AIRCRAFT OTHER
ADJECTIVES
1896 — AERODROMIC pert. to flying-machines
1930 — WRITTEN OFF of aircraft: damaged, esp. crashed, beyond repair; of a person: killed, esp. through carelessness → Royal Air Force usage
1944 — HOT of an airplane: designed so as to land at high speed → Amer. sl.
1955 — COCKED of a combat aircraft: ready for takeoff; on fifteen-minute alert → US Air Force usage
1999 — DEAD-STICK of landing an aircraft: without engine function → US sl.
ADVERBS
1999 — DEADHEAD of a cab, aeroplane, etc.: being driven without its usual load or passengers → US sl.
NOUNS
1891 — AERODROMICS the art of constructing and using flying-machines
..20C — CHINESE LANDING a plane landing with one wing low → US sl.
..20C — CHINESE THREE-POINT LANDING an airplane crash, esp. an airplane crash caused by a pilot’s error while attempting a landing → US World War II Air Force usage
1907 — AIR CIRCUS a squadron of aeroplanes; an aerial display
1917 — AEROBATICS revolutions performed with an aeroplane, esp. for display
1940 — CAB-RANK TECHNIQUE a number of aircraft raiding in line, one after the other → Royal Air Force usage
1940 — CLOUD KISSING touching the clouds in an airplane → World War II Amer. sl.
1942 — GAGGLE a formation of several military aircraft flying in the same mission → US sl.
1950 — HOME PLATE the landing field, aircraft carrier, etc. where an aircraft is based → US Air Force sl.
1956 — SQUAWK an identification signal, enabling an aircraft’s position to be located by radar → sl., orig. US
1990 — DEATH SPIRAL a downward spiral of an aeroplane from which recovery is nearly impossible and as a result of which impact with the ground is inevitable → US sl.
1990 — GOOD CHUTE a successful ejection of pilot and crew from a downed US aircraft → US sl.
1991 — QUICK-TURN BURN the refuelling and reloading of an F-18 fighter jet in less than five minutes → US sl.
1996 — AIR RAGE aggressive or violent behaviour by a passenger on board on aircraft
2002 — DEBRIEFING an after-flight hotel party attended by a flight crew and flight attendants → US sl.
2008 — AERONAUSIPHOBIA fear of airplanes → (Bk.)
NOUNS, PERSON (also see PILOT)
..20C — DEADHEAD a pilot, flight attendant, etc., travelling on a plane as a passenger → Aust. sl.
1907 — AIR HOG a person who flies an aircraft without consideration for others’ convenience
1910 — AIRWOMAN a woman who is engaged in the flying or operation of aircraft, esp. as a pilot or member of air crew; also, a female member of the Royal Air Force below NCO rank
1941 — HANGAR PILOT a nonaviator or a poor aviator who talks knowingly about flying → US sl.
1942 — COW PILOT a stewardess, a flight attendant → Amer. sl. (Bk.)
1943 — BATSMAN a man who signals an aircraft with a pair of bats
1945 — BAGGAGE-SMASHER a flight clerk → Amer. sl.
1954 — HANGAR RAT an airplane mechanic or other person who frequents an airplane hangar → US sl.
1960 — HOSTIE an air hostess → Aust. sl.
1962 — BATS a deck-landing officer on an aircraft carrier → UK sl.
1970 — STEW a female flight attendant → US sl.
1983 — BIRD-WATCHER an airplane enthusiast → US sl.
1983 — HAVANA RIDER a passenger who seeks to take control of an airliner in flight → Amer. airline usage
1997 — GALLEY QUEEN a flight attendant who shirks her duties by staying in the galley out of sight → airline usage (Bk.)
2006 — GEESE passengers → Amer. commercial airline usage (Bk.)
2006 — HAWK a passenger who causes trouble → Amer. commercial airline usage (Bk.)
PHRASES
1915 — KISSING THE EARTH said of an airplane standing on its nose after a crash → World War I usage
VERBS
1920 — DEADHEAD to drive a cab, aeroplane, etc. without its usual load or passengers → sl.
1930 — PULL A PINT to operate the controls of an aircraft; to do a pilot’s work → Royal Air Force usage
1935 — MUSH to run out of airspeed; said of an airplane → US sl.
1937 — PACK UP to cease to function; said of an aircraft → Royal Air Force usage
1938 — WRAP UP to crash-land an aircraft → Royal Air Force usage
1940 — CONK OUT to stop working suddenly; said of an aircraft engine during flight → World War II Amer. sl.
1940 — CRACK to wreck an airplane → World War II Amer. sl.
1940 — CUT THE GUN to turn off the motor of an aircraft → World War II Amer. sl.
1940 — DITCH to land one’s aircraft in the sea → sl., orig. Royal Air Force usage
1941 — MUSH to lose airspeed or altitude, esp. with the engine stalling repeatedly → sl., orig. US
1943 — CRAB to fly close to the ground or water; to drift or manoeuvre sideways; said of an aircraft → UK sl.
1944 — AUGER IN to dive and crash in a tailspin; to crash-land; said of an aircraft → US military usage
1944 — BUZZ to fly a plane very low over a building, field, etc. → Amer. sl.
1945 — BUST ONE’S ASS to be killed in an airplane crash → Amer. sl.
1950 — FLY LIKE A BRICK-BUILT SHITHOUSE to fly awkwardly; to be difficult to pilot; said of an aircraft → airmen’s usage
1950 — NEEDLE to apply maximum power or acceleration to a vehicle or plane → US sl.
1954 — BUY A PLOT to crash; said of a pilot or airplane → Amer. sl., esp. US Air Force usage
1954 — BUY THE SHOP to crash; said of a pilot or airplane → Amer. sl., esp. US Air Force usage
1955 — BUY THE FARM to crash; said of a pilot or airplane → Amer. sl., esp. US Air Force usage
1956 — BUY A FARM to crash; said of a pilot or airplane → Amer. sl., esp. US Air Force usage
1962 — DEAD-STICK to land an aircraft without engine function → US sl.
1964 — PUNCH OUT to bail out, to eject from an aircraft → aeronautics sl.
1970 — AUGER to crash; said of combat aircraft → US Air Force sl. (Bk.)
1970 — PUNCH OUT to eject from an aircraft → US Air Force sl. (Bk.)
1986 — PUKE to separate from formation while under attack, while on a combat air mission → US sl.
1986 — YANK AND BANK to execute a turn in a fighter plane → US sl.
1991 — TRAP to land safely and accurately on an aircraft carrier → US sl.
Lexicophilia 