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Over the years I have been aware of the term "Tyro" to mean a new or inexperienced pilot. I'm pretty sure it is/was used more in a military setting than a GA one, but none the less I was interested to know if anyone knows the origin of this term, and the reason why it is used? Is it still used commonly?

This may be a term only used in the RAF, I don't know.

SentryRaven
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Jamiec
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  • It's a portmanteau word for "tires, zero". As in, on an inventory of the intact undamaged parts remaining on the aircraft after the end of a flight. – quiet flyer Dec 28 '20 at 19:18

1 Answers1

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It's just a synonym of novice, it is used outside of aviation. Like many other aviation terms (e.g. pilot) its origins precede the first manned flight and it was and is used for non-aviation novices. Aviators borrowed many existing terms.

tyro (n.)
1610s, from Medieval Latin tyro, variant of Latin tiro (plural tirones) 
"young soldier, recruit, beginner," of unknown origin.

http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=tyro

RedGrittyBrick
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  • Ok, thats good. The "google" answer. But when, and why was this applied to pilots? – Jamiec Jun 25 '14 at 09:36
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    @Jamiec: From ngrams I'd expect it to have been used the day after the Wright brothers started calling themselves air pilots (compared with river pilots?) – RedGrittyBrick Jun 25 '14 at 09:41
  • I think your edit makes this a much clearer answer. Thanks. – Jamiec Jun 25 '14 at 10:02
  • Tyro doesn't get much usage these days outside of two real areas: pilot jargon and wizard's apprentices. – corsiKa Jun 25 '14 at 15:00
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    @corsiKa: ... and football and karting and lifeguards and offroading and bloggers and ... – RedGrittyBrick Jun 25 '14 at 15:15
  • For evidence of active usage, check out @Simon's comment on the accepted answer to this question, in which he uses the term "tyro." – TypeIA Jun 25 '14 at 21:41
  • How derogatory is "tyro"? Would you refer to yourself as one on radio, or is it a pejorative ATCs would mumble under their breath with the mike off, like "noob"? – KeithS Jul 28 '15 at 17:37
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    @KeithS At least in the UK, it's recognised terminology and is not pejorative at all. I would call "blah blah control, Finden 37 tyro, request blah blah". It was brought into use after a 16 year old student on his second solo crashed and died whilst trying to deal with some (relatively) complex ATC instructions after being told to break off an approach. The idea is that ATC will issue simpler instructions such as "cancel clearance, fly North". – Simon Jul 01 '17 at 10:56