I'm Drowning In Acronyms

One of the crazy things about this industry is it's dependence on the use of acronyms.When I first got to Delta I learned all the normal stuff APU (auxiliary power unit), FDR (flight data recorder), AFT, FWD, etc. Once I got to Southwest Airlines I learned that that was just the tip of the iceberg! As a matter of fact I'm still learning more and more, so her are a few of the acronyms that I can remember:

FCU fuel control unit
CSD constant speed drive
ILS instrument landing system
GPS global positioning system
HUD heads up device
IRS inertial reference system
MMR multi mode receiver
TCAS terrain and collision avoidance system
LNAV lateral navigation
VOR vhf omni range
BTB bus tie breaker
IAS indicated airspeed
IFR instrument flight rules
ADI attitude director indicator
NLG nose landing gear
MLG main landing gear
E&E equipment and electronics
MEC main engine control
PMC primary engine control
EEC electronic engine control
FDAU flight data acquisition unit
SMYD stall management yaw damper
GCU generator control unit
MCP mode control unit
IFSAU integrated flight system accessory unit
SPCU standby power control unit
HPSOV high power shut off valve
PRSOV pressure shut off valve
ADIRU air data inertial ref. unit

Those are just a few!! Then there are the Southwest specific ones that I have learned:

RIBLL right inboard landing light
LIBLL left inboard landing light
RPPS right pie panel screw
LPPS left pie panel screw
RIBLL right inboard landing light
LIBLL left inboard landing light
ROBLL right out board landing light
LOBLL left.....(you get the idea)

Perhaps the best acronym I've heard of in years was recently bestowed upon me. I guess it's and old Douglas Aircraft Company (DAC) term: ITCAN inspect, test,correct as needed.

After a few years in this industry you will find yourself talking to each other using the acronyms and not thinking anything of it. I have yet to drop ITCAN on the guys at work. I will be working a double this Saturday and if I can remember I will give it a try. The older DAC guys will get a kick out of it and the new guys will spin!