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Souls on board

Posted by Victoria S Dennis on August 15, 2007

In Reply to: Souls on board posted by Lyle on August 15, 2007

: "Souls on board" is the common term used by pilots and air traffic controllers to identify the people on board an aircraft. In response to the previous question, it does not have any "dark" implications. For example the pilot might say "I have 10 souls on board" meaning that 10 people are on board the aircraft. As a pilot it is a commonly heard term on the radio.

The air transport community derived this from seafaring usage; "X souls on board" was a nautical phrase long before powered flight. I think the point is that ships required a term that comprehensively covered everyone who could possibly be on board, in whatever capacity: the officers, the crew, the crew's families, the supercargo, the passengers, the local pilot, native bumboatwomen, etc. etc. (VSD)

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