Contemporary US Aircraft Carrier Lingo Quiz

Answer: Turkey

The movement of the various control surfaces (especially the large horizontal stabilators*) make the Tomcat look like a turkey trying to fly as they move in seemingly uncoordinated fashion.

*Note: the horizontal "stabs" are as large as the main wing of an A-4 Skyhawk and move in tandem and opposed in response to the pilot's control inputs.

Answer: "Hummer"

The sound of the turboprops make a distinctly loud humming noise, which is quite apparent when below the flightdeck or near the Hawkeye. The nickname of "Hummer" is used within and outside the Hawkeye community with affection.

Answer: Hoover

The large by-pass turbofans installed in the Viking do, indeed, sound like a vacuum cleaner especially when heard from below decks when the throttles are advanced during taxiing. When sitting in a Ready Room directly below the flightdeck, it sounds like a large vacuum cleaner being run over the flightdeck.

Many S-3 aviators wear a Hoover vacuum cleaner patch on their flight jackets in recognition of this affectionate nickname.

Answer: Texaco

Naval aviation place high priority on communications(comm) brevity and utilizes a great number of callsigns to reduce "chatter". Although the term "tanker" is sometimes used as a fighter may make the call "tanker posit", which is a request for a vector to an airborne tanker with available "give" (fuel authorized for transfer), the term "Texaco" is more affectionately used and many aviators sport patches with the actual Texaco gas logo to signify their experience flying airborne tanker missions.

Answer: Boat

Although some feel this is a slight to the long tradition of Naval etiquette, aviators call an aircraft carrier anything but its formal name fully aware that this bothers traditional Surface Line officers who command or serve on "ships". In this context, "Going to the boat" means flying out to the carrier, "hitting the boat" means landing. "Flat top" was popular in the early days of carrier aviation when battleships vied with aircraft carriers to be THE capital ship of choice. "Steel beach" is a more precise term used for the flightdeck when flight operations are secure and the flight deck is used for either recreation or picnic type events. "Bird Farm" is a nickname used by surface sailors who man the escort ships in a Carrier Strike Group (CSG) by not favored by aviators.

Answer: Roof

When aviators don their flightgear, they "walk" to their aircraft on the "roof". Since all Ready Rooms are located on the 0-3 level just below the flightdeck, it is a "roof" over their heads and all noise from flightdeck operations carried through the steel construction (chains being dragged, tractors scurrying to and fro, aircraft taxiing, landing and/or taking off). Daily status of jets may be referred to having 6 on the "roof" and 4 in the "barn" (or hangar bay").

Answer: Trap

A Carrier Arrested landing is referred to as a "trap". Accumulating traps is a fervent competition and aviators sport patches on their flight jackets denoting 100 trap increments. A typical six month deployment may or may not garner 100 traps, although the war on terror has escalated operational tempo so that 100 traps or more per cruise is not uncommon.

The Tailhook Association and National Naval Aviation Museum both recognize and honor those who achieve 1,000 traps in their careers. The all-time leader is actually a Brit who did carrier qualification trials during World War II and amassed over 2,000 traps in a relatively short period (I'll leave his identity for the next quiz).

It is unlikely that any US Naval Aviator will come close.

Answer: Call the ball

Despite the advances in technology, which make landing aboard a carrier safer and safer and can be virtually hands-off, each "pass" (at the deck) is graded and "controlled" by a Landing Signal Officer (LSO) who can "wave-off" the approaching aircraft if any condition aboard the ship precludes (ie landing area not ready) or the aircraft appears to be out of parameters for a safe landing.

At three quarters of a mile, an aircraft "calls the ball" signifying that the pilot can see the light source in the Fresnel landing system.

At that point, the LSO begins grading the pass. If the pass is flown within accepted parameters, the LSO will not say anything. Radio calls from the LSO are directive in nature ("Right for Lineup", "Come left" or "Power" for example) and must garner a response from the pilot in terms of flight control inputs, which the LSO will readily observe (No verbal acknowledgement is required so as to keep the frequency open).

Answer: "Dog"

The soft ice cream machines were instant hits when they were introduced to the carrier wardrooms and the sight of the spiraling ice cream lumping onto a plate or into cone gave rise to the nickname of "dog" (as some thought watching it resembled a dog relieving itself - a somewhat non appetizing thought, but many aviators delight in finding somewhat off-kilter names for almost everything served or present in the wardroom).

The machine itself is typically called the "auto-dog" machine. When the "auto-dog" machine is down for maintenance or cleaning, there are some long faces in the air wing.

Answer: "Slider"

The "slider" is a staple foodstuff for aviators and the term is probably the most universally used along with "dog". The urban legend is that the typical "slider" is so soaked in grease that it simply "slides" down your throat.

Answer: "Tower Flower"

After huffing up nine flights of stairs (or ladders to be correct) to the tower (maybe a salad would have been better as it seems that the slider is reforming in your stomach after too rapid a ascent), you join other "Tower Flowers" from the other squadrons who stay out of the way of the Air Department Personnel overseeing take-off and landings. Your job is to be seen and not heard unless spoken to.

Answer: "Boss"

The embarked admiral is typically below decks in his own Tactical Flag Command Center and the Captain is usually on the bridge driving" the ship, but the "Boss" (or "Air Boss") is in firm control of the flight deck and air above it. The LSOs coordinate with the "Boss", but the "Boss" reigns supreme in his own Flight Tower where he can shut down the catapults with a single motion if an unsafe condition arises or suspend landings.

The "Boss" is so supreme in his authority that he can order an aviator to "eject" and the aviator is duty bound to obey. Typically his relief checks on board to learn the ropes and goes by "Mini" (Boss) until it is time to fleet up to job of "Boss".

Answer: "Paddles"

Urban Legend has it that the first LSO used sailors' hats and waving arms to signal corrections to approaching aircraft. Legend or not, the art of "waving" aircraft resulted in purpose built "paddles" to help pilots see the corrections being signaled by the out-tretched arms of the LSO. With the advent of the mirror landing system, the LSO used the radio for sending corrections, but the name "paddles" has lasted and is the official radio callsign used by the controlling LSO.

The Air Wing LSO who is senior to all the squadron LSOs is called CAG paddles.

Answer: Waveoff Pickle

OK, if you haven't been on a LSO platform or exposed to the world of waving aircraft, this would be a tough one. If not, it is a piece of cake as the LSO holds the Waveoff pickle high initially. Contained in the guarded hand grip is a waveoff button that immediately results in red waveoff lights being flashed near the Fresnal lens to signal the aircraft to apply power and abort the pass. Failure to obey is a major event and "training" waveoffs are used periodically especially in inital Carrier Qualifications to condition aviators to instant response. An LSO directed waveoff can be initiated if the aircraft is deemed to be out of parameters to land or the flight deck is no longer safe for landing for a variety of reasons.

Answer: "Vulture's Row"

"Vulture's Row" dates back to the early days of carrier aviation when crashes were not uncommon, and the spectators could well expect some exciting moments in exchange for making the climb up inside the island structure and out onto the balcony type walkways that are termed "vulture's row" and are perched high above the dangerous environment at flight deck level.

Answer: "Grapes"

Getting fuel into and sometimes out of aircraft is the responsibility of the "Grapes" whose jerseys and fuel lines are all color-coded purple.

Answer: "Yellow-Shirts"

Despite the colorful jargon applied to hamburgers, ice cream, LSOs and aircraft, the "Traffic Cops" of the flight deck are simply "Yellow-Shirts". Another specialized yellow-shirted individual is the "shooter" who is an officer charged with overseeing the catapulting of aircraft and the "Boss" himself.

Answer: pounds

Landing aboard a carrier is like a controlled crash as the aircraft do not flare their approach and slam onto the steel with hook extended in an effort to catch one of the wires stretched across the landing area. The wires are reset for each landing to a setting corresponding to the expected weight of the approaching aircraft thus knowing the landing weight is absolutely critical.

The most typical carrier ops doctine is to use a max trap single weight setting for each type aircraft. Aviators read their fuel quantity in pounds and fuel flow in pounds per hour.

In prebrief planning, aviators calculate how much fuel they expect to have throughout the flight in 15 minute increments called a fuel ladder. They jealously hold on to every drop of fuel until the last moment never knowing if there may be a delay in landing or other emergency.

At the last moment, fuel dumping may have to be used to get the aircraft down to the set max trap setting used by the carrier.

Answer: "Hawk Circle"

The "Hawk Circle" may truly be more like orbiting vultures due to sheer numbers. Not too many hawks orbit in such large numbers, but I didn't pick the term. Each individual or section or division of aircraft returns silently and sets up in the hawk circle watching the deck to see when the launch is nearing completion.

This is called "hawking the deck" like a hawk watching for potential prey. The boss expects aircraft to be approaching to land as last aircraft are catapulted off the waist catapults.

It is better to be waved off for being slightly early than to have an open deck waiting for customers due to desire to launch and recover aircraft in the minimum amount of time. Once the landing cycle begins, each pilot is expceted to have a 45 second interval between the preceding and following aircraft. Part of the Tower Flower's duty is to record the interval for debrief purposes.

Answer: "Foul"

As aircraft filter down out of the Hawk Circle and enter the landing pattern in 45 second intervals, the LSO platform comes alive and "paddles" reports readiness to the tower. At multiple stations across the flightdeck safety observers ensure that the landing area is clear of any impediments to landing.

The deck is considered to be "fouled" or a "Foul Deck" if all is not in readiness. If the tower forsees a delay, the "boss" calls "paddles" and says "no chance". "Paddles" then initiates the waveoff lights to signal the aircraft to go around and reenter the pattern.