Nov 102013
Here’s an interesting look at the different terminology used by American and British airmen. This table was adapted from an appendix to the Pilot’s Manual for Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress. I can imagine the use of the wrong word to the wrong person might result in injuries.
| American Term | British Term |
|---|---|
| Accumulator (hydraulic) | (not a battery) |
| Airfield | Aerodrome |
| Battery (electrical) | Electrical accumulator |
| Bombardier | Bomb aimer |
| Ceiling | Cloud height |
| Check valve (hydraulic) | Non-return valve |
| Copilot | Second pilot |
| Cylinder (hydraulic) | Jack |
| Dump valve | Jettison valve |
| Empennage | Tail Unit |
| Flight indicator | Artificial horizon |
| Gasoline | Petrol |
| Glass, bulletproof | Armour glass |
| Gross weight | Earth |
| Gyro horizon | Artificial horizon |
| Gyro pilot | Automatic pilot |
| to Land | to Alight |
| Lean | Weak |
| Left | Port |
| to Level off | to Flatten out |
| Line, mooring | Mooring guy |
| Manifold pressure | Boost |
| Mast, radio | Rod serial |
| Overload | Non-standard load |
| Panel, outboard | Outer plane |
| Reticle (gun sight) | Graticle |
| Screen | Filter |
| Set, command | Pilot controller set |
| Set, liaison | General purpose set |
| Airplane | Aircraft |
| Speed, indicated air | Air-speed-indicator reading |
| Stabilizer, horizontal | Tail plane |
| Stabilizer, vertical | Fin |
| Stack | Manifold (inlet or exhaust) |
| Tachometer | Engine speed indicator |
| Tube (radio) | Valve |
| Turn indicator | Direction indicator |
| Valve (fuel or oil) | Cock |
| Weight empty | Tare |
| Windshield | Windscreen |
| Wing | Main plane |