Phrases & Expressions

In glider towing, to fly the glider in a rectangle around the tow plane's wake without touching it.

• During aerotow training, students learn to box the wake behind the tow plane.
• Boxing the wake is an advanced skill.

A simple substitution cipher where each letter is replaced by a letter a fixed number of positions down the alphabet.

• They used a Caesar cipher to send messages.
• The Caesar cipher is easy to break.

To adopt the customs and way of life of the local people when living in a foreign country.

• After years in the jungle, he seemed to have gone native.
• The anthropologist tried not to go native too quickly.

To deploy the speed brakes on an aircraft's wings.

• Go to the boards to slow down quickly.
• The pilot had to go to the boards on final approach.

Starting a story in the middle of the action, with earlier events explained later through flashback or dialogue.

• The film opened in medias res with a car spinning across the road.
• Opening in medias res can hook a reader instantly but demands careful exposition later.

Aligned correctly with the localizer or glide slope during an instrument approach.

• The pilot confirmed that the aircraft was on the beam for landing.
• Keep the aircraft on the beam until touchdown.

Flying by reference to the cockpit instruments only, without looking outside.

• The pilot had to fly on the gauges.
• Visibility was zero, so we flew on the gauges.

Lined up with the runway centreline by following the localizer signal of the ILS.

• Report established on the localizer.
• We were on the localizer but still above the glide path.

To travel by train, especially by riding freight trains without paying.

• During the Depression, many young men were riding the rails in search of work.
• He spent one summer riding the rails across the country.

To fly an instrument approach to an airport, especially in poor weather.

• The pilot decided to shoot the approach despite the crosswinds.
• We have enough fuel to shoot the approach one more time.