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KC-46's Name Selection


Azimuth

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  • 2 weeks later...

My Little Pony objections aside, the more I think about the name Pegasus, the more problems I have with it. First, what will be the plural? Pegasuses or Pegasi? They both sound ridiculous, but my guess is that Pegasi will win (although I seem to remember some AFI or AETC AFI supplement forbidding the use of Latinized plurals. That´s why AETC uses Syllabuses instead of Syllabi). Unfortunately, no matter how you pronounce Pegasi (either like Sigh or like Odyssey), someone will think you´re wrong. Go watch news broadcasts from the Gemini days. No one could agree how to say it. Yes, I know that Pegasus is from Greek mythology, so a Latin plural would be strange. However, the word Pegasus is itself a Latinized form of the Greek Πήγασος, so the Latinized plural works.

Second, they didn´t consult with any 8-year old boys. Pegasus can become Pegashit way too easy. Pegasucks is another good one. I´m sure Pegging will work itself into the name soon enough (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pegging_%28sexual_practice%29).

Third, Pegasus is the personal name of one creature, not a type of creature. Pegasus was a winged stallion, just like Snoopy is a dog. For example, it would seem strange to name an aircraft the Zeus. There are five Zeuses (Zeusi?) on the tarmac. The ETA of the six Lone Rangers is 0830. It makes no sense.

Finally, where are all the overzealous separation of Church and State folks? They should be all over the USAF for naming an aircraft after the son of a god. I´m sure they would have a problem with the KC-46 Jesus (as would I). Why not the Pegasus? Sure, there´s not a lot of people who believe in Greek gods these days, but how many does it take? If one person believes that Pegasus is the son of a god, does that make it a religion that should be separated from the State? Hell, even Jediism is on the UK´s list of official religions (https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk/1589133.stm), so I´m sure there´s someone out there.

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My Little Pony objections aside, the more I think about the name Pegasus, the more problems I have with it. First, what will be the plural? Pegasuses or Pegasi? They both sound ridiculous, but my guess is that Pegasi will win (although I seem to remember some AFI or AETC AFI supplement forbidding the use of Latinized plurals. That´s why AETC uses Syllabuses instead of Syllabi). Unfortunately, no matter how you pronounce Pegasi (either like Sigh or like Odyssey), someone will think you´re wrong. Go watch news broadcasts from the Gemini days. No one could agree how to say it. Yes, I know that Pegasus is from Greek mythology, so a Latin plural would be strange. However, the word Pegasus is itself a Latinized form of the Greek Πήγασος, so the Latinized plural works.

Second, they didn´t consult with any 8-year old boys. Pegasus can become Pegashit way too easy. Pegasucks is another good one. I´m sure Pegging will work itself into the name soon enough (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pegging_%28sexual_practice%29).

Third, Pegasus is the personal name of one creature, not a type of creature. Pegasus was a winged stallion, just like Snoopy is a dog. For example, it would seem strange to name an aircraft the Zeus. There are five Zeuses (Zeusi?) on the tarmac. The ETA of the six Lone Rangers is 0830. It makes no sense.

Finally, where are all the overzealous separation of Church and State folks? They should be all over the USAF for naming an aircraft after the son of a god. I´m sure they would have a problem with the KC-46 Jesus (as would I). Why not the Pegasus? Sure, there´s not a lot of people who believe in Greek gods these days, but how many does it take? If one person believes that Pegasus is the son of a god, does that make it a religion that should be separated from the State? Hell, even Jediism is on the UK´s list of official religions (https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk/1589133.stm), so I´m sure there´s someone out there.

????????????

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What are they going to re-name the T-44 to?

"Weeelll, I fly the Pegasus" just isn't going to be all that impressive in a bar. It's about as lame as a Viper guy bragging about flying the Fighting Falcon.

If we were going to steal a Navy aircraft nickname, there are plenty of better ones we could have taken.

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