ATC IssuesA place where pilots may enter the 'lions den' that is Air Traffic Control in complete safety and find out the answers to all those obscure topics which you always wanted to know the answer to but were afraid to ask.
Here is how waypoints and GPS fixes are named, at least this is the alledged procedure here in the US.
Two brain dead management guys sit at a table with an old bag of scrable pieces, they pick a piece out of the bag one at a time and lay it down in order drawn on the table, until they have five letters sitting face up on the table (before you ask the blank pieces screw them up all the time).
Once they have the five pieces layed out they yell down the hall to the next old guy, "hey Marvin, type these letters in and see if we already used them."
They repeat the process until they find a combination of five letters that haven't been used.
And you wonder why no one can pronounce any of the GPS fixes?
I'm sure Delta (MUAC) sector controllers who are familiar with the work of Samuel Beckett are just aching to hear a pilot say, "Maastricht, we're waiting for [direct] GODOS".
(Or does nobody but me see the (albeit poor) humour in that?)
whilst crossing towards bottom of saudi towards SEZ,two waypoints slowly scrolled up the fmc - DEDLI then OSAMA !!! makes u wonder - wondered if its game over when they hit the top !!
In Scottish Airspace, ITSUX, and if we feel like a direct route we can send someone ITSUX - MADAD. Also going up to Copenhagen's airspace, LARGA - BUSOM, much to the delight of several BA crews who noticed it before us at ScACC.
Seem to remember when flying in to Houston, they had SLAMM, DUNKK, AKEEM and ROKIT, all related to basketball, I suppose!!
All this talk reminds me of trying to build rude route in the FMC on transatlantics, a few years ago ALING was a good combo with many others!
Quite enjoy being cleared direct to LARGA at the moment just looking for ROOBY !!
And this has just reminded me of a story of an A/C with Brest control ( French Accent of Course)Roger,Thees ees is Brest Control You are cleared to Berry Head !! Oh to be Roger!!