Royal Air Force
Abbreviations And Slang
Updated: February 2009
Royal Air Force
Abbreviations And Slang
Updated: February 2009
"F"
F2E – Fitter II
(Engines)
FA – Flying Accident
FAA – Fleet Air Arm
“Fan” -
Propeller
FAGS – Fleet Aerial Gunners School
FATU – Flight Affiliation
Training Unit/Fighter Armament Training Unit
FB – Flying Battle
(Damage)
FBDF – Flying Boat
Development Flight
F–BFTS – France–Belgium Flying Training Unit
FBSU –
Flying Boat Servicing Unit
FBSU – Flying Boat Servicing Unit
FC – Ferry
Control / Fighter Command / Flying Control
FCCRS – Fighter Command Control
& Reporting School
FCCS/F Fighter Command Communication
Squadron/Flight
FCCU – Fighter Control Cooperation Unit
FCIRS/F – Fighter
Command Instrument Rating Squadron/Flight
FCITF/S – Fighter Command
Instrument Training Flight .Squadron
FCMPC – Fighter Command Missile Practice
Camp
FCPU – Ferry Command Preparation Unit
FCRS – Fighter Command Radar
School
FCS – Fighter Command School / Facility Checking Squadron
FCTS – Fighter
Controllers Training School
FCTU – Fighter Command Trials Unit
FDF –
Fighter Defence Unit
F/E – Flight Engineer
FE – Far East
FEAF – Far
East Air Force
FEAFES – Far East Air Force Examination Squadron
FEC – Far East
Command
FECEF – Far East Casualty Evacuation Unit
FEE – Fighter
Experimental Establishment
FEFEW – Far East Flying Boat Wing
FETDU – Far
East Tactical Development Unit
FETS – Far East Training Squadron
FETW –
Far East Training Wing
FF – Fighter Flight/Ferry Flight/Free French
FFAF
– Free French Air Force
FFDPF – Free French Desert Patrol Flight
FFFF –
Free French Fighter Flight
FFS – Fire Fighting School
FFU – Film Flight
Unit
FIDO – Fog Investigation and Dispersal Operation
F I DS/U – Fighter
Interception Development Squadron/Unit
"(Mr.)
Fireworks" – Armaments Officer
FIS – Flying
Instructors School
F I U – Fighter Interception Unit
F/L – Forced
Landing
F/L or Flt Fl – Flight Lieutenant
“Flak” – Anti-Aircraft Fire (artillery)
"(to) Flannel" – To seek favour by fawning
"Flap" – A disturbance or Other general excitement
"(in a) Flat Spin" – Complete confused
"Flat Out" – Complete exhausted
Flot – Flotilla
FLS – Fighter Leaders School
Flt – Flight
Flt Cdr – Flight
Commander
FM(A) –Flight
Mechanic (Airframes)
FM(E) - Flight Mechanic (Engines)
F/O or Fl O – Flying Officer
FP – Ferry Pool
FPDU – Field Punishment and
Detention Centre
FPP/U – Ferry
Pilots Pool / U
FPU – Ferry
Preparation Unit / Film Production Unit
FR – Fighter–reconnaissance
FRD
– Forward Repair Depot
FRS – Flying Refresher School
FRU – Field Repair
Unit/Fleet Requirements Unit
F/S or F/Sgt. – Flight Sergeant
FS –
Fighting School
FSAF&G – Fleet School of Aerial Fighting & Gunnery
School
FSDS – Fighter Support Development Squadron
FSP – Forward Staging
Post
FSS – Ferry Support Squadron/Flying Selection Squadron
FSTU –
Fighter Support Training Unit
FT – Flying Training
FTC – Flying
Training Command
FTCPF – Flying Training Command Practice Flight
FTF/U –
Ferry Training Flight/Unit
FTFlt – Ferry Training Flight
FTLU – French
Tactical Liaison Unit
FTR – Failed to Return
FTS – Flying Training School
FTU – Ferry Training Unit/Floatplane Training Unit/Flight Trials Unit
FU
– Ferry Unit
FWS – Fighter Weapons School
F w – Feldwebel/Focke
Wulfe
"G"
(G) – Gunnery Officer
“Gallops” – Warrant Officers rank badges
GAL – General Aircraft Limited (part of CRO)
GAS – Ground Armament School
GATU –Ground
Attack Training Unit
G/C Group Captain
GC – Gliding Centre / Groupe de
Chasse
GCA – Ground Controlled Approach
GCAOS – Ground Controlled
Approach Operation School
GCAS – Ground Controlled Approach Squadron
GCATU – Ground Controlled Approach Training Unit
GCB – Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the
Bath
GCF – Gunnery
Co–operation Flight / Group Communication Flight
GCHQ – Government
Communications HQ
GCI – Ground Controlled Interception
GCS – Ground
Controlled Squadron
GD – General Duties
GDC – Group Disbandment Centre
GDGS – Group Defence Gunnery School
GE – George Cross
GED – Ground
Equipment Depot
“Gen” – Information of any kind
"George" – The Automatic Pilot
"Get Cracking" – Get Going
"Get Some In" – Get some service (time) in
"Get Weaving"
– Get CrackingGES – Glider
Exercise Squadron
GEU – Glider Exercise Unit
GG – Ground Gunnery
GGS
– Ground Gunnery School
GI – Ground Instructional
GIC – Gliding
Induction Course (Air Cadets)
GIF – Glider Instructors Flight
GIS –
Glider Instructors School
(G) OTU – Glider operational Training Unit
"Glamour Badge" – Brevet
"Glamour
Boys" – Fighter Command pilots
GM
– George Medal
Gnr – Gunner
“Gone For A Burton" – Air Crew whose has been killed
“Gong” – Medal
“Got the chop” – a person that was killed (usually in action)
GOTU – Glider Operational training Unit
Gp or Grp – Group
G/C or Gp
Capt or "Groupy" – Group Captain
GP – General
Purpose
GP CF – Group Conversion Flight
GP/DA – Group Disposal Account
(book–keeping exercise for damaged aircraft)
GPEU – Glider Exercise Unit
GPIS – Glider Pilot Instructors School
GPUTF – Glider Pick–Up Training
Unit
GPR – Glider Pilot Regiment
GR – General reconnaissance
GR&ANS – General Reconnaissance and Air Navigation School
"Gravey" – Petrol or Gasoline
"Greenhouse" – Cockpit cover
"Gremlins" – The "little men" of the RAF or Imaginary figure that causes something to go wrong
"Grocers" – Suppliers
GRS – General
Reconnaissance School
GRU – General Reconnaissance Unit
GRU/F – General
Reconnaissance Unit/Flight
GS – Gliding School
GS – Grading School
GSE – Glider Servicing Echelon
GSF – Glider Servicing Flight
GSM – General
Service Medal
GSU – Group Support Unit
GSTS – General
Service Training Shcool
GTF – Gunnery Training Flight
GTPS – Glider &
Tug Pilots School
GTS – Glider Training Squadron/Glider Training School
GU – Grading Unit
GUAS – Glasgow University Air Squadron
GWDS –
Guided Weapon Development Squadron
GWTS – Guided Weapon Training Squadron