AVIATOR SLANG
Angels - Altitude, measured in thousands of feet (-angels fifteen means 15,000 feet above sea level). Also a term ascribed to the rescue helicopter by any aviator who has experienced an ejection and subsequent helicopter rescue.
Bagger - An aviator who manages to obtain more traps or flight time than his squadron mates, usually through dubious means.
Cherubs - Altitude under 1,000 feet, measured in hundreds of feet (-cherubs two- means 200 feet).
Double Ugly - Nickname for the enormously capable, but less than beautiful, F-4 Phantom.
ECM - Electronic Countermeasures; systems for jamming or misleading enemy weapons.
Flathatting - Unauthorized low- level flying and stunting - thrilling, sometimes fatal, usually career ending if caught.
Go Juice - jet fuel or coffee.
Helo - Universal Navy/Marine term for helicopter. Don+t say -chopper- unless you+re hanging out with the Army.
INS - Intertial Navigation System; a device that permits the pilot to determine his location anywhere on earth within a few hundred feet.
JO - Junior Officer, usually with all of the answers.
Knife Fight in a Phone Booth - close-in, slow-speed aerial dogfight with a nimble adversary. Often just called a -knife fight.-
Lost the Bubble - Got confused or forgot what was happening.
Mother - the boat on which you are deployed, and where you launch from.
Nugget - a first-tour aviator.
On the Mouse - talking on the flight-deck radio circuit that uses a headset resembling Mickey Mouse ears.
Prang - to bump, crunch, or break and aircraft.
Quick Fix - stop-gap measure or computer box change to repair an aircraft quickly.
Red Flag - a large, mock air war, held quarterly by the Air Force at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada. Many non-Air Force assets - Navy, Marines, Army, and foreign - are invited to participate.
Spooled Up - excited.
Throttle Back - to slow down, take it easy.
Up to Snuff - to understand or to know what+s going on.
Vulture's Row - a viewing gallery on an aircraft carrier+s island where you can watch flight operations.
Wash Out - to not make the grade at flight school.
Zoombag - flight suit.
