phil@s3sun.UUCP (Phil Cohen) (02/17/86)
A while back, we were discussing fighter jock slang. I found a short article on the subject and thought it might be of general interest. Fighter pilots everywhere have their own special language. Below is a short dictionary of Air Force slang that will help ordinary human beings decode these messages from the skies. Most of the expressions are used throughout the USAF, US Navy and Marine aviation community. For better or worse, military aviation is a man's world, and fighter pilot lingo is pretty salty - but then, it was never meant to be written down and distributed to the public. Ace-of-the-Base, Steve Canyon: A hot pilot, if only in his own estimation. Bat Turn: A very tight, fast change of heading, used most often in F-16 squadrons. A reference to the rapid 180 degree Batmobile maneuver of the old Batman TV series. Bravo Sierra: Bull Shit; the opposite of Sierra Hotel. Check Six: Visually monitoring the aircraft's rear quadrant for enemy fighters. Ego Drivers: F-15 pilots. Furball, Squirrel Cage: A multi-plane, confused aerial engagement. Gate: Afterburner. Gut Check, Belly Check: Rolling the aircraft to check for attacks from the aircraft's underside. Hassling: Unauthorized, informal mock dog-fight. Hummer: Any ingenious device whose proper name the fighter pilot can't recall. Knife Fight: An aerial engagement where both aircraft are committed to duel to the death. Mud-Movers: Air-to-surface attack specialists. Pucker Factor: The detrimental effect of having someone shoot at you while you're trying to deliver ordnance. Punching Out: Ejecting. Sierra Hotel: Shit Hot; anything true, good, and useful. The fighter pilot's favorite expression. Smash: Potential energy stored as a function of airspeed and/or altitude. Tits Machine: A good airplane. Tits-Up: Broken, not functioning. Viper Driver: F-16 pilot. Whiskey Delta: Weak Dick; a less-than-capable pilot, a wimp. Wing Weenie: A member of the fighter wing's administrative staff. -- ---------- Phil Cohen (phil@s3sun.CSS.GOV, sdcsvax!phil)