The Plane Spotters Vocabulary!

As with all groups of like-minded individuals, plane-spotters have evolved their own dictionary of words and phrases which are (almost) unique to their particular pastime.

Having found a recent Air Britain discussion group exchange on the subject, which I found to be both mildly amusing and  mildly informative in equal measure, I have brought together the best bits for the fellow enthusiasts entertainment and education!

I gratefully acknowledge all those contributors to the original Air Britain debate for their recollections and innovations.

Anyone with any additions is welcome to e-mail me with their contributions for inclusion.

Words and Definitions:

Anorak – a derogatory name for a plane spotter (also used for other “eccentric” hobbies, including train spotting). Some debate about the origin of the term which appears to be more involved than simply a reference to the outer garment of choice of the enthusiast!

Bins – noun for binoculars.

Bagged - to see an aircraft or an airframe for the first time (Also see “cop”, “made”, “pot”, & “slam” below).

Blue Peter – registration seen for the second time in a day (as in “here’s one I made earlier”).

Cop - to see an aircraft or an airframe for the first time.

Cribber – a spotter who falsely claims to have seen an aircraft (see also “fudger” below)

Drop - seen it before! (See also “dropped”, & “fumble” below).

Dropped – seen it before!

Frame – describes seeing an aircraft (airframe) for the first time ever (contrast with “scrape” below).

Fudge – to assume a registration without seeing it.

Fudger – has the same meaning as “cribber” above.

Fumble - seen it before!

Gen – a spotter who requires a lot of common numbers. (See also “slack gen” below”).

Made - to see an aircraft or an airframe for the first time.

Mis-Pole – to read-off a registration incorrectly (see “pole” below).

Pole – noun for telescope.

Pot – to see an aircraft or an airframe for the first time.

Scrape – to see an aircraft that has already been seen as a frame, but with a new registration (from paint-scrape, indicating that all that has been seen is some new paint).

Slack gen - a spotter who requires a lot of common numbers.

Slam - to see an aircraft or an airframe for the first time.

To Pole – i.e. to read-off registrations with a pole.

Descriptive Words and Phrases:

Albert – C130 (See also “Fat Albert” below).

Baby bus – Airbus A318/A319.

Biffo – Bristol Freighter.

Bin bag – a hot-air balloon.

Bomb - Boeing 707.

Budgie – HS748.

BUFF - Big Ugly Fat something-or-other.

Can – Light aircraft.

Carat – Caravelle.

Cave monster – Tupolev Tu-154.

Chopper – Helicopter.

Crudge – Canadair Regional Jet.

Crunchy - Piper PA24 Comanche.

DEAP – Nimrod AEW (Double Ended Airborne P***K).

Double Headed Dumper Truck – Chinook.

Dragmaster - ATP.

Duck - Vickers VC10.

Egg whisk – Helicopter.

Eric – Bristow S61.

Fat Albert – C130.

Five and a quarter – CitationJet (Cessna 525).

Flat Iron – Javelin.

FLUB (Fat, Little, Ugly, B_____r) - Boeing 737, especially earlier versions.

Grey whale – Sea King (RN or RAF grey).

Harley – Boeing 727.

Jumbo – Boeing 747.

Lap Dancer - Cessna 750 Citation X.

Lump - Boeing 747.

Meatbox – Meteor.

Microbus - A318.

Mighty Eater – Nimrod MR (re. the amount of food carried on board).

Pamela – MD-90. (After the size of the engines).

Pig jet – Boeing 737.

Plastic Pig - Hawker Beechcraft 390.

Pocket rocket – BAC 1-11.

Rhino - McAir F4 Phantom.

Rodent - DH121 Trident.

Shed – Shorts 360.

Skid-buggy - MD-80.

Sled – SR-71.

Slicer - Cessna 750 Citation X.

SLUF - A7 Corsair Short little Ugly something-or-other.

Slug - Boeing 767.

Smoke Jet - Boeing 727 (Especially on take-off or approach!).

SnoopDroot - Concorde.

Spam Can – Light Aircraft.

Spider - Tu134.

Spindle – Single-engined light aircraft.

Stick – Boeing 757.

Super Slug - Boeing 767/4.

Tardis - Any Shorts Skyvan, SD330 or SD360.

Ted - A321 (As in Ted Rogers of the [in]famous "321" dusty bin show)

Tin - Light Aircraft.

Tin Triangle – Vulcan.

Tomb – F-4 Phantom.

Triangle – Flex-wing microlight.

Tube – MD-80.

Tube - DC8-60, especially the 63.

Twin-Crunchy Piper PA30/39 Twin Comanche.

Twindle – Twin-engined light aircraft.

Warthog – A10 Thunderbolt.

Whispering giant – Bristol Britannia.

Wokka – Chinook.

Womble – Embraer  170/175. (After the shape of the nose).

8000 rivets in close formation – Shackleton.