Steve's Airshow Worl - Terms Frequently Used on Steve's Airshow World

ACAP	Short for Association of Competition Airshow Pilots. This is a new program starting in 2006 that pits eight of the best aerobatic pilots at twelve different airshows to see who will get the prize for best aerobatic performance, as judged by a panel of aviation experts.
ACE	Short for Aerobatic Competency Evaluator. This is the person (usually another aerobatic pilot) who is qualified to give an aerobatic pilot his "wings" to fly his routine at an airshow.
Active Runway	Runway(s) at an airport or air base that is currently in use for takeoffs and landings. At a major airport (layout of the airport permitting), usually one runway is assigned for takeoffs and another is assigned for landings.
Aerobatics	Coordinated maneuvers flown in an airplane, glider, or helicopter that deviate from normal flight characteristics.
Aerobatic Box	Invisible column of air (usually a giant imaginary cube) set aside for aerobatic performances.
Aileron Roll	Aerobatic maneuver starting out in straight and level flight and dipping the left (or right) wing of the plane 360º left or right and returning to level flight.
Airboss	Person who is in control of the aerial activities at an airshow. The airboss instructs pilots when they are cleared to take off, land, begin their performance, and when to enter the airshow's airspace. The airboss also gives the morning's pilot briefing before the airshow begins.
Airshow	Events that showcases aviation, flying, and the men and women that fly the aircraft.
ATIS	Automated recording (over a certain frequency or if available at some airports, can be accessed by calling a telephone number) that gives the current weather conditions (temperature, dew point, Barometric reading, winds, cloud levels), active runways, and notices to airmen at a specific airport. Usually updated every hour. Stands for Automated Traffic Information System.
Banana Pass	Flyby where the aircraft flies a trajectory where, if viewed from above, traces a flight path that resembles a banana.
Barrel Roll	Aerobatic maneuver that is similar to an aileron roll, but having the airplane turning slightly left or right and adding a roll in that direction. An easier way to demonstrate is to take a cylinder and take a small ball bearing and try to get it to go in one direction (inside the cylinder!) and follow the circumference of the cylinder.
Base Leg	Position of an airplane that is perpendicular to the runway it will land on.
Bomb Burst	Formation of at least three airplanes pulling into the vertical and breaking formation in separate directions.
Callsign	Name given to a specific civillian or military airplane to identify it from the other aircraft. Airlines usually go by the airline name while military squadrons have their own assigned names. Also given to pilots in the military by others and usually is a play on words or actions. In the case of pilots, the pilot cannot give himself or herself their own callsign.
CAVU	Short for Clear Air, Visibility Unlimited.
Clean Pass	Non-aerobatic maneuver where an airplane makes a flyby with landing gear, flaps (and tail hook) stowed away.
Conic Vapor	Water vapor forming around the rear of the fuselage of an airplane because of a combination of high speed and high humidity.
Crowd Line	Physical barrier at an airshow (usually a snow fence) that prevents spectators from wandering into a dangerous area.
Cuban Eight	Aerobatic maneuver consisting of a loop flown 5/8 of the way, leveling out the aircraft, and repeating the same thing on the other side, tracing an 8 lying on its side in the sky.
Dedication Pass	United States Air Force's fancy name for a banana pass used during the A-10, F-15, and F-16 demonstrations.
Dirty Pass	Non-aerobatic maneuver (usually) where an airplane makes a flyby in the landing configuration (as you would see the airplane if it was on its final approach).
Downwind Leg	Position of an airplane that is parallel to the runway but against the direction of landing.
Echelon	Formation with the lead airplane and the second, third, fourth aircraft (and so on) just behind and to the left or right of the lead airplane.
Final Approach	Position of an airplane after turning 90º from the base leg to line up with the runway before landing.
Flat Pass	Non-aerobatic maneuver where an airplane makes a flyby that is straight and level.
Flat Show	Type of airshow performed when the ceiling is below 3,000 feet but above 1,500 feet. Only rolling maneuvers can be emphasized.
Flat Spin	Very dangerous maneuver that ends up with the airplane level as in sitting on the ground, but spinning like a record on a record player.
G-Forces	Referred to as "Gs." Forces exerted on a human during any activity. Positive Gs try to push you closer to the earth (or in an airplane, into the seat) while negative Gs will try and pull you off the earth (or out of the seat of the airplane). Humans standing on the earth experience one positive G. If you are exerting a force of six positive Gs and you weigh 200 pounds, you have the force of 1,200 pounds pushing you to the earth. In flight, G forces can be painful to anyone who has never experienced them or does not have a tolerance for them.
Half Cuban Eight	Aerobatic maneuver consisting of a Cuban Eight being flown halfway. Essentially a loop flown 5/8 of the way, returning the plane from inverted to level flight profile and leveling out.
Hammerhead	Aerobatic maneuver consisting of pulling back and flying the airplane vertical until airspeed runs out, and hitting either the left or right rudder, causing the airplane's nose to fall exactly 180º from previous location.
Heritage Flight	Formation of two to four aircraft featuring at least one modern day USAF fighter (A-10, F-15, F-16, F-22) with at least one warbird (F-4, F-86, P-38, P-40, or P-51) highlighting the history of the USAF.
High Alpha	Flight profile that emphasizes slow speed flight handling with the nose of the airplane at a high angle of attack (in relation to the horizon) but not climbing. Seen in the flight profiles of the F-16 Fighting Falcon and the F/A-18 Hornet variants.
High Show	Type of airshow performed when the ceiling is 8,000 feet or higher. All maneuvers flown by aircraft can be performed, with emphasis on vertical maneuvers. High shows represent the best weather conditions.
Hold Short	Term when an airplane is told to stay on the taxiway before taking to the runway because of either incoming arrivals or another airplane is on the runway and about to take off.
Hot Ramp	Place where all of the performing aircraft are parked. This area is not accessible to the general public but (depending on the show site) can be viewed from a distance.
Hot Target	Indication that the parachutists on board their jump plane are ready to jump on the specific pass.
Immelman	Aerobatic maneuver flown like a loop, but on the top of the loop, the airplane levels out, flying 180º of the direction it started the loop. A Double Immelman is one Immelman on top of the other, usually taking the airplane in the same direction when it started the first Immelman.
Inside Loop	Aerobatic maneuver consisting of pulling all the way back and continuing to pull back all the way through the entire maneuver, finishing in level flight and tracing a circle in the sky.
Knife Edge Pass	Flyby where the aircraft flies parallel to the crowd line at a 90º angle of bank - not turning, but showing either the topside or bottom side.
Legacy Flight	Formation of two or three aircraft featuring at least one modern day US Navy fighter (F/A-18C or F/A-18F) with at least one warbird (F4U, F6F, F8F, FJ-2) highlighting the history of Naval aviation.
Lomcevak	Aerobatic maneuver where the airplane is tumbled end over end. Follow the maneuver by watching the direction of the nose of the airplane.
Low Show	Type of airshow performed when the ceiling is 3,000 feet to about 8,000 feet. All maneuvers flown will emphasize rolling capabilities with some vertical maneuvers thrown into the mix, as long as the airplane stays below the cloud deck.
Low Transition	Takeoff consisting of retracting the landing gear and staying low to the ground before pulling up.
Minimum Radius Turn	Non-aerobatic maneuver used to demonstrate how small of a turn an airplane can make.
Missed Approach	Essentially a practice landing where the airplane approaches the runway as if it was going to land, but at a predetermined altitude, the power comes up and the landing gear is raised. Also called a low approach.
Opposing Maneuvers	Two aircraft coming from opposite ends of the airshow box (usually show left and show right) and converging at show center, giving the appearance the aircraft are passing within feet of each other.
Outside Loop	Aerobatic maneuver consisting of pushing forward, making the airplane lose altitude, getting inverted at the bottom, and still pushing forward to finish the second half, tracing a circle in the sky. Can also be an inside loop flown inverted and finishing in inverted flight. Both maneuvers are very dangerous.
Over the Numbers	Phrase used to describe the exact position of an airplane on its final approach and landing. For example, if an airplane is cleared to land on runway 13, his exact position as being "over the numbers" is described as being right over the number 13 painted on the runway.
Parallel	In aviation terminology, it refers to either a taxiway or another runway parallel to a runway. If the runways are parallel, they will be marked with the same numbers but with Left and Right (or in some cases, Left, Center, and Right). For example, John F. Kennedy International Airport uses runways 4L/22R, 4R/22L, 13L/31R and 13R/31L.
PIREP	Short for Pilot Report. It is essentially an immediate report of the conditions (ceiling, visibility, precipitation) given by a pilot flying at the exact moment the report is given.
Point Roll	Aerobatic maneuver consisting of a roll, but stopping at equidistant points along the roll. Common point rolls include 4-Point (stopping every 90º) and 8-Point (stopping every 45º).
Pyro	Short for pyrotechnics. Usually describes coordinated explosions on the ground by an expert pyrotechnics crew.
Show Center	Fixed point in front of the crowd where all aerobatic maneuvers are centered for maximum viewing and safety. Usually marked with a trailer, school bus, or something large whose solid color can be picked up from up to five miles away.
Show Line	Visible lines drawn 500 feet and 1,500 feet away and parallel to the crowd line for pilots to line their maneuvers along. Flat and dirty passes can be flown along the 500 foot line while aerobatic maneuvers are restricted to the 1,500 foot line.
Showline Spread	Usually performed by parachutists and indicates jumpers landing in front of the crowd, but at different points along the crowd line.
Snaps	Small pictures, usually 320x240 pixels across, taken from my video camera. They do not show as much detail as traditional pictures.
Snap Roll	Aerobatic maneuver where an aircraft is rolled 360º around its longitudinal axis. Usually performed in vertical or downward flight.
Split-S	Aerobatic maneuver that consists of climbing at a 45º angle, rotating the nose 180º to the inverted, and following the back side of a loop. Essentially the opposite of a Half Cuban Eight.
Spotting	Activity that includes watching airplanes take off and land at an airport, writing down registrations of said aircraft, listening to a scanner, taking pictures of the aircraft, or any combination of the above. It is a very common and misunderstood hobby of aviation enthusiasts.
Square Loop	Similar to a loop but this loop must have 4 corners. Very demanding on the pilot.
Static Display	Aircraft on the ground that are not part of the flying displays, but parked near the crowd area for the spectators to get a look at.
Strafing	Action done by a military aircraft by firing its machine gun at a target on the ground. Usually done as a simulated strafing run at airshows.
Stunt Flying	Flying done for a movie or television show OR unusual flying styles that are unrehearsed and considered dangerous to the pilot and/or spectators.
Stunt Pilot	Pilot hired to fly for a movie or television show OR a pilot who flies an airplane in a manner that is considered very dangerous to him/her and the people in the immediate area.
Tactical Demonstration	Demonstration flown in a modern military airplane that demonstrates its maneuverability in a profile that would be seen in wartime.
Touch and Go	Landing that is followed by an immediate takeoff.
Warbird	Category of aircraft that has been retired from active service duty and is at least thirty years old. Usually refers to aircraft that were in service before 1960 (that date can be disputed).
Wingwalker	Professional pilot or person specializing in the activity who is either strapped to the exterior of the airplane or walks around the wings of the airplane while in flight. The art of wingwalking is very dangerous for anyone who has never done it before (essentially, don't try it at home).
Why is the sky blue?	Because it is. I don't feel like going into the scientific reason (think of the color spectrum).