Word on the Wing: Six Terms from July’s Aviation News
Every few weeks, Word on the Wing pulls six useful words and phrases straight from the aviation headlines and explains them in plain English. This issue draws on the news of the past month — an engine failure over Greece, a US move on supersonic flight, fresh cracks in the A380’s wing, and more.
Glossary
1. decompression (n.)
Decompression is the sudden loss of air pressure inside an aircraft cabin.
When a broken engine part smashed a cabin window, the rapid decompression dragged a passenger halfway out of his seat.
Usage: Often paired with rapid or explosive for a fast, dangerous one; the matching verb is decompress.
2. grounding (n.) — also to ground (v.)
Grounding is an official order that stops an aircraft from flying, usually for safety reasons.
Regulators grounded five A380s until engineers had inspected their wings.
Usage: You can ground a single aircraft or a whole fleet; note that grounded can also just mean delayed on the ground (“the storm grounded every flight”).
3. sonic boom (n.)
A sonic boom is the loud, sharp noise heard on the ground when an aircraft flies faster than the speed of sound.
Concorde was kept off many routes because its sonic boom startled people far below.
Usage: Countable (“a sonic boom”); the aircraft breaks the sound barrier or goes supersonic to create one.
4. ETOPS (n., acronym)
ETOPS is the set of safety rules that lets a twin-engine airliner fly a route only if it always stays within a set flying time of a suitable airport.
ETOPS approval is what allows two-engine jets to cross the Atlantic and Pacific today.
Usage: Say it “ee-tops.” You will meet figures like ETOPS-180 — up to 180 minutes’ flying time from a diversion airport.
5. maiden flight (n.)
A maiden flight is the very first flight of a brand-new aircraft.
The Dassault Falcon 10X made its maiden flight from Bordeaux this month.
Usage: A fixed phrase; maiden here means “first-ever” (compare a ship’s maiden voyage).
6. retrofit (v. & n.)
To retrofit an aircraft is to add new equipment or systems to one that is already in service.
Two US airlines will retrofit 150 aircraft with high-speed satellite Wi-Fi.
Usage: Works as a verb or a noun (“a cabin retrofit”); contrast it with line-fit, fitting equipment on the production line.
Practice
Type the missing word or phrase into each gap, then check your answer. The last two gaps are marked Review: — they bring back terms from earlier issues.
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When the cabin window shattered, the sudden ____ pulled loose objects towards the hole in the fuselage.
We want the noun for the cabin losing its pressure. Look back at the safety card.
Decompression — the rapid loss of cabin pressure.
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Regulators ordered the immediate ____ of five jets, so those aircraft could not fly until inspectors had checked their wings.
We need the regulator’s action that keeps an aircraft on the ground. Check the regulation card.
Grounding — officially stopping an aircraft from flying.
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People on the ground hear a sharp ____ when an aircraft flies faster than the speed of sound.
Two words: the noise a supersonic aircraft makes. Check the technology card.
Sonic boom — the loud crack made when an aircraft breaks the sound barrier.
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Under ____ rules, a twin-engine airliner may fly a route only if it stays within a set flying time of a suitable airport.
This is the five-letter acronym for the twin-engine over-water rule.
ETOPS — the standard that lets twins fly long over-water routes.
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The new business jet completed its ____ this month, lifting off from Bordeaux for the very first time.
Two words for an aircraft’s first-ever flight. Check the technology card.
Maiden flight — an aircraft’s very first flight.
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The airline plans to ____ 150 aircraft already in service with fast satellite internet.
One verb: to fit new equipment to aircraft that already exist. Check the commercial card.
Retrofit — to add new equipment to an existing aircraft.
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Review: A vehicle that drives onto an active runway without permission causes a dangerous ____.
Two words for a vehicle or aircraft being on an in-use runway by mistake.
Runway incursion — anything wrongly on a runway that is in use. (Taught earlier on Word on the Wing.)
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Review: With thousands of unfilled orders on its books, the manufacturer has a record ____ that will take years to clear.
One word for the pile of orders still waiting to be built and delivered.
Backlog — a queue of orders received but not yet delivered. (Taught earlier on Word on the Wing.)
CEFR Level B2 / ICAO Level 5
Curious how a two-engine jet is allowed to fly for hours from the nearest runway? Our explainer on how a twin-engine jet crosses an ocean tells the story behind the acronym.
