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By Commander Richard Shipman, U. S. Naval Reserve, and Derek Nelson
Like any other fraternity, naval aviation has a lingo all its own, with words and phrases that have special meaning known only to members. They range from crude to clever, and from the inscrutable to the hilarious.
No one knows how the jargon originates. Some of it starts with a snide remark in the ready room. Some of it comes from the terms aviators use to describe aircraft hardware or performance. Pilots laugh and pick it up, and soon it is part of
the daily conversation. It is a welcome relief from the acronyms, bureaucratese, and technological shorthand that is net essary in form but lifeless in style.
For those who have not had the benefit of listening t0 naval aviators’ talk, or who have been away from the frate nity for a long time, here is a list of phrases and definih°n' to help bridge the gap.
of
the performance
arcing around
Vigorous but aimless activity, at high warble
Vocal and upset, usually without reason.
barf, beer, and a cigar or coke, smoke, and a puke
Fighter pilot’s breakfast.
behind the power curve
Not up to speed.
blue sleeping pill
Any aircraft NATOPS (Naval Air Training and Operating Procedures Standardization) manual.
cage your eyeballs Any extreme physical experience, career enhancing billet An assignment guaranteed to be a bad deal, elephants
Big shots, flag-level officers, foo-foo
Something that decorates or adds interest.
frequently outwitted by inanimate objects
Extremely stupid or incompetent.
a gas generator
An unproductive but long winded person, getting lit off Taking a cup of coffee, give it a thumb check
A quick glance at a thick document.
to have a big bow wave To be important, influential.
hit the burner
Draw on inner resources to overcome a crisis.
hit the fast erect switch
Take action to get up to speed.
in constant buffet
Consistently striving to cope with only limited success, involuntary hip movements Evidence that you have struck a responsive chord with a listener.
make a low pass Reconnoiter a situation.
maneuver to his 12 o’clock position
To lose an encounter but convince your opponent that you have won.
my gyros are tumbling
To grow weary or stay too long at happy hour, nose-picking speed Aggravatingly and pointlessly slow, a note from Mother Official, written permission.
on the step .
Reach a position where less effort is required to ma|n momentum.
one of the original twelve
A large or senior elephant, open your kimono Full and frank revelation, practice bleeding
Any night training flight off a carrier, the ram .-ve
The part of an official requirement that describes punl action for noncompliance, rattle somebody’s chain
Stir with probing questions or actions, singing gospels out in front of the big house ^jie
Verbal appeasement of the chain of command, often secretly doing whatever you want. .
a small suppository in anticipation of the broom ha,’^t j,e Tangible evidence of or notification to an adversary has lost the battle, smoking hole Proof of decisive defeat, spring-loaded One’s basic proclivity, sprinkle holy water Give official approval, stem winder Boring speech, up to speed; up to snuff To meet current standards, warp one; speed of heat The opposite of nose-picking speed, water walker
One who has distinguished himself in his duties.
the Whifferdil List and the Tweeter List
Meaningless bureaucratic publications or documcn ■ ■
yes, sir, yes, sir, three bags full
Unquestioning compliance.
108
Proceedings
/ cMober