Pilot Slang





Female Abroad



Ever been on a flight and heard something you wanted to know the meaning to? Well look no further! After speaking with a few contacts in the aviation industry I've put together a handy cheat sheet so you can look behind the curtain.


Air Pocket: Quick jolt of turbulence

All-Call: Each flight attendant report via intercom from their station

Alley: taxiway between a terminal and ramp

Apron: any expanse of tarmac that isn't the runway / taxiway

Area of weather: thunderstorm or heavy precipitation


Deadhead: repositioning a staff member as part of an on-duty assignment

Deplane: leaving the plane

Direct Flight: flight travels from point A to point B with a chance of stopping for fuel or it could be a flight who starts / carries on after you plane / deplane the equipment but the flight number remains the same (ex. flight CX 458 starting in Hong Kong, stops in Vancouver, and then continues onto its final location JFK New York. Vancouver to JFK might be direct for you but its not a direct flight as the plane started in Hong Kong)

Doors to arrival & crosscheck / disarm your doors & crosscheck: confirm that emergency escape slides attached to the doors have been disarmed. Crosscheck is meaning its been verified by another person


EFC Time: the time that the pilot expects the Holding Patter / Ground Stop to be completed

Equipment: airplane


Final approach: a straight segment of landing pattern

First Officer / Copilot: second in command of the flight deck

Flight deck: cockpit

Flight level XXXXX / AGL (Above Ground Level): the number of feet above sea level


Gatehouse: lounge or gate area

Ground stock: traffic backlog causing suspended flights to a destination


Holding pattern: racetrack shaped path flown while a plane waits to land


In-range: when Pre-board is expected to start at the gatehouse


Last-minute paperwork: everything is ready to go but he is adjusting the weight-and-balance record or the flight plan


Non-Stop Flight: flight travels from point A to point B without stopping for fuel


Pre-board: priority boarding


Ramp: the ground vehicle movement area closest to the terminal


Tarmac: "Tar-penetration Macadam" any asphalt or blacktop


Wheels-up Time: when a plane is expected to be fully airborne


And of course there is also the phonetic alphabet that is the same no matter what country you go to. This is the Canadian version but the American version use a couple different words (and Disney uses their own with Disney characters).


A = Alpha

B = Bravo

C = Charlie

D = Delta

E = Echo

F = Foxtrot

G = Golf

H = Hotel

I = India

J = Juliet

K = Kilo

L = Lima

M = Mike

N = November

O = Oscar

P = Papa

Q = Quebec

R = Romeo

S = Sierra

T = Tango

U = Uniform

V = Victor / Victory

W = Whiskey

X = X-ray

Y = Yankee

Z = Zulu