View Full Version : BA + Airtours Registrations- Where do they come from?
G-BPEC
23rd Jul 2001, 16:58
Now, I have far too much time on my hands, and so recently in an attempt to kill some of it off, I have been curious as to where airlines get their registrations and registration "bits" from- for example...
BA's B777 fleet, G-VIIx
VII, Roman numerals for Seven.
G-ZZZx
ZZZ, looks like 777 (apparently).
So what about the 757 fleet? Where did BIK and BPE and CPE come from? And the 747's? BDX/CIV/BNL/AWN??? 737's G-DOCx?
Sad I know, but I have an urge to discover why these letters were chosen.
Also, Airtours regestrations never cease to perplex and confuse my simple mind. G-TMDP? G-RJGR? G-LCRC? G-PIDS? G-VOLH? G-JSJX? G-MCEA? G-TDTW? G-JALC? Where do they come from? Are the staff members initials or something?
It's just one of those things which has always interested me.
Anyone have any ideas? Not just BA and AIH, any airlines welcomed.
'ec
[ 23 July 2001: Message edited by: G-BPEC ]
Deeko01
23rd Jul 2001, 18:18
You're right G-BPEC you do have 2 much time on your hands!!!! :rolleyes: :rolleyes:
G-BPEC
23rd Jul 2001, 18:54
Deeko,
I know, small things amuse small minds eh?!!!
Seriously though, it is just one of those things that makes you curious, just interested.
'ec
Deeko01
23rd Jul 2001, 19:03
only kidding mate I certainly don't know!!!
PaperTiger
23rd Jul 2001, 20:30
Up until the 1970s, British reggies were allocated in a strict sequence.
The AWNx, BIKx and BPEx sequences just came up in that order, although the BPEx jumped ahead a bit as homage to the old Guards Vans (G-APEx). BA also avoids having concurrent planes with same 'last two'. The CPEx came about because they forgot to reserve enough in the BPEx series.
When the CAA abandoned the sequential rule, BA joined in 'making up' reggies. 777s are obvious like you say, CIVx I guess IV=4(00) , DOCx I have no idea what this is supposed to convey. I believe you are correct in Kestrel's being people's initals.
All a bit anorakkie, but this stuff either interests one (like me) or not.
Backing up the AIH intials theory, it would seem that G-MLJL is for Mike Lee, chairman of the aviation division, and his wife, Juliet Lee.
This follows in other Airtours registrations where the 2nd and 4th letters are the same, implying a family surname . . . ie MDBD, MOJO (though I doubt that one is initials!), CSVS, LCRC etc, though I have no idea what each one stands for!
Hope this helps slightly,
SFly :)
Tarek Nor
24th Jul 2001, 18:01
I was told that the BA regs are done that
way to reduce the chance of confusion between
idividual a/c, and also types. I was lead to
believe it was to do with a conflict (potential or actual) between the B747-136's in the G-AWNx sequence, and the B767's in G-BNWx sequence.
Rgds
T N
chiglet
24th Jul 2001, 20:48
'PEC
BAW, GPxxx, sequential
G7, New a/c
AIH, G????? Family, Friends, Directors, etc {I cannot remember ALL the initials of Airtours peeps and the Register)
AMM GOOOA etc, sequence unless it 'Nudges' ie GOOFY!
Mon, et al "the same"! You or I can pay £250 and have our own aeroplane reg!!!!!!!!!!!
we aim to please, it keeps th cleaners happy
TheLizard
24th Jul 2001, 20:49
Ones I heard of:
GB AIRWAYS
A321s G-TTI_ (T-hree T-wo/T-wenty 1)
A320s G-TTO_ (T-hree T-wo/T-wenty 0)
BRYMON
DHC8s G-NVS_ N-oise & V-ibration Suppression (or something similar) [DHC8Qs]
BRITISH AIRWAYS
B777s G-YMM_ Y2K / Year 2000 in roman numerals
Older ones:
AIR ANGLIA
F27 G-SPUD - for Spud Murphy, former chief pilot (I believe)
F27 G-STAN - for start of AQ ops from Stansted
AIR EUROPE
Regd first half dozen B737s for founding members:
G-BMEC for Errol Cossey
G-BMHG for Harry Goodman
G-BMOR for Martin O'Regan
G-BMSM for Stephen Matthews
G-BRJP for Roy Phillips
G-DDDV for Capt Desmond de Verteuil
Can't think of any others off the top of my head...
=======
Lizard
foghorn
25th Jul 2001, 02:48
And there was me thinking that BA's G-VIXX was just an attempt to steal some out-of-sequence registrations that Sir Richard might want one day :)
Dr Faustus
25th Jul 2001, 10:32
G BPEC
In the Airtours Boeing fleet, G JALC is known as Just Another Loada Cr@p, and G PIDS is Passengers In Deep Sh*t. :D
[ 25 July 2001: Message edited by: Dr Faustus ]
G-BPEC
25th Jul 2001, 10:45
Dr F, I take it that wasn't concocted by company officials? :) Some interesting responses here, I thought they might all just be random letters (the reggies not the responses) Keep 'em coming!
G-BPEC
PaperTiger
25th Jul 2001, 11:02
Air Anglia's F-28s were G-JCWW and G-WWJC.
WW is Wilbur Wright (no, not that one) and his co-founder was Phil Chapman (still with KLMUK I think) so I don't know where the J came from.
The JC In the Air Anglia F28 Registrations actually stood for J. G. Crampton Founder of Norfolk Airways which merged with several other companies to form Air Anglia.
In trim
30th Jul 2001, 17:44
BA use their 'FICO' computer system to manage their fleets, and this works on the last three characters of the registration. e.g. PEC (for G-BPEC), XAR (for G-BXAR) etc. Whenever they add a new aircraft (or fleet) they need to bear this in mind, and try to come up with something whereby the last 3 characters are (a) unique and (b) clearly identify the fleet, where possible.
e.g. 757's were IKA, IKB....then the PEA, PEB series. 747 Classics were DXA, DXB, etc.
(Edited by the spelling police!)
[ 30 July 2001: Message edited by: In trim ]
Spoonbill
30th Jul 2001, 23:06
How about the Italian registered Ralleye aircraft registered in the early 80's:
I - FU*K, absoutely genuine :eek:
DaveyBoy
30th Jul 2001, 23:58
And I refuse to believe that the first two Concorde registrations... G-BOAA and G-BOAB were chosen without knowing what the third would be...
I bet there's a plane spotters website somewhere which deals with this extensively :)
G-BOAC wa the first BA Concorde - not the 3rd! :cool:
Flightrider
1st Aug 2001, 02:57
In-trim is right about BA trying to avoid duplicating the last three letters of any registration due to the ops system. It causes some interesting problems when the franchisee fleets conflict with BA's on that score.
The worst chosen registrations I ever saw on UK aircraft were two of TEA UK's 737-300s which were G-DIAR and G-NAFH. They apparently referred to the state of the engineering work to get it into service (Done In A Rush) and the speed at which Commercial wanted the aircraft into service (Not A F***ing Hope).
Previous authors are correct in that Airtours' aircraft registrations do mostly comprise directors and their wives' intials. There must be some exceptions - or else I'd be fascinated to know who 767 G-DIMB was registered after?
Other gems from the past included Manx ATP G-OATP (became universally known as Goat Pee).
how about EI-EIO - yes - it does(or did) exist :D
Several of the Airtours aircraft don't follow the rules as far as their registrations are concerned, such as GDIMB, GSJMC, GDAJC, GPIDS, GDJAR, GRJGR etc.
We'll have to ask Mr Lee (chairman) about the AIH reg's.
SFly :)
Wet Power
2nd Aug 2001, 13:40
More directors egos in the past with Air UK/Buzz BAe146s:
G-UKID Ian Davidson
G-UKSC Stuart Carson
G-UKPC Phil Chapman
G-UKAC Alan Cottle
etc etc
G-BPEC
2nd Aug 2001, 21:06
Some interesting ones here. Anyone know where the following originate?
Monarch's
G-DAJB
G-EOMA
G-OZBx
G-SMAN
Britannia's
G-BYNx
Airtours
G-SJMC
G-DAJC
Virgin;s
G-VELD
Cheers,
G-BPEC
overstress
3rd Aug 2001, 01:56
Foghorn: no truth in the rumour that the bearded pullover will buy BZZ - after all, its ICAO desig is EGVN - Virgin Airport!
Hmm, let's see . . .
Monarch's G-OZB- series is just a generic one for their two-letter designator (ZB), with an "O" stuck on the beginning. Airlines seem to be getting into this "O---" habit now, (eg Britannia "OBY-" and I think British Midland are doing that too). GSMAN is not in a series but one of two A330's (the other GEOMA) so it could be where the aircraft is based (Manchester even though it really goes all over the place and the airline is based in Luton).
Britannia . . . I wasn't aware that they had a "BYN-" series . . . oh yes, the new 737s, well they do have a huge "BYA-" series which consists of 2 767s and all their 757s. The BYN and BYA are just generic ones again (BY being their designator).
Airtours, as mentioned, is a jumble of director's freinds and families etc, but I'm not sure about SJMC and DAJC . . . maybe somebody in the Crossland family? (Founders of Airtours ie "MC" "JC"). To me they are just "Mike Charlie", "Juliet Charlie" etc!
Not sure about VIR.
Hope this helps a little, :D
SFly
[ 03 August 2001: Message edited by: SFly ]
PaperTiger
3rd Aug 2001, 07:52
Not sure about VIR
Think Johannesburg - South Africa - the veld; G-VELD geddit ? Could just as easily have been G-VJNB I suppose.
G-BPEC
4th Aug 2001, 11:58
I have always been curious as to the motives of Virgin for G-VPUF
javelin
4th Aug 2001, 22:46
How about the ex Premiair DC 10 registration OY-CNT ! Nearly fell off my seat when i saw that one taxi past.
Fright Level
5th Aug 2001, 14:55
Alitalia have an MD11 reg I-BUST which pretty well sums up the company.
Rod
PaperTiger
5th Aug 2001, 20:34
Alitalia have an MD11 reg I-BUST
That's an AirBUS 300, but I-DUPE is an MD-11. They once had a Viscount (aaah !) I-LIRE and their predecessor LAI had some nice reggies I-LAKE, I-LADY etc.
davidgw
6th Aug 2001, 13:33
Years ago Shell used a Gulfstream 2 out of EGLL, it was G-BDMF.
As you can imagine when operating over the pond, our friends in the colonies called it:
Great Big Dirty Mutha F****r
:rolleyes:
There used to be a light aircraft SE-GUL, that would sometimes get the twitchers excited in these parts!!! :D
G-PIDS = Great Pterordactyl in Desert Sunshine (re: Davis Montham)
[ 06 August 2001: Message edited by: Plide Gath ]