Aviation Slang, Jargon, and New Words from Double-Tongued Dictionary

Citations in the Category Aviation

Aeronautics, airplanes, aeroplanes, aircraft, airports, jets, aerodromes, helicopters, landing strips, air terminals, airlines, pilots, flight attendants, airfares, aerospace, etc. You can also see entries assigned to this category.

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vomit comet n. It was the second flight on the aircraft for the athletes. On Tuesday, they were flown while strapped in their seats and blindfolded. During that flight the jet lived up to its nickname—the “vomit comet.” All of the athletes, but Johnson became ill. [English Automobiles & Transportation Aviation Slang] [full cite] (Sep. 29, 2006)

vomit comet n. Officially, NASA’s C-135 was designated the Reduced Gravity Aircraft; unofficially, hapless trainees dubbed it the “vomit comet,” “barf buzzard,” and “weightless wonder.” [English Aviation Slang] [full cite] (Sep. 29, 2006)

warbird n. The Warbirds are definitely showstoppers everywhere they are seen. Warbird is a term used to describe vintage military aircraft. Although the term originally implied piston driven aircraft from the World War II era, it is now often extended to include all military aircraft, including jet-powered aircraft, that are no longer in military service. [English Aviation] [full cite] (Oct. 12, 2007)

washing line n. Washing lines: Vertical work station on which aircraft wing panels are positioned and worked on prior to wing assembly. [English Aviation Slang] [full cite] (Dec. 17, 2007)

whalejet n. As a supreme symbol of Europe’s prowess in aerospace, indeed in modern technology itself, the A 380 superjumbo jet, is melting down. No longer the embodiment of European cooperation and unity, its third announced delivery delay reveals internal chaos, bickering, finger-pointing and recrimination within Airbus and its parent EADS. The whalejet, as it is known to some, has morphed from queen of the air into drama queen of the air. [English Aviation Slang] [full cite] (Oct. 1, 2006)

wheels up adj. But the minute the last leader’s white-topped helicopter took off at the crack of dawn Friday—went “wheels up,” in the parlance of law enforcement officers—coastal Georgians rushed to resume normal summertime activities, such as basking on the beach instead of in the international spotlight. [English United States Aviation Police Jargon] [full cite] (Jun. 14, 2004)

white top n. To get to Bamiyan Province about a hundred miles due west of Kabul, the Afghan capital, Mrs. Bush flew by helicopter. There was none of the airborne luxury of the so-called “white tops”—the Sikorsky Sea Kings that usually serve as Marine One. On this trip, she boarded a U.S. Army CH-47D Chinook—a twin rotor helicopter outfitted for combat. [English Aviation Military Slang] [full cite] (Jun. 10, 2008)

wig-wags n. Part Two of Question: What are the yellow flashing lights that move from side to side on the runway? They put you in the mind of caution lights. If these are caution lights, why would they be on the runway or taxiway? Answer: They’re called “wig-wags” and are used in low visibility to help prevent pilots from inadvertently taxiing onto a runway without a clearance (known as a “runway incursion").…The term “wig-wags” is also used to describe other types of alternating lights, such as the landing lights Southwest uses on their fleet for improved visibility. [English Aviation Jargon] [full cite] (Feb. 28, 2006)

witness mark n. Witness marks on the jack screws that drive the flaps and on other data indicate that Flight 801’s flaps had been placed in the landing setting of 30 deg., according to investigators. [English Aviation Jargon] [full cite] (Aug. 9, 2007)

witness mark n. Development of a material cutting machine employing an ultrasonic cutting blade that is three times faster than earlier methods. The same equipment automatically marks the material with either witness mark lines or part numbers using an ink-jet process. [English Aviation Jargon] [full cite] (Aug. 9, 2007)

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