View Full Version : Shuttle??
Easy226
30th Jan 2002, 02:21
Which airline has the callsign 'Shuttle'??
Wycombe
30th Jan 2002, 02:53
British Airways, for flight on the "shuttle" routes, from London Heathrow to Edinburgh, Glasgow, Manchester and until recently Belfast Aldergrove.
The numbering goes something like:
SHT2x LHR-MAN. .SHT3x MAN-LHR. .SHT6x LHR-GLA. .SHT7x GLA-LHR. .SHT8x LHR-EDI. .SHT9x EDI-LHR
- where "x" is a single letter of the Alphabet.
The flights to and from BFS used to be SHT4x and SHT5x respectively.
Think I've got this right!
Easy226
30th Jan 2002, 11:35
Oh right thanks a lot, i never new that ther airplanes callsign tolod you what route it was running!! I think i heard 'Shuttle Two Romeo' last night
Duke of Burgundy
30th Jan 2002, 18:59
The "Shuttle" call-signs are used only for radio communication between ATC and the aircrew. Your ticket will have a BA flight number on it e.g. . .BA 1487 is the 1650 Shuttle flight from Glasgow to Heathrow.
The Shuttle call-signs were introduced in the 1970s following a number of incidents caused by the fact that all the actual flight numbers of these services were very similar and on occasions ATC would inadvertently give an instruction to the wrong aircraft or a pilot would respond to an instruction intended for somebody else.
I think on the whole they have been successful although call-sign confusion is an ongoing problem.
<img src="confused.gif" border="0"> <img src="confused.gif" border="0"> <img src="confused.gif" border="0">
Easy226
31st Jan 2002, 01:43
So why do airlines have callsigns then??-Why cant they be called by their airline name??
HEATHROW DIRECTOR
31st Jan 2002, 13:52
DAN156. Many callsigns do contain the airline name but the BA Shuttle division use "Shuttle" and for their other services BA use "Speedbird".
Am I correct in my understanding that when mode-S is fully implemented (2007?) individual aircraft will be uniquely identified on radar, and fly on their registrations?
HEATHROW DIRECTOR
31st Jan 2002, 15:59
1261. Somebody mentioned that at work recently. It doesn't worry me too much as I shall have long gone.. but if registrations are used how will the stored flight plan system function?
Duke of Burgundy
31st Jan 2002, 17:18
The basic functionality of the Mode S transponder must enable it to automatically report the aircraft`s identity.
Aircraft identity is defined as the call-sign detailed in the flight-plan or if no flight-plan has been filed, the registration marking of the aircraft.
<img src="rolleyes.gif" border="0"> <img src="rolleyes.gif" border="0"> <img src="rolleyes.gif" border="0">
HEATHROW DIRECTOR
31st Jan 2002, 19:47
Chris... OK fine but the stored flight plan system works on the basis of the flight numbers being used day after day. The airlines obviously will not be able to use the same a/c for the same services every day so how will the stored plan system function.... or do we revert to hand-written plans??
HD,
I'm told that the repetitive flight plan will be in the system as now, but at some point before the flight the a/c ID will be added to it, when known.
Gonzo.
Stan By
1st Feb 2002, 04:58
Why bother?
HEATHROW DIRECTOR
1st Feb 2002, 17:16
Gonzo - glad I'll be out of it. As you know only too well, some airlines have difficulty telling us about changes of type... if they get the callsigns wrong too it'll be quite amusing, eh?
PS Glad I'm at home in the snug with 23 in use!!
HD,
Agree completely, on all counts!
Was contemplating going in and laughing at those working, but I reckoned that would not be kind <img src="cool.gif" border="0"> .
Gonzo.
Duke of Burgundy
2nd Feb 2002, 16:24
Heathrow Director. I don`t know if this will answer your question about the stored flight plan system, but the aircraft identity ie trip number on the flight plan will be input into the Mode S transponder by the crew by some means and then downlinked to the radar, obviating the need for a Mode A SSR code and the call-sign conversion by the ground radar system as happens at the moment.
This will address the problem of SSR code saturation.