To Jockey the Throttle

This is the place where we can all meet and speak about whatever is on the mind.
new reply
User avatar
ClipperLuna
Technical Sergeant
Posts: 753
Joined: 23 May 2014, 12:50
Location: KPUW

To Jockey the Throttle

Post by ClipperLuna »

There's a somewhat curious (to my mind anyway) phrase I see in both the T-6 and P-51 manuals I was wondering about: to "jockey the throttle." As in "With this automatic regulator, you
don’t have to jockey the throttle to maintain a constant manifold pressure" from the P-51 manual. What exactly does this mean?

User avatar
Pistonpilot
Technical Sergeant
Posts: 584
Joined: 07 Aug 2008, 11:19
Location: Maine, USA

Re: To Jockey the Throttle

Post by Pistonpilot »

ClipperLuna wrote:There's a somewhat curious (to my mind anyway) phrase I see in both the T-6 and P-51 manuals I was wondering about: to "jockey the throttle." As in "With this automatic regulator, you
don’t have to jockey the throttle to maintain a constant manifold pressure" from the P-51 manual. What exactly does this mean?
In this context, the verb "to jockey" means "to struggle with". Meaning you do not have to continuously make changes to throttle position to adapt to flight conditions; in the P-40, for example, the manifold pressure will change fairly dramatically if you climb or descend significantly without changing throttle position due to the atmospheric effects of altitude and variations on engine load. The P-51's throttle system is designed to minimize these inputs, allowing the pilot to focus on maneuvering or combat instead.

Just a guess, but I imagine this definition comes from the noun "jockey" being someone who rides a horse in a race...I bet that's a struggle!


-Ian C

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk
Image

DWC Alumni. Commercial Instrument Single/Multi-Engine Land. [Former] Police, Fire, & 9-1-1 Dispatcher. [Former] MAINEiac Crew Chief.

User avatar
Alan_A
Senior Master Sergeant
Posts: 1605
Joined: 05 Aug 2009, 14:37
Location: Bethesda, MD

Re: To Jockey the Throttle

Post by Alan_A »

Close - it refers to making a constant series of small adjustments, the way a jockey would work the reins and maneuver the horse through the field.

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jockey

Comes to the same thing as Ian suggested - but it’s about something the jockey does while struggling.
"Ah, Paula, they are firing at me!" -- Saint-Exupery

new reply

Return to “Pilot's Lounge”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 45 guests