Gunship Academy

by Richard Sheffield

Glossary

AA

Antiaircraft.

AGM

Air-to-ground missile.

AH-1 Cobra

The first true attack helicopter.

angle of attack

The angle at which a wing or rotor blade comes into contact with the air.

autorotation

The act of using the forward motion of the helicopter through the air to keep the rotor blades spinning when engine power is lost.

chaff

Millions of small strips and slivers of foil and metal-coated plastic which are dispersed into the air to confuse radar tracking.

chin

The bottom area on the front of a helicopter.

collective

The helicopter control which changes the pitch of the blades at the same time in order to lift the aircraft.

CPG

Copilot/gunner.

CRT

Cathode ray tube, video screen.

cyclic

The helicopter control which changes rotor blade pitch in only half of its revolution to control direction of flight.

ECM

Electronic countermeasures.

FFAR

Folded Fin Aerial Rockets.

fixed-wing aircraft

Airplanes.

FLIR

Forward Looking Infrared sensor; used to see objects at night or in smoke or fog.

HDD

Head Down Display.

HQ

Headquarters.

HUD

Head Up Display.

IFR

Instrument flight rule.

IHADSS

Integrated helmet and display sighting system.

IR

Infrared.

mike-mike

Term used to mean millimeter.

mm

Millimeter; used to measure the size of various weapon projectiles.

NOE

Nap of the earth; refers to flying at the lowest possible safe altitude to use terrain features and manmade objects to hide the aircraft.

OH

Observation helicopter.

pitch

The angle of the rotor blade.

PNVS

Pilot Night Vision Sensor.

rotary-winged aircraft

Helicopters.

rotor disc

An imaginary disc created by the rapidly spinning rotor blades.

SAM

Surface-to-air missile.

TADS

Target Acquisition Designation Sight.

torque

The force that causes rotation.

unmasking

Letting the aircraft come into view of the enemy. Unmasking is generally necessary to fire upon the enemy.

VFR

Visual flight rules.

wire guided

A missile guidance system in which the fired missile trails a set of very thin wires which are connected to a control panel. The operator uses these wires to "fly" the missile to the target.

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