At PrivateFly, we help customers from various countries from around the world, speaking multiple languages, book private jet trips. It’s not uncommon to walk through the Flight Department and hear conversations taking place in about four different languages at the same time.

But one unique language we sometimes hear during Flight Team chats is one we aren’t always expecting – pilot jargon. While it’s no secret that our PrivateFly team is full of aviation enthusiasts, what you may not know is that quite a few of them are also pilots. Pilots have to have excellent communication skills, especially when using voice procedures by radio, resulting in some new terms that can sometimes sound like a foreign language to others.

To help translate, here are just a few terms that will have you speaking like a pilot in no time (and help you recognize a fellow pilot or AvGeek next time you’re out!)

AVIATION ALPHABET: also known as the phonetic alphabet, this removes any confusion of letters or words over pilot radios in crowded airspace. For example, Alpha is for A, Bravo is for B, Uniform is for U, and so forth. How many more do you know?

BASE: this is crew-speak for their home airport, where the aircraft starts from and returns to.

BLOCK TIME: this term refers to when an aircraft leaves its blocks (on the ground under its own power) until it is on the blocks again at the arrival airport. This is different to the flight time, which is measured from take-off to landing. You might also hear “push back” which refers to the aircraft moving away from its parking position.

BOX: not just the black box, this is a term for the electronic hardware on board. Pilots may say they need a “box change” and electronic parts in a modern aircraft are contained within a box (like a small draw) that pulls out easily to be swapped for a replacement. The black box is the name given to the box that houses the flight recording data. This is reinforced and contains a beacon to aid location.

CREW DUTY: this is the period of time that a pilot (or other flight crew) is permitted to work in one continuous period without a rest (“crew rest”).

CROSSCHECK: when pilots and crew check on each other’s tasks to verify them.

FBO: literally stands for “Fixed Base Operator”, this terms means the private jet center or terminal at an airport with services for both crew and passengers. (Read more: What is a FBO?)

GO-AROUND: if a pilot isn’t happy to make a landing or if Air Traffic Control (ATC) issues this instruction, they will initiate a circuit before attempting another landing. You might also hear “holding pattern” which is when a pilot is awaiting ATC permission to start the landing approach.

GONE TECH: this means that an aircraft has a technical fault and is not able to fly.

HOW’S THE RIDE?: pilots talking to each other across the radios, checking on turbulence levels. Another word for turbulence sometimes used by pilots is “chop”.

MACH: a measurement of speed relative to the speed of sound in air, with Mach 1 equating to the speed of sound. It is named after Ernst Mach, an Austrian physicist, who first devised the measurement.

MAYDAY: most people would recognize this as the universal emergency distress term, but it’s not always known how it originated. The term comes from the French “m’aidez” (meaning “help me!”).

MET: pilots may talk about “checking the met” or “met conditions” – meaning the weather

REPORT TIME: the time the crew must be at the airport ready to start work, usually 30 to 60 minutes before the passengers arrive. PrivateFly crews are required to report 90 minutes before the passengers to ensure maximum preparation and flexibility.

ROGER: means affirmative, I’ve heard you (alternative av-speak for this is “A-firm”). Roger was previously used for the letter R in the phonetic alphabet during the war, before being replaced by Romeo.

WILCO: means “I will comply”. Sometimes used in combination with “Roger” as the term “Roger Wilco” meaning “I’ve heard you and I will comply”.

 

The PrivateFly team speaks more than 13 languages (including pilot speak!) and are available 24/7. For personalized private jet pricing or advice, contact us or call (866) 726-1222.