phrases - What does "fly by the seat of one's pants" mean?


Reading a book, I came across an expression I really can't parse.



For some developers, the invocation of the word plan is cause for alarm. Endless meetings with pointy-haired bosses creating reams of printed Microsoft Project plans that nobody understands or uses are a valid cause for alarm. So, techies often overcompensate in our rebellion against perceived overplanning by constantly flying by the seat of our pants.



I understand what he's saying with that last sentence—that sometimes developers go too far in avoiding planning—but can't make head nor tail of how he puts it. Can anyone explain the logic (if any) behind this phrase?



Answer



The meaning and origin is covered in this article on The Phrase Finder. An extract:



Meaning


Decide a course of action as you go along, using your own initiative and perceptions rather than a pre-determined plan or mechanical aids.


Origin


This is early aviation parlance. Aircraft initially had few navigation aids and flying was accomplished by means of the pilot's judgment.



This Sydney Morning Herald article also says that before advanced instruments, pilots would have use the feel and slide of the seat to tell how the plane was moving.


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