What does feet wet mean in aviation?

“Feet wet”

This phrase alerts air traffic controllers when a military aircraft, (usually a Navy carrier pilot), is flying over water, says Tom Haines, a private pilot and editor-in-chief of AOPA's Pilot magazine.

What does feet wet mean military?

Phrase. feet wet. (military, aviation) Flying over water.

Why do pilots say tree instead of three?

The digit 3 is specified as tree so that it is not pronounced sri; the long pronunciation of 4 (still found in some English dialects) keeps it somewhat distinct from for; 5 is pronounced with a second "f" because the normal pronunciation with a "v" is easily confused with "fire" (a command to shoot); and 9 has an extra ...

What do fighter pilots say before takeoff?

Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta, Echo, Foxtrot, Golf, Hotel, India, Juliet, Kilo, Lima, Mike, November, Oscar, Papa, Quebec, Romeo, Sierra, Tango, Uniform, Victor, Whiskey, X-ray, Yankee, Zulu. Numbers get special treatment too.

Why do fighter pilots say angels?

Angels – Altitude in thousands of feet. "Angels two-five" means 25,000 feet. Angle of attack – The angle at which an aircraft wings meet the air stream. Despite the word “attack,” it is not related to weapons, and applies to all aircraft.

Aviation Terms Every Airline Pilot SHOULD know

What does bra mean in air combat?

Bearing Range Altitude (Aspect). The format of an air intercept communication call when referenced to the fighter position.

Why do pilots say no joy?

1. In military aviation, a term indicating that no visual confirmation of another aircraft (especially an enemy) has yet been made; no information available at this time. Ground control: "Pilot, be aware that you have traffic at 11 o'clock." Pilot: "Copy that, no joy so far."

What is a female pilot called?

Women pilots were also called "aviatrices". Women have been flying powered aircraft since 1908; prior to 1970, however, most were restricted to working privately or in support roles in the aviation industry. Aviation also allowed women to "travel alone on unprecedented journeys".

Why do pilots say Fox 2?

When you fly one of our Air Combat missions, you will hear “FOX 2, Fight's On” to initiate our canned setups. “FOX 2” is a brevity code used by fighter pilots to declare a weapon's release (sorta like “bomb's away” from WWII).

What do pilots say when crashing?

The typical way of saying it is to call it three times in a row — Mayday! Mayday! Mayday!. And as soon as that call is heard over the radio, all radio chatter shuts down immediately so that the person sending out the distress signal can have a clear channel to describe their emergency.

Why do planes say Niner?

Aviators often speak “pilot English” to avoid miscommunications over radio transmission. “Tree” for instance, means three, “fife” is the number five and “niner” means nine, says Tom Zecha, a manager at AOPA. The variations stemmed from a desire to avoid confusion between similar-sounding numbers, he says.

Why do pilots say Roger?

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) officially defines the word "roger" to mean "I have received all of your transmission." For example, a pilot would say "roger" in response to an advisory from Air Traffic Control.

Why do pilots say heavy?

The word "heavy" means a larger aircraft type, with a Maximum Takeoff Weight of 160 tonnes or more. These aircraft create wake turbulence from their wings and require extra separation between following aircraft, and the use of "heavy" reminds other pilots of that fact.

Why do pilots say Tally Ho?

Tally-ho should specifically mean "target in sight." It comes from fox hunting. It's what you yell when you spot the fox to send the dogs after it.

Why do fighter pilots say pickle?

Pickle. Slang reference by pilots to the release of ordnance (bombs and canisters) over a target, one at a time in close sequence, on one pass. Such a release allowed the ordnance to cover a larger linear area.

Why is an enemy aircraft called a bogey?

Bogey, according to Eric Partridge's slang dictionary, is Royal Air Force usage from early in World War II meaning ''an aircraft suspected to be hostile. '' American aviators picked it up from the R.A.F. veterans; in 1945, Newsweek used the term to mean ''in radar code, an unidentified enemy aircraft.

Why do pilots say Guns Guns Guns?

In a practice air-to-air engagement, when one fighter closed on his opponent inside of the missile envelope to put the gun sight piper on the adversary, a call goes out “guns guns guns.” This is a blunt fighter pilot way of saying “your dead!”

What does Rio mean in flying?

His role as radar intercept officer (RIO) – the air flight officer involved in air operations and weapons systems – in the F-14 Tomcat was the same as that of Goose in in the film. In current aircraft, that role is now known as a weapons systems operator (WSO, pronounced wizzo).

Can a pilot fly again after ejecting?

There's no fixed number – each individual is unique, as is the ejection that they endure. After ejection, a pilot will be given a full medical evaluation and it is down to that medical professional to advise whether it is recommended that the pilot continues to fly or not.

What is a pilot's salary?

Salaries for more experienced pilots can range from £36,000 to £48,000 in a first officer role. The starting salary for a captain with a medium-sized airline may range from £54,000 to £75,000. Those employed by major operators can earn £97,000 to more than £140,000.

What is the minimum height required to become a pilot?

As per the Physical and Medical standard set by the Indian Air Force, the minimum height required for the Male candidate is 152 cm. While the minimum height required for the Female candidate is 148 cm.

What is a WASP in the military?

The Women Air Force Service Pilots (WASP) were a brave and dedicated group of aviators who helped the U.S. win the WWII battles in the air. They did not participate in combat directly. But they did take the place of men who could and did fight in the air.

What does mud spike mean?

"Spike Mud": a threat warning of enemy ground radar with "lock-on" splash: air to air kill or weapons impact on ground target.

How do pilots pee?

Pilots put on the cup or pad beneath a special pair of underwear. When it's time to go, the pilot connects the cup or pad with a tube leading to a pump outside the flight suit. The battery-operated pump pulls the urine through the tube to a collection bag, where the pee is stored until the end of the mission.

What does Wilco mean in aviation?

But obviously as far as US aviation goes, both are completely acceptable. And as for the etymology, that's already been covered in another answer: "Wilco" is short for the phrase "will comply," meaning that the speaker will follow the instructions to which they are replying.