Skyking
Definition
Internet slang and meme referring to Richard 'Beebo' Russell, a Horizon Air ground service agent who stole a Bombardier Dash-8 Q400 aircraft from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport on August 10, 2018, flew it erratically for about an hour while engaging in humorous radio banter with air traffic control, and ultimately crashed it on Ketron Island in a suicidal act. He has been romanticallyized in online culture as a folk anti-hero symbolizing rebellion against mundane life.
A high-priority U.S. military radio callsign used in 'Skyking' or 'Foxtrot' broadcasts, which are Emergency Action Messages (EAMs) interrupting standard communications to convey urgent strategic instructions.
Title character from the 1940s-1950s American radio and television adventure series 'Sky King,' portraying rancher-pilot Schuyler 'Sky' King who fought crime using his Cessna airplane 'Songbird.'
Examples
After binge-watching the Skyking documentary, my buddy declared he was ready to ditch his cubicle and go full skyking.
The boss's latest memo had everyone muttering about pulling a skyking and vanishing into the wild blue yonder.
In aviation forums, debating whether modern skyking would involve drones or just borrowing the company jet.
She joked that her vacation plans were basically skyking, minus the felony and the fiery conclusion.