How do you memorise call signs?

[hvogt]

Hello ATC people

As I'm preparing for an airline aptitude test, I was wondering if somebody could help me with a tip on how to memorise call signs. I will be given the task to memorise a handful of three-digit alphanumeric combinations only.

Any professional advice would be very much appreciated. Cheers

hvogt

[Jungmeister]

ATC in my experience nearly always has the callsigns on the screen or strips. The only exception is a new call unannounced and the first thing the ATC does is to write it down either electronically or on an official record.

The highly specialised GA operations at training fields here in Australia still use a "running sheet" to record callsigns and circuit sequences. I think that in extreme situations like Oshkosh, they don't rely on callsigns, but rather aircraft type and colour.

I think your memory test is rather specific to pilot procedures. I would suggest that most professionals would tend to scribble the callsign on a pad.:ok:
J

[ATCO1962]

No easy way, hvogt. I work in the Middle East and we get all the main players and every fly-by-night outfit in the book with a bunch of Russians just to add to this relaxing mixture:sad:

Simple memorisation of the main guys' three-letter designators is the norm and always have access to the ICAO document that contains all the decoded callsigns.

You must have some kit, jungmeister. I've been in the game over a quarter of a century and still haven't seen fully decoded callsigns on my radar. It seems that the three-letter designators are still used in most ATC units and you've just got to learn the callsigns.

Have a good one.

[Dr. Evil]

If you have a list of the 3-letter callsigns, then simply write each and one of them down on a small piece of paper with the answer on the reverse. If you have 200 callsigns you'll end up with a big pile of papers, but it works. Sit down and go through the pile one by one, read the callsign and try to memorise each one, the one you know you put in a different pile but the one you can't remember you put in the back until you manage them all. Repeat and repeat. It is simply a matter of remembering by heart. This technique worked for me when I did my basic ATC course many moons ago.

PS. In general this technique doesn't guarantee that you understand the questions being asked :8

[UAC48]

Here, you may found a list of about +6000 airlines...

http://vattk.tr-media.org/ICAO_Airlines.txt

Good luck with your 6000 pieces of paper...

And dont forget to let doors and windows strictly closed !...

[Scooby Don't]

I'm with Dr Evil and ATCO1962 on this - you just have to memorise them. However, you do end up just knowing them without consciously thinking about it. It a case of pattern recognition.

The beauty of using index cards is that you can shuffle them (preventing you only "knowing" them when they're in the same order every time) and you can take them just about anywhere.

[clipped_wings]

Bit of an academic question really as there are other visual as to the callsign decode.

The three letter c/s is written on the strip.

The destination or point of departure usually give a pretty good hint
of the operator or airline.

Usally the Aircraft calls you first, or somebody phones you and
says the c/s

Regardless you very quickly pick them up during OJT.

My own take is whoever is setting the test has very little recent operational experience or has to think of something to fill out the test.

Good luck regardless.

[DAL208]

ATC in my experience nearly always has the callsigns on the screen or strips. The only exception is a new call unannounced and the first thing the ATC does is to write it down either electronically or on an official record.


Not completely true anymore, EFPS (electronic strip system used in some UK towers) does not have the callsign below the ID. Unfortunately, you just have to memorise them.

Only advice can give to memorise is to pick easy ones to remember for an interview, i.e EZY = Easyjet RYN = Ryannair TOM = Thomson etc. of course you will probably be expected to know BAW = Speedbird.

[WildWesterner]

Don't listen to DAL208!!! :}

RYN isn't Ryanair (that'll be RYR). I think RYN might rather confusingly be 'Ryan International'. I stand to be corrected though.

WW

[Loki]

The one which gives almost everyone I know a bit of trouble is DHL....which is of course just that....DHL. Loads of people seeing that on a radar display go all dyslexic (why is that so difficult to spell) and read it as DLH... Lufthansa

[Jungmeister]

OK OK, I was a bit quick off the mark with all that stuff about the callsigns being on the strip. I guess I misunderstood the nature of the enquiry from hvogt. Even the Aussie ATC system (TAAATS) does not display the decode for the airline designator. Sometimes it is included in the FPL if you are lucky and that can be retrieved quite easily if you have the time and inclination. The ICAO list is a bit of a hassle. It is always a bit of a mystery when an odd one pops up. Usually the controller just waits for the first coordination to find out what the aircraft is using as a callsign.

Aah memories! Retirement is good.
J

[pdcta]

Also on our sistem is not displayed the callsign as we use electronic strips.
I always hope that is included in the FPL. Otherwise... there's ICAO decoder
Would not be necessary for the usual company such as KLM, BAW, AZA, AFR, DLH, BER ecc. but for the aeroservice companies, charters, cargo, summer-companies (that use to rise during the spring and to die in autumn). Happens also that someone don't know its radio callsign too: you call them with their name and they insist to readback the tri-letter code (like last evening when everytime I called Aliexpress the pilot readback was SMX).
Someone other who has a callsign too similiar to another, prefere to use the triletteral code: RFL is InFly and EEZ is E-Fly... Or ACL=Itali and AEY=AirItaly! Also LBY that is AlbanBelle and LBC Albanian... (always heard LBY and never AlbanBelle) DAT is B-Line and ABP B-Air! Damn... it's a chaos... and summer is coming!!

[hvogt]

Thanks for your answers everybody.

[DAL208]

Don't listen to DAL208!!! :}

RYN isn't Ryanair (that'll be RYR). I think RYN might rather confusingly be 'Ryan International'. I stand to be corrected though.



hahaha good point...the 'n' button is nowhere near the 'r' button so i have no excuse, shocking.:O

[1985]

On our strips, the decode is printed above the callsign ie

speedbird
BAW123

and there is also a nifty quicklook key on the keyboard so that it gets displayed on the radar if i ever forget or don't look at the strip.

[Loki]

1985

Interesting bit of history there.....operator callsigns weren`t on strips at West Drayton when operators had 2 letter codes (eg BA, AF, PA etc). When 3 letter ones were introduced, the 9020 boffins came up with a nifty patch to print the callsign out as you have described. It was only intended as a temporary feature I believe, and was retained after strong lobbying from the ops room.

[FinDir]

There are a few flights into Manchester that caused some confusion from time to time:

AUA - Austrian
AEU - FlyStar
AEA - Air Europa
REA - Air Arann

All seemed to blend into one

[Z10]

since we're just chatting along, we have the same here in the ACC where I work

All the "usual ones" are not printed, but when there is a "new one", the operator in the "flight data section" prints the spoken callsign.

I'm always looking forward to when VDAxxxx is coming along, I always like to say "Volga-Dnepr xxxx". Sadly they always answer with "victor delta alpha" :)

(if one of VDA-pilots are reading; please use your spoken callsign next time transiting ENBD-airspace :)

[Lurking123]

AWC = Zap. Obvious really :ugh: