"BALLS TO THE WALL" IS SOMETIMES A MISUNDERSTOOD TERM. IT ACTUALLY IS A TERM THAT PILOTS USE THAT HAS ORIGINS FROM THE EARLIER DAYS OF FLIGHT, WHEN THE THROTTLE, PROPELLER AND MIXTURE CONTROLS HAD ROUND KNOBS THAT MADE IT EASIER FOR THE PILOT TO GRIP. PUSHING THE KNOBS FULL FORWARD TO THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WAS "BALLS TO THE WALL."
Conversations between St. Louis Approach control and two aircraft pilots
St. Louis Approach to United: "United 122, best forward speed to the outer marker, you're number one."
United 123 (male voice): "Roger that, Balls to the Wall!
St. Louis Approach to American: "American 4321, you're number two behind a United 737, follow him, cleared visual, best forward speed."
American 4321 (female voice): "Well I can't do balls to the wall, ! but I can do wide open."
-Radio silence-
Unidentified Pilot (male voice): "Is American hiring?"
I thought the old saying was: “BALLS OUT”... But I guess that refers to centrifugal speed governors in steam engines.
I go along with Balls Out as used on steam engines.
👍
Thats a definite 'Thumbs up'
Bmarsh wrote:
"BALLS TO THE WALL" IS SOMETIMES A MISUNDERSTOOD TERM. IT ACTUALLY IS A TERM THAT PILOTS USE THAT HAS ORIGINS FROM THE EARLIER DAYS OF FLIGHT, WHEN THE THROTTLE, PROPELLER AND MIXTURE CONTROLS HAD ROUND KNOBS THAT MADE IT EASIER FOR THE PILOT TO GRIP. PUSHING THE KNOBS FULL FORWARD TO THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WAS "BALLS TO THE WALL."
Conversations between St. Louis Approach control and two aircraft pilots
St. Louis Approach to United: "United 122, best forward speed to the outer marker, you're number one."
United 123 (male voice): "Roger that, Balls to the Wall!
St. Louis Approach to American: "American 4321, you're number two behind a United 737, follow him, cleared visual, best forward speed."
American 4321 (female voice): "Well I can't do balls to the wall, ! but I can do wide open."
-Radio silence-
Unidentified Pilot (male voice): "Is American hiring?"
"BALLS TO THE WALL" IS SOMETIMES A MISUN... (
show quote)
I think I know the female pilot who was flying American 4321!!
As an ex pilot Inalways understood Balls Out to mean,go as fast as you can.
pilot humor ... famous last words:
"Was that traffic call for US?"
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