English lessons: Drive or Fly, Pilot or Driver

[eFirehawk]

Hello everyone,

 

Whenever I watch a video or read something related to aviation, I always come across somebody saying "drive the plane" and also referring to the pilots as "drivers", for example: "We are Warthog drivers", and so on... but I was always used to saying "fly the plane" and also I never had the habit of referring to a pilot as a "driver". My question is, what are the correct ways of saying that you fly/drive a plane and is a fighter jet pilot/driver? Or are both correct? :)

 

Thanks

[159th_Viper]

If one has regard to the word 'drive' as both a transitive and intransitive verb, then it can be used in both an aviation and land-based-vehicle context. Common usage of the word however restricts it to land-based vehicles. That said, if one has to argue the finer details it would also be correct to say that you 'drive' the plane on the ground (ie taxiing) and 'fly' the aircraft the moment the wheels leave the ground.

 

Both are accordingly correct :)

[KLR Rico]

Driver is slang, almost making light of being a pilot. "Oh, I'm a viper driver.... No big deal."