Zommie and Inch- Silly Questions

[Bograt]

Zoomie and Inch

As I patiently wait for the board to meet I am curious to know the circumstances to which you received your handle. When did you get it. Has it changed? What's the story behind it?

Also is it worth to invest in a DC headset or are you provided one?

Cheers,

 

[Inch]

By handle, you mean "Inch"?

It's just what the guys call me, based mostly on my last name and backed up by the fact that I'm 5'7", it's pretty rare that there's someone shorter than me kicking around. I've been called Inch since highschool, I don't even tell new people that I meet to call me that, it just becomes the norm for everyone.

If you're talking about callsigns while flying, it's based on your unit.  Here at 423 we're all Talon XX, the XX is the last 2 numbers of the tail number that you're flying, ex. Talon 35 means they're flying airframe number 12435, 406 Sqn call signs are Merlin XX.  Some units give people specific callsigns, Moose Jaw is an example. My instructor was Bandit 26 regardless of which aircraft we were in.  Formation callsigns are a little different, in Bandit we were either Bandit Shooters, Bandit Outlaws, Bandit Blackjacks or Bandit Cowboys. Broken down even further to Cowboy lead, Cowboy 2, etc. All students are given call signs there too, I was Bandit 105 everytime I was solo, 1 since I was on course 0301 and 05 since I was the 5th person alphabetically. 

As for the headset, don't bother, the plugs won't fit anything in the CF anyway, we use the single NATO plug on most headsets/helmets.  Plus the only time you'll wear a headset is if you're flying multi, you'll wear a helmet in all helos and jets including the Harvard and also in the Slingsby. You'll be issued the headset/helmet dependant on your airframe, helo you get issued a Gentex flying helmet that you keep until you release or the 10yr expiry is up and you get a new one, it's a little different than the ones the jet guys wear, ours have the mount for NVGs as well as a lack of bayonet lugs for the O2 mask.  Zoomie can confirm it, but I think all the multi guys get issued David Clarks. If you're talking about just using it for civvie flying, you can't beat a good DC, they're the best out there, though some of the other companies are getting better. I own a Telex headset that I wear when flying civvie aircraft.

Hope that satisfies your curiosity. 

Cheers

 

[Zoomie]

Adding to Inch's post....

"Zoomie" is a slang name associated with Airforce pilots in general.  I first heard the term used on my BOTC when another candidate mentioned that there sure was a lot of Zoomies in our platoon (more than half).

On other boards I go by Zipperhead, as these boards are mainly airforce in nature - I can't be Zoomie there - just like I can't be Zipperhead here (too many of us around).  In the Squadron, I simply go by my first or last name - I have yet to be given a call sign (in the Goose/Maverick terms) as this is usually reserved for when you screw up.  We had an OCdt in my Moose Jaw Flight accidently shut down the engine at 14,000 feet instead of simply simulating it.  We granted the call sign "Cut-off" to him, as he moved the PCL (power control lever) through the safety detent and into the fuel cut-off region.  Another student was given "tub" as a call sign as there was a picture of him sitting in a small bathtub, looking very foolish indeed.

In the multi world, we get our own DC headset issued as well as a helmet.  The Buffalo is not pressurized, so we go on O2 when above 10,000 feet.  The Aurora crews carry a helmet in the event of ditching - Hercules crews carry them for tactical airlift.  I personally own a pair of DCs, I was able to use them while at the Multi-school in Portage - the King Air C90A is a civi-plane, therefore it has the twin jacks for ICS.

 

[Spr.Earl]

By handle, you mean "Inch"?

It's just what the guys call me, based mostly on my last name and backed up by the fact that I'm 5'7", it's pretty rare that there's someone shorter than me kicking around. I've been called Inch since highschool, I don't even tell new people that I meet to call me that, it just becomes the norm for everyone.

Hope that satisfies your curiosity.  

Cheers

Oh that's what it means.

 

[Inch]

Believe me, I've heard them all. Kids can be real bastards sometimes when you're going up.   :crybaby:

 

[Spr.Earl]

I know what you mean.
We first lived in Edmonchuk for 4yrs after coming from England then we moved down here on the coast and I told Bohunk jokes at school when we moved down here.
Guess whos' nick name ended up being Bohunk?

 

[Scoobie Newbie]

Cool names and the best mens kitchens around.

 

[Spr.Earl]

Cool names and the best mens kitchens around.

CFL I was proud of it because I was one of the few who had a Nick Name in school.
The only time when a Nick Name is not Cool is when it's a mean Nick Name

 

[Scoobie Newbie]

I was refering more to call signs (ie Maverick and Ice Man )