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Re: [OT] Re: Meaning and origin of term I've heard in a few movies

From: Los <los@c...>
Date: Tue, 01 Sep 1998 16:39:02 -0400
Subject: Re: [OT] Re: Meaning and origin of term I've heard in a few movies

While this is a correct interpretation of what the term means in Aliens,
it is not
the original meaning of the term, which comes from communications.

Los

Thomas Barclay wrote:

> Nathan spake thusly upon matters weighty:
>
> > Hello,
> >
> > Was watching Event Horizon last night and kept hearing the crew use
the term
> > "five by five".  It seemed to indicate that everything is working
fine.  I
> > thought that I've also heard the term in another SF movie (Aliens,
maybe?).
> > I was wondering if anyone out there could say what the term means
(five by
> > five what?) and where it came from.
>
> Pilots landing on Aircraft carriers come in on a virtual 10x10 grid
> to let the air traffic guys and the guys on the deck	know if they
> are low/hi/off left/off right. 5x5 is dead centre on the grid. Now
> when people ask "what's your status?", 5 by 5 is now taken to mean
> all systems a-ok. The Colonial Marine dropship pilot in Aliens uses
> the phrase "In the groove, five by five." to indicate that the
> dropship is on the correct approach vector and everything looks good.
>
> Tom.
>
> /************************************************
> Thomas Barclay
> Voice: (613) 831-2018 x 4009
> Fax: (613) 831-8255
>
>  "C makes it easy to shoot yourself in the foot.  C++ makes
>  it harder, but when you do, it blows away your whole leg."
>  -Bjarne Stroustrup
> **************************************************/

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