Like all specialized groups, the Aerospace and Defense industry has its own specialized language. AeroSlang an attempt to document the language of this endangered group.
The goal of AeroSlang is to record the colorful terms and phrases used throughout theindustry. It is NOT particularily a list of acronyms, although a few have been included to help explain other terms, or because their use is so pervasive they havetaken on a life of thier own. It is not intended to be a 'wacky definitions' collection, although some definitions are pretty cynical.
I wish to avoid company specific terms. For instance, where I work the annual reviews is known as a PAR (Performance Annual Review). Other places use other terms for the annual review, but these are not of particular interst.
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An assignment, normally unpleasant, passed to a subordinate, that must be completed by a specific time. Action items are often passed out and tracked at Page & Line meetings or Design Reviews.
Unlikely. We need a very aggressive schedule in order to ship by the 16th.
A person who checks time cards or their equivalent to verify correct charging. Auditors normally can only catch one person per area because word spreads fast.
A plot of equipment or part failure vs time. There are a large number of failures at the beginning of service, followed by few failures during normal life expectancy, followed by increasing failure rate as things wear out.
An attempt to quantify the exact amount of work every single item on a project will require. Basically, a SWAG on a form.
Derisive term for accountants, administrators, and finance people.
An unimportant event or problem.
Consultants based in Washington DC. So named because they often have offices near the DC Beltway.
You and or your problem are to unimportant for me to consider now.
Classified area or program.
A useless trip, usually to an exotic location, such as Paris or San Francisco.
Standard verbiage in a contract. Difficult to read, but full of traps for those who do not perform their contracted work correctly and on time.
A bogus number given to the question "What's the charge number for this job?" This is the phone number given for Samples Motors on the show Hee Haw.
A Vu graph consisting of interlinked circles indicating the flow of ideas or programs. Contains little information, normally used to show how something you are working on is critical to something more important.
The reduction of complex ideas or issues to a single line for Vu-graph presentation. Example - The entire space program would be summed up as * Man on Moon
To accept something presented by another, particularily if it is not in your best interest. We have to get the union to Buy In to the new overtime policy.
To accept a product, usually after some sort of test or demonstration. Usually good new for all parties.
Buzz words - This years trendy, meaningless phrase. Examples : Paradigm shift, Empowerment, Total Quality Managment, ISO 9000, Teaming.
A Micrometer.
A Venier Caliper.
A position with at least a theretical opportunity for advancement.
A person who may say anything at anytime, usually the most in a appropriate thing at the most inappropriate time.
To allow someone or some organization onto a program who will eventually dominate it and possible push you out. British equivalent - "The thin end of the Wedge"
A formal presentation to the custom wherein all design details are complete. Passing this review normally indicates the customer accepts the design, and understands the risks.
Unlikely to suceed. "We have a challenging project for you." Run away.
A formal group that reviews and approves Engineering Change Requests and other system changes.
1. To complete a simple, required task, such as sending a monthly progress report.
2. An easily met milestone.
People who verify that drawings are correct, especially with respect to MIL standards. Always very detail oriented. Checkers worry about the amount of blank space between drawing and the edge of the paper. If the spacing is incorrect, they will make you change it.
An exact replica of an existing system with no new engineering.
Westinghouse. So named because of thier logo.
Integrated circuits.
Due to the Byzantine accounting methods of most defense projects, money comes in different 'colors'. Money of a particular color can only be used for that function, and none other. Typical colors are - contract, software, maintenance, overhead, bid, etc.
To accept the contractor's working drawings and documentation, as opposed to requiring MIL SPEC drawings.
An antifreeze like substance used to cool electronic circuits. Very messy to handle.
A type of contract, actually 'cost plus fixed fee'. The customer agrees to pay all your costs, plus a guaranteed profit. This sort of contract is rare today, because of the obvious potential for massive overruns. It is favored when the custom needs some advanced system, and will pay anything to get it. All risk is assumed by the customer.
A job that does not require to much work. Hughes Electronics prior to the GM merger was a Country Club.
Guidance and control, or its designers.
Memory lapses, often claimed by older, long time employees. Sorry about missing the staff meeting. I got CRS today.
1.Period immediate prior to delivery.
2. A point when design flaws become glaringly obvious and must be fixed NOW.
Upside down. From the practice of mounting IC upside down with epoxy and white wiring to them to modify circuit cards. Does not necessarily imply something doesn't work, but rather that it was modified haphazardly.
Where LRU's go to be fixed. Depot technician are more highly trained than 'guys in green', and are often civilians.
Dog and Pony Show - Any Formal presentation.
Device under test.
An extremely remote location, usually for field test. Yuma, AZ is East Armpit. So is China Lake.
EBF / East Armpit - East Bumfuck - An extremely remote location, usually for field test. Yuma, Az is EBF. So is China Lake.
Engineering Change Notice. A formal request to change something in the system, usually a part or assembly procedure. By doing this in a formal manner, there is a slight chance the drawings will match the device built, and it may be possible to build a second unit
To work on a hard problem by breaking it into small pieces. "How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time"
A process that starts slowly, but soon becomes unstoppable. 'Help' is a good example.
Any large, ponderous event involving high level managers, such as a high level review.
Estimate to complete. Normally prepared late in a program when costs are overrunning and it is clear technical goals will not be met. An attempt is made to fit the most important work to the remaining funds, or to beg for more money.
This years buzz word. Ethics is doing what is right, beyond what is legally correct. Ethics programs are manditor for all employees after the president gets caught doing a no-no.
A high level review of the status and design of a system. Normally written at a 6th grade level.
Sometimes known as salaried. Exempt people are exempt from receiving overtime pay, except under unusual circumstances.
I am actively soliciting terms, phrases, and definitions.
If you have any, please email it to me at
arfnotz@geocities.com
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