GCA — Ground-controlled approach. Radar guidance provided to a pilot in the process of landing his aircraft.
g Force — Force pressed on a body by changes in velocity, measured in increments of earth gravity.
g-LOC — g-Induced loss of consciousness.
Gomers — Combat adversaries.
High Yo-Yo — Air combat maneuver.
Hot Pump — Refueling an aircraft while the engine is running.
ICS — Intercom system in cockpits of multiseat aircraft.
Idle and Boards — Throttles to idle and speed brakes extended.
IFF — Identification or Identification Friend or Foe. Military transponder used to identify aircraft. The transponder sends a coded signal to the radar installation.
IFR — Instrument flight rules.
JBD — Jet blast deflector.
Jink — Abrupt and irregular flight path designed to make it difficult for gunners to track the aircraft.
Knot — One nautical mile per hour. A nautical mile equals approximately 1.15 statute miles.
Loose Deuce — Navy and marine tactical fighter formation. Loud Handle Slang for the ejection-seat handle.
LSO — Landing-signal officer. Squadron pilot responsible for assisting other aviators onto the flight deck of an aircraft carrier; also called Paddles.
Mach — Named for physicist Ernst Mach; term used to describe speed of an object in relation to the speed of sound.
Main mount — Aircraft main landing gear.
Marshal — Aircraft holding pattern behind the carrier.
NATOPS — Naval aviation training-and-operations procedures. Provides rules and regulations for safe and proper operation of all navy and Marine Corps aircraft and helicopters.
Nugget — Rookie naval aviator.
Overrotate — Pull back too aggressively on the aircraft's control stick.
Plane Guard — Helicopter assigned to search and rescue during carrier flight operations.
PLAT — Pilot's landing-aid television. Closed-circuit television that monitors the flight deck.
Port — Naval terminology for the left side.
Posit — Position.
Pri-Fly — Primary Fly. Control tower on aircraft carrier.
Push Time — Designated time for a pilot to commence an approach to the carrier.
Radar Vector — Heading given to pilot by radar operator.
Ramp — Aft end of the flight deck; round-down.
Ready Room — Squadron headquarters on board an aircraft carrier.
RESCAP — Rescue combat air patrol.
RIO — Radar-intercept officer. Naval flight officer in the backseat of F-14 Tomcat or F-4 Phantom aircraft.
ROE — Rules of engagement.
SA-2 — Guided Missile (SAM) Soviet-manufactured surface-to-air missile.
SAR — Search and rescue.
Section Takeoff — Two aircraft taking off in formation.
Sidewinder — AIM-9 heat-seeking air-to-air missile.
Sparrow — AIM-7 radar-guided air-to-air missile.
Split-S — Aircraft is rolled inverted, then the nose is pulled toward the ground to rapidly reduce altitude.
Squawk — Transponder code to ground-or air-based radar installations.
Starboard — Naval terminology for right side.
Stern — Naval terminology for the back (aft) end of ship.
TACAN — Navigation aid that provides the pilot with bearing and distance to an aircraft carrier or air base.
Tally — Derivative of tallyho; target in sight.
TARCAP — Target combat air patrol.
Tone — Sound that indicates a pilot's air-to-air missile has locked onto his adversary.
Torso — Harness Snug-fitting flight clothing that attaches to the ejection seat.
Trap — Arrested landing on an aircraft carrier.
Unload — Release pressure on aircraft control stick to ease g load.
Vertical Reverse — Air combat tactic.
VFR — Visual flight rules.
Vulture's Row — Observation deck on the superstructure (island) of an aircraft carrier.
Wardroom — Officers' dining room.
Wave Off — Landing-signal officer's order to abort the approach and go around for another try.
Winchester — Out of ammunition and ordnance.
XO — Executive officer.
Yankee Station — Position in the Gulf of Tonkin south of Hainan Island. The point for carrier-launched strikes into North Vietnam.
Zuni — Air-to-ground rocket.