scrambling jets

[Jonathan Lighter]

In my day, you only "scrambled jets" when it looked like flying saucers or
Russian bombers were heading your way.  "Scramble" implied a possible
attack, and "jets" implied interceptors.

CNN, however, has used the phrase several times in ref. to the failure of
the Malaysians to send out search and rescue planes to look for Flt. 370.

In other words, to "scramble jets" now presumably means no more than to
"order any jet aircraft into the air in an emergency."

Hair-splitting? Not on your bippy.


JL

--
"If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the truth."

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