On: My grandfather was almost shot down at the White H...

[jamesmoroni]

I had a similar experience in 2008. I was an Air Force helicopter pilot stationed at Andrews Air Force Base just outside DC. I got a last-minute assignment to show a new copilot some of our operating sites on the north side of DC. One of those sites was Camp David. I read through the NOTAMS but didn't notice that the large restricted area around Camp David was active that day because the president was there. So we totally busted through the outer restricted area and the Secret Service wanted my head. They launched a helicopter to chase me away, and they almost launched the F-16s at Andrews. I almost lost my wings. It was a bad day.

[donatj → jamesmoroni]

Can you explain for the layman what it means to lose your wings?

[alistairSH → donatj]

Aviators (military) get a pin to indicate they’re pilots. The pin is usually two bird-like wings with an emblem in the center.

Losing ones wings would be having the pin (figuratively) removed and losing permission to fly.

[tylergetsay → donatj]

lose the ability to fly