Airfield. ICAO codes

[BolkowJunior]

Hi folks after a brief conversation with my Son, I am trying to work out the Logic of Airfield codes so, for example , what is the logic behind EG prefix (can't be EnGland as Edinburg and Glasgow etc use it) Mildenhall and Lakenheath have EG UL EG UN and Conningsby , Waddington have EGXC , EGXW. Any ideas of the logic, or is it just random?

[Talkdownman]

When you have worked it out let us know…

How about maybe it originated as Europe - Great Britain - AFTN Comms Centre - Identifier, and then became a little random after some comms centres closed? A number of UK location indicators have been re-allocated over the years.

[texmurphy]

Hi ... check this out:
International Civil Aviation Organization airport code - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Civil_Aviation_Organization_airport_code)

[Una Due Tfc]

The first letter designates the region of the world. There's no logic behind this. "E" denotes Northern Europe, "L" denotes Southern Europe, "K" is the United States etc.

The second letter is the country. This normally (though not always) makes sense. The "G" in EGXX denotes Great Britain, the "I" in LIXX denotes Italy, etc.

Some countries have the first letters to themselves EG the US is the only country with "K", so the last 3 letters denote the airfield there, EG KJFK is Kennedy, KBOS is Boston Logan, KLAX, KSFO, all obvious. Some aren't though.

The last 2 letters denote the airport in most countries. Sometimes these make sense EG LIRF is Rome Fiumicino, LEBL is Barcelona. Many of the UK ones don't for some reason (EGPF is Glasgow), many do (EGBB is Birmingham)

[zondaracer]

International Civil Aviation Organization airport code - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Civil_Aviation_Organization_airport_code#/media/File:ICAO_FirstLetter.svg)

International Civil Aviation Organization airport code - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Civil_Aviation_Organization_airport_code#/media/File:ICAO-countries.png)

[fujii]

Until about twenty years ago, Australia used A, e.g. AMML was Melbourne. A Australia, M Melbourne FIR/AFTN address, ML, Melbourne airport. Then Australia became Y which produced YMML. New Guinea got the A. Adelaide went from AAAD to YPAD when it was combined with Perth region. Now all AFTN is handled in the Brisbane message centre. Existing controlled airports maintained their codes. New controlled and uncontrolled airports used the Australian Y plus a three letter code. E.g. YCFS Coffs Harbour (controlled) YRID Riddell (uncontrolled).

[Talkdownman]

UK Third letter once upon a time (sixties…) was all down to the AFTN 'switching centre', ie.

A = 'Aldergrove AFTN Comms Centre'
B = 'Birmingham AFTN Comms Centre'
C = Manch etc
D = military
F = Cardiff
G = Croydon
H = Hurn
J = Jersey
K = Gatwick
L = Heathrow
N = Preston
O = military
P = Prestwick
Q = ScATCC Mil
R = Met Office
S = Stansted
T = LATCC
U = Uxbridge
V/W/X/Y = MOD/military

The fourth letter might have had some tenuous connection with the location if the latter was lucky.

[DeafOldFart]

I accept the randomness and read very carefully before entering the destination code...... dyslexics may have issues!
Hint - cover the code with a convenient item, then reveal one letter at a time while entering one at a time!!!
As an EGTO dweller, I cannot see any connection between this reference and any associated local name....

[Talkdownman]

'Ochester was on the LATCC (EGTT) AFTN comms link…
You missed out on the R, that went to ElsTRee….which, prior to EGTR, was via Heathrow AFTN comms centre as EGLE…

The ICAO code allocator operative might too have been dyslexic...

[vespasia]

In Italy's case, the 3rd letter is the usually the FIR in which the airfield lies, and the last letter is just an individual designator which doesn't necessarily make sense e.g. LIRF = Southern Europe, Italy, Roma FIR, Fiumicino and LIMF = Southern Europe, Italy, Milan FIR, Torino......

[jmmoric]

B=North Atlantic Region

I=Reykjavik FIR (Iceland)
G=Sondrestrom FIR (Greenland)

The last two denotes the airfield, some with historical ties like BGBW=Narsarsuaq named Bluie West 1 when established during the war. Others more recent like BGAA=Aasiaat.

[barry lloyd]

Many of the UK ones don't for some reason (EGPF is Glasgow), many do (EGBB is Birmingham)

E Europe
G Great Britain
P Prestwick AFTN switching centre
F Possibly the F from Renfrew, which was Glasgow's airport when the codes were allocated.

Both Speke (EGGP) and Ronaldsway (EGGS) had code prefixes which suggest they were linked to Croydon, rather than Manchester. Perhaps someone in ICAO had a sense of humour, or maybe it was the 'S'. Nowadays Ronaldsway is EGNS.

[barry lloyd]

B=North Atlantic Region

I=Reykjavik FIR (Iceland)
G=Sondrestrom FIR (Greenland)

The last two denotes the airfield, some with historical ties like BGBW=Narsarsuaq named Bluie West 1 when established during the war. Others more recent like BGAA=Aasiaat.

True, but ICAO has now run out of code combinations for Europe, which means that Pristina (Kosovo) has, bizarrely, had the code BKPR allocated to it, just to confuse those of use who use them :)

[Loki]

Some of the British ones may be remembered by handy associations

e.g EGHR (HR = Horse Racing) = Goodwood

[Tom!]

EGGW always confuses me, one day I'm going to end up in Luton instead of Gatwick :O

[Denti]

Germany is kinda unique as it used to exist in two different states and was therefore appointed two different country codes, D for west germany, T for east germany. After the reunification both codes were kept for germany and D used for civil airfields, T for military ones. The third character is used quite differently between civil and military airfields. For military airfields it shows who is the main user of the airfield (US air force, US army, german army, german airforce north, german airforce south, german navy, UK RAF/army).

For civil airports a letter D as third character means it is an international airport, for smaller airfields it shows in which AIS area of the nearest international airport it is, well, until they centralised AIS that is. The last letter should be the first letter of the name of the closest town/city, or whatever fits best if that isn't available anymore.

E Europe, north
D Germany, civil airport
D International airport.
B Berlin-Schönefeld (actually, it is meant for the "new" never opened airport close the SXF, BER)

[Musket90]

I agree with Talkdownman's UK 3rd letter allocation. Can't work out how the 4th letter applies to certain places although it sometimes ran in sequence according to location, eg EGNT (Newcastle), EGNU (Sunderland/Usworth which closed in the 70's), EGNV (Teeside, now Durham Tees valley)
The Preston ATCC was EGNN.

[barry lloyd]

EGGW always confuses me, one day I'm going to end up in Luton instead of Gatwick

I'll second that. Where did that W come from? It's always been called Luton - hasn't it?

[DaveReidUK]

Luton used to be EGLN (same AFTN switch as Heathrow).

When it was moved to the Croydon network, I'd guess that EGGL was considered to have the potential for confusion with EGLL, so it was assigned another arbitrary, unused letter.

[Just a spotter]

Anyone from the assembled PPRuNe brains trust care to suggest why Dublin is EIDW? The E and I are self evident, but why DW? :bored:

JAS

[barry lloyd]

Anyone from the assembled PPRuNe brains trust care to suggest why Dublin is EIDW? The E and I are self evident, but why DW?

JAS

My guess would be D for Dublin and the W from Collinstown, the original name of the airport.

[barry lloyd]

Luton used to be EGLN (same AFTN switch as Heathrow).

When it was moved to the Croydon network, I'd guess that EGGL was considered to have the potential for confusion with EGLL, so it was assigned another arbitrary, unused letter.

That makes sense, but ironically, as previously mentioned, it can be confused with Gatwick, but perhaps Gatwick wasn't around at the time?

[Talkdownman]

EGGL was originally allocated to Lulsgate

Pre-c.1960 the UK civil location indicators began with G, and the mil with M, eg.

GALA was Heathrow ('London Airport') > EGLL (Switching centre)
GABA Croydon aerodrome (as opposed to the Civil Aviation Comms Centre)
GAOA Blackbushe > EGLK
GASA Eastleigh > EGHI
GASU Portsmouth > EGHP
GASR Hamble > EGHM
GAUA Hurn > EGHH (Switching centre)
GAVA Lulsgate > EGGL > EGGD

Some Hampshire military:

MAXF Farnborough
MAYO Odiham
MAZL Lasham

Whilst we are on letters, some of the RAF aircraft, usually transport, used five-letter callsigns which were occasionally painted on the nose.
eg. the RAE Comet was MPDXA. MOBCY was a Beverley. Maybe some more will come to me in the middle of the night...

I liked the call from the Amsterdam-Ronaldsway Viscount routing from 'Ham to Eggs'

[kcockayne]

Talkdownman

MOGCC. Hastings
MPTLA , LB , LC etc. Valetta
& I'm certain that you are correct with the Beverley.

Brings it all back

to add to your list, I think Thorney Island was EGUV - but could be wrong.

[kcockayne]

ON reflection! the MPTLA-s were actually Varsitys; I think.

[Talkdownman]

Yup, Thorney was UV, then latterly YT before closure.