View Full Version : new BEA callsign?
Following their name change, isn't it about time BEA change their callsign from "Jersey". I ask because the other day I heard ATC tell a foreign crew to "follow the Jersey European." All they could see was a British European a/c and this propagated r/t clutter whilst they ascertained that ATC meant the British European.
How about "Beeline" :) or do BA still have the rights to that one? Or, "Eurobrit" maybe?
Raw Data
2nd Apr 2001, 03:42
BEA? They stopped trading years ago. No idea what you are on about.
Of course you might be talking about BE, in which case it's a pity you don't know enough to get the name right.
As far as I know, not all the aircraft are painted in BE colours yet, some retain the JEA logos until it is their turn in the paint shop. In this case the ATCO would be quite correct. If it was a BE-liveried aircraft, I can only assume that the controller wasn't using his binoculars!
RAW DATA,
Did you need to be so smart and so rude? The company may publicly trade as British European but is it not registered as British European Airways Ltd? [just as it formerly traded as Jersey European but was registered Jersey European Airways Ltd.] Yes, the aircraft was painted in BRITISH European livery. Sorry if I upset you. Hope you have a real nice day today Captain. But don't fly through my sector :)
HugMonster
2nd Apr 2001, 11:07
I think that British Airways should also change their livery to "Speedbird" rather than having "British Airways" down the side, Brymon should start operating their own livery rather than masquerading as BA, ditto Manx - sorry - British Regional, and if anyone is still operating the old "Clipper" callsign their livery should display a set of garden shears.
You are both so busy with your sarcasm and superior knowhow that you fail to see my point. OK, here goes in plain language. For years JERSEY EUROPEAN used the callsign "Jersey". In other words "Jersey" was synonymous with JERSEY EUROPEAN. The company changes its name to BRITISH EUROPEAN but retains the callsign "Jersey". In THIS particular case I see this as potentially confusing. Liveries are not the issue in this post. Speedbird, Clipper, etc. are well established callsigns and, again, are irrelevant to my point.
By the way, "Clipper" is still in use today! It's used by Pan Am (now that's a coincidence), a U.S. company operating scheduled flights from Portsmouth NH with B727s. Our intrepid airline tycoon THE GUVNOR was intending to operate his Tristars to Portsmouth and link up with Pan Am if you remember.
[This message has been edited by Avman (edited 02 April 2001).]
BIK_116.80
2nd Apr 2001, 20:12
Avman, I think you may be mistaken.
Is it possible that you are confusing :
(1) "Jersey European Airways (UK) Ltd" trading as "British European"; with,
(2) "BEA" or "British European Airways", a name owned by and registered to "British Airways PLC"?
The real solution to this and a myriad of other "personality" problems will come when England catches up with the South Pacific nations and starts using datalink.
Datalink should save you a lot of time and frustration, Avman. At least ATC computers dont come with attitude.
Are we up here to give you someone to control from down there, or are you down there to facilitate us up here?
"Make 47 left hand orbits, report fuel exhaustion."
expedite_climb
2nd Apr 2001, 20:38
I was thinking about this the other day. Over the airwaves 'Jersey XXX' and 'JMC XXX' sound remarkably similar !
HugMonster
2nd Apr 2001, 20:46
Avman, don't get so hot under the collar.
For one thing, the new livery for British European (not BEA) is pretty much identical to the old one. So anyone who was familiar with Jersey's old livery will instantly recognise it.
If you're going to get worried about callsigns not matching up with liveries, there are much bigger fish out there for you to fry. Look at subbing.
I have seen:-
"Speedbird" in Titan colours (well, almost anything in Titan colours :)) "Lufthansa" in BMI colours "Alitalia" in Air Dolomiti colours "Gill" in Air France colours (Well, almost any callsign in Air France colours :)) "Gemstone" in all sorts of colours - just look for a HS748!
Why not get worried about all of those instead of a recognisable livery slightly altered whilst remaining recognisable?
Arkroyal
2nd Apr 2001, 21:50
Ah, but it still won't make any sense to a foreigner who's never heard of nor seen a Jersey European a/c before.
Raw and Hug, why do you have to be so insufferably smug?
tailscrape
2nd Apr 2001, 21:53
Ooh, all a bit catty in here!!
On the subject, I regularly hear and see at Cambridge the 328's of Scot Airways coming down the ILS on 23, BUT they still have the old "Suckling xxx" callsign. Or at least they did a while ago when I last heard it (about a month or so ago I guess), so it may have changed now. Don't shoot if it has. Just another example thats all.
Mind you , if you are at Cambridge and following a Suckling......you are probably lost!
Oh, and by the way Avman....don't pick a fight with Raw Data. You will lose . I always have!!Ta Ra for now!!
Tailscrape
p.s. The reason I say you will lose is cos he always has an answer for everything!
[This message has been edited by tailscrape (edited 02 April 2001).]
Fully agree with you Hugmonster re the examples you give. And there are many more. But that's yet another subject. I'll tell you something else, until some years ago we already had a cue as to who was calling simply by the accent. That doesn't work any more either. Bugger it I don't care, Jersey can keep their callsign; I'm off to watch footy on the box!
P.S. By the way boys, I do know all about the former British European Airways. Apart from flying on most of their fleet I remember well the daily confusion between London and Preston ATC (I worked at Preston) with the BE5055 to GLA and BE5505 to EDI. London often got them mixed up. Caused an airmiss once. But that's another story.
Dr Jekyll
3rd Apr 2001, 16:03
Of course there was also Birmingham Executive Airways, who changed their name to Birmingham European Airways round about 1990.
HugMonster
3rd Apr 2001, 23:54
If it's any consolation to people, I gather that British European will probably be changing their callsign.
And Arkroyal? If someone doesn't have the faintest idea who he's supposed to be following to the hold, he can always ask - or didn't that occur to you?
Reminds me of the aircraft told by GND to follow the easyJet. Seeing only a whitetail 737, he said:-
"I thought they all have their phone number down the side?"
"Yes, normally - but this one's ex-directory. Contact TWR on...."
And Avman? Know what you mean about the accent. I was recently positioning aboard Ryanair, seated at the front of the cabin opposite the #1, and as she announced "on behalf of the crew, First Officer Mick O'Brien (or whatever the name was) and Captain Smzc... Czynz... Sczyn... welcome aboard..." and I chipped in "So he's not Irish, then?" and managed to crease her and her mate up totally!
[This message has been edited by HugMonster (edited 03 April 2001).]