get-there-itis

[LV4-26]

Term: Get-there-itis, noun. Also get-home-itis

Your definition or explanation: originates from the aeronautical world but is sometimes used in different contexts. Describes the urge to land your aircraft ("get there") as soon as possible despite adverse conditions, especially thunderstorms, windshear or crosswinds, in order to"be done with it at last".

Example: The pilots may have exhibited get-there-itis as they knew they were approaching their 14 hour duty limits

One or more places you have seen the term:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Airlines_Flight_1420
http://www.doubletongued.org/index.php/citations/get_there_itis_1/
http://spacetweepsociety.org/2009/07/14/get-there-itis
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hko19QiyqXk&feature=related (oral - from 2'34" on)

Have you looked for this term or meaning in dictionaries, and not found it? Yes

Addition: A question was asked about this term in the SP/EN Vocabulary forum, which was wrongly answered.
See here.

Note: I've also found it without the first hyphen, i.e. get there-itis.. That's the way it's spelt in COCA.

 

[sdgraham]

It's a very common term in the aviation world, particularly in discussions of marginal flying conditions and resulting disasters.