Air Force life - part 5
Failure to understand the Air Force vernacular is definitely not “tickety-boo” and might be a real case of “no joy”.” If you want to “fill your boots” you’ll have to know “the score”.
Although many military expressions — like boondocks and buckshee — are common across all three services, the Air Force speaks a language of its own. One of the reasons that Navy, Army and Air Force identities have rebounded so vigorously is that the history and traditions of each are just so different. The Air Force has a unique military culture that some might describe as relaxed and egalitarian at times. The Air Force has also developed its own set of expressions that truly reflect its jaunty approach to military life.
| Expression | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Ab initio. | “From the beginning” — the first stage of flight training |
| Air Force gloves | Pockets. A negative and completely unwarranted term! |
| Bags of | Large quantities of |
| Bail out | Jump from an aircraft or fail to show up at a meeting |
| Barn | Hangar |
| Bird | Aircraft |
| Boonies or boondocks | Somewhere isolated and out of the way |
| Bravo Zulu | Well done! Shamelessly stolen from the Navy who use the B and Z flags to signal congratulations |
| Buckshee | Something extra or free (as in “take the afternoon off – it’s buckshee”). From the Hindi baksheesh, which can mean a gift, charity or a bribe |
| Bumf | “Bum fodder” — useless paperwork |
| Clag | Clouds. Said to originate from the RAF’s “Cloud Low, Aircraft Grounded”. It may also refer to something that is useless or in the way |
| Coffin | A case for an aircraft missile |
| Crabfat | A good-natured, derogatory term for airmen, often used by “fishheads” (sailors) |
| Duff gen | Incorrect information |
| Fill your boots | Take your fill or do whatever you want |
| Fixed wing | An aircraft that flies with straight or swept wings projecting from the body |
| Flak | Anti-aircraft fire or hostile criticism. From the German Flugabwehrkanone, an aircraft defence cannon. |
| Flame-out | Engine failure |
| FOD | Foreign object debris or damage |
| Grunts or pongos | Less than kind terms for Army personnel |
| Hangar queen | An aircraft that is frequently under repair |
| Headshed | Headquarters |
| Hero shot | Picture of Air Force member in front of military hardware, usually a pilot posing in front of aircraft |
| Jet jockey/Fighter jock | Fighter pilot |
| Milk run | A routine mission, often with many stops |
| Morning prayers | Morning meeting of senior leaders, often with briefings and updates |
| No duff | Real, not an exercise or practice |
| No joy | No success |
| Paul Bunyan | Large metal crate for cargo |
| Pax | Passenger(s) aboard an aircraft |
| Per ardua asbestos | Fireproof; referring to someone who seems to avoid trouble |
| Pigeon | An Air Force member |
| Prang | Aircraft crash |
| Punch out | Eject from an aircraft |
| Rotary wing | An aircraft that flies with rotors, that is, a helicopter |
| Score | The truth, the real situation |
| Scotch mist | Drizzle |
| Sheriff | The orderly officer |
| Sprog | A student pilot or a novice at anything |
| SWAG | Scientific wild-assed guess — as opposed to a mere WAG |
| Swan | Easy course or duty assignment or a trip to a great location |
| Tickety-boo | Easy course or duty assignment or a trip to a great location |
| WAG | Wild-assed guess/Wireless air gunner |
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