying in the goo.
Prang
To bump, crunch, or break an aircraft.
Pucker Factor
How scary something is.
Punch Out
To eject.
R2D2
A RIO (a reference to Luke Skywalker’s robot backseater in the Star Wars
movies).
Ramp Strike
Landing short in the ramp area, resulting in a crash.
Radome
Fiberglass enclosure covering a radar antenna.
RAG
Replacement Air Group. Squadron in which newly trained pilots are introduced to,
and trained in, a particular aircraft type. The official name is FRS (Fleet
Replacement Squadron).
Red Flag
A large mock air war, held quarterly by the Air Force at Nellis AFB, Nevada.
Many non-Air Force assets — Navy/Marines, Army, foreign — are invited to
participate.
RIO
Radar Intercept Officer. Back-seat crewman in the F-14 Tomcat or F-4
Phantom II.
Rocket One
The skipper.
Roof
The flight deck on the carrier.
Rounddown
The very back end of the flight deck, so called because of its rounded shape.
S.A.
Situational Awareness.
SAM
Surface-to-air missile.
SAR
Search and Rescue
Scooter
Nickname for the A-4 Skyhawk.
Section
Two aircraft operating together as a tactical unit.
Shoe
Short for “blackshoes,” a derogatory term for nonflying personnel; aviators wear
brown shoes.
Shooter
The catapult officer.
Sierra Hotel
Phonetic abbreviation for “shit hot,”
Slider
A hamburger cooked in aircraft carrier wardrooms with cheese to ensure the
grease contest is high enough to guarantee it will slide off the plate in heavy
seas.
Smoking Hole
An airplane crash site.
Sniffer
A device on the flight deck that checks that an aircraft is broadcasting IFF
transmissions.
Sortie
A single mission by one aircraft.
Speed Jeans
The G-suit. which applies pressure to the legs to aid in preventing blackout
during high-G maneuvering.
Spooled Up
Excited.
Spud Locker
The part of a carrier where you don’t want to land; it is well down on the
fantail, so if you hit it, you are way too low (at least one Navy pilot earned
the nickname “Spud” for doing just that).
State
Fuel StateHow much fuel you’ve got.
TACAN
TACtical Aid to Navigation. Navigation aid which provides bearing and distance
(slant range) between it and an airplane.
TACTS
Tactical Aircrew Combat Training System. A system of computers, sensors, data
pods, and graphic displays that permits real-time depiction of an aerial
dogfight. TACTS is an integral element of aircrew training.
Tank
Refuel
Tango Uniform
Polite phonetics for “tits up”; broken, not functioning.
Texaco
An aerial tanker.
Three Down and Locked
Landing gear down and ready for landing.
Throttle Back
To slow down, take it easy.
Tilly
The mobile crane on the flight deck used to pick up disabled aircraft and move
them.
Tits Machine
A good, righteous airplane. Current airplanes need not apply, this is a
nostalgic term referring to birds gone by. By all accounts the F-8 Crusader
was a tits machine.
TransPac/Lant
To cross the Pacific or Atlantic by aircraft.
Trap
An arrested landing on a carrier, a helo landing into an RSD (rapid securing
device)
Trick-or-Treat
If you don’t make this pass. you have to tank or land ashore.
Tweak
To fine-tune or adjust.
Twirly
Anti-collision beacon on an aircraft.
Up
Working, not broken.
Up to Speed
To understand or to know what’s going on.
VSTOL
Very Short Takeoff and Landing. Also VTOL (Vertical Takeoff and Landing).
Vulture’s Row
A viewing gallery on an aircraft carrier’s island where you can watch flight
operations.
Warm Fuzzy
Feeling of confidence or security. When things feel right.
Wash Out
To not make the grade at flight school.
Waveoff
When the LSO orders a pilot not to trap. A mandatory signal, usually a visual (waveoff
lights on the lens) or audible command (on the UHF radio) for a pilot to cease
his approach and not touch down.
Wingman
Second pilot in a two-plane formation. Responsible for ensuring that his
leader’s six o’clock remains clear.
Workups
Putting a ship through certain tests and exercises before going on cruise.
Zero-Dark-Thirty
A scheduled time that is really late or really early -"I gotta go, I've
got a brief at zero-dark-thirty".