"Jay Beckman" wrote in
:

No, compared to the DC9 he drove for a living, he meant "Bug Smasher."
ie: Light GA flies so low you're down with the bugs. I can attest to
this being true considering how much "blech" is on the leading edges and
cowl of our club 172 when I've been out practicing ground reference or
simply doing pattern work at Casa Grande Muni south of Phoenix. There
is a lot of agriculture down that way and plenty of bugs get smashed...

Certainly. But what is derogatory about that? It's just a statement of fact
that light GA planes smash bugs, hence the nickname "bug smasher". I don't
get insulted by the use of the term by Manic any more than your friend the
DC9 pilot.

In that regard, it's more akin to Japanese where the inflection and
context determine the actual meaning. I've heard it used as "friend"
also in the manner in which you describe, but with a little more "venom"
and in a more aggressive conversation it can also mean as I described.

Just ask Kramer...