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Pilot Directional Lingo in SW

Discussion in 'General Movie Discussion' started by Lock_S_Foils, May 10, 2017.

  1. Lock_S_Foils

    Lock_S_Foils Red Leader

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    Folks, one thing I cannot figure out is the directional lingo used in SW. In the US Air Force, pilots use the clock as a quick directional reference. Imagine the aircraft at the center of an old analog clock face, facing toward 12 O'clock......hence the call "Watch your six" means "Watch six O'Clock" or right behind you. "12 O'Clock High" means directly ahead, facing upward.

    In Star Wars we hear things like (from the Rebel X/Y Wing pilots)....

    [describing where TIE Fighters are coming from]...."Three marks at two-ten"

    Luke saying "Turn to point oh-five, we'll cover for you"

    "Heavy fire boss.....twenty-three degrees"

    "Rendevous at mark six point one"

    [describing where more TIEs are coming from] "Wait....coming in, point three-five"

    "Fighters, coming in, point three"

    I was thinking maybe they are using simple degrees from zero (straight forward) through 90 (direct right), 180 (rear), 210 (direct left) and back to 360/0. It would make sense because when Gold 5 says "three marks at 210" he looks off his left shoulder.....however the point three, point oh-five, etc, is confusing. Maybe it is just gibberish....
     
    #1 Lock_S_Foils, May 10, 2017
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  2. Star Dude

    Star Dude Jedi General

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    I think with that you’re spot on!

    But maybe somebody here could prove me wrong, would be great if that "code" could be deciphered.
     
    #2 Star Dude, May 22, 2017
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  3. PongSolo

    PongSolo Rebelscum

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    Sorry, I have been incredibly busy with our base air show, preparing to move, etc.

    Your theory may be correct but it has one flaw and that is it assumes a common pole. We have 360 degrees in a circle but when using that for navigation we reference magnetic north. If the SW universe is doing the same thing then I would guess they are using the center of the galaxy as their pole.
     
    #3 PongSolo, May 24, 2017
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  4. RockyRoadHux

    RockyRoadHux Ginger General

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    Thank you @PongSolo I am not kidding when I say that I was browsing through reddit threads and watched awful youtube videos- just because of this thread!
     
    #4 RockyRoadHux, May 25, 2017
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  5. Hondo RC51

    Hondo RC51 Clone

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    I think it is probably movie gibberish. But if you wanted the "point three" language to mean something, I guess it could be at 0.3 radians in polar coordinates based upon a previously agreed upon plane. I think it's probably gibberish though.
     
    #5 Hondo RC51, Nov 21, 2022
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  6. DarthSnow

    DarthSnow Sith in the North
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    Sounds pretty legit. I was also thinking the "point" language could mean something on the vertical axis, if the degree language is meant more horizontally. I think it would make sense to make that distinction for flying in limitless planes, right?

    But then again, air force doesn't make distinction for vertical location, do they @Lock_S_Foils ? or would that just be an altitude callout?

    My other theory, maybe these were actual predetermined points. And not "point" as in a decimal. Like digitally mapped into locations around the Death Star (or whatever the target is at the moment). That way you could tell any pilot on the open comms "Turn to point 7" or "fighters at point 5" and its a fixed location, its not relative to any individuals current heading or vector.
     
    #6 DarthSnow, Nov 21, 2022
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  7. Lock_S_Foils

    Lock_S_Foils Red Leader

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    @DarthSnow USAF pilots only make distinctions of “high” and “low” for targets above or below….I.e. “3 o’clock low” would be off to your immediate right , lower than you.

    And this is still a cool thread….wish @PongSolo was still around as he was an F-15 pilot
     
    #7 Lock_S_Foils, Jan 7, 2023
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  8. Star Dude

    Star Dude Jedi General

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    I’m even amazed that this thread is still alive after all this time!
     
    #8 Star Dude, Jan 9, 2023
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