Old British airline callsigns
I think you could be right. Thanks! 
EDIT: Just had a quick look Here and it gives "TIBBET" for Hatfield. Ah well, pretty close, either way.
EDIT: Just had a quick look Here and it gives "TIBBET" for Hatfield. Ah well, pretty close, either way.
Last edited by spekesoftly; 20th Jan 2007 at 18:54.
Newpin is definitely still in use by Raytheon at Hawarden. I believe Tarnish is still used at Warton? Yeovil's callsign Judwin Tower (still in use?) is not geographical but is Westland's prefix dating back to WW2. (Source: Air-Britain)
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Old British airline callsigns
Mooncrest, as a more "senior member", I have just come across my original issue UK Air Pilot, which I am ashamed to say has remained unamended since about 1969!
However, within the COM Section at Appendix 9 is a list of "Telegraphy and Radiotelephony Abbreviations (for) Aircraft Operating Agencies". The page is dated 26.1.68.
Here is the gist of it - it may be of interest ...
Airborne Aviation Services (Gatwick) Ltd / YI / -
Air Couriers Ltd / QU / MESSENGER
Air Ferry, Ltd / LK / AIR FERRY
Air Links Ltd / IK / -
Air London / MI / -
Airwork Services Training / - / AIRWORK
Atlas Air Express / LS / -
Autair International Airways Ltd / OU / AUTAIR
Automobile Association / - / FANUM
Aviation Charter Enterprises Ltd / FC / -
B.A.C. (Filton Division) / OF / -
Bedfordshire Air Centre Ltd / - / BEDSAIR
Bees Flight,Ltd, / BF / BUMBLE
B.K.S. Air Transport, Ltd / BK / BEEKAYESS
Bristol Siddeley Engines Ltd / BT / -
Britannia Airways Ltd / BY / BRITANNIA
British Eagle International Airlines Ltd / EG / EAGLE
British European Airways Corporation / BE / BEALINE
British Insulated Callenders Cables Ltd / BC / BICAL
British Midland Airways Ltd / BD / BRITISH MIDLAND
British Overseas Airways Corporation / BA / SPEEDBIRD
British United Airways / BR / BRITISH UNITED
British United Air Ferries Ltd / VF / BRITISH UNITED
British United (C.I.), Ltd / JY / BRITISH UNITED
Bristow Helicopters, Ltd / - / BRISTOW
British United (Manx) Airways / NX / -
Business Aircraft Users Association, Ltd / - / BIZAIR
Caledonian AIrways Ltd / CA / CALEDONIAN
Cambrian Airways, Ltd / CS / CAMBRIAN
Cardinal Air Taxis Ltd / KG / CARDINAL
Channel Airways Ltd / CW / CHANNEL AIR
Civil Aviation Flying Unit / MC / MINAIR
Club Aviation (Cheltenham), Ltd / - / CHELTHAM
Chartair Ltd / - / CHARTAIR
Dan-Air Services, Ltd / DA / DANAIR
Don Everall (Aviation), Ltd / ER / EVERALL
Duncan Logan (Contractors), Ltd / DU / LOGANAIR
Dunlop Rubber Co., Ltd (Aviation Division) / DP / DUNLOP
Emerald Airways Ltd / EF / -
E. Raffles and Co. Ltd / - / RAFFLES
E.S. and A. Robinson / RL / -
Executive Air Transport Ltd / EZ / EXECUTIVE
Executive (Handling) Services Ltd Gatwick / YE / -
Fairey Air Surveys Ltd / FY / -
Ferranti Ltd / FB / -
Field Aircraft Services Ltd / FS / -
Flight Refuelling Ltd / FR / TANKAIR
Granada TV Network Ltd / GD / GRANADA
Gregory Air Services Ltd / GZ / GREGAIR
Herts. and Essex Aero Club, Ltd / HZ / HARTEX
Hunting Surveys Ltd / HG / -
International Helicopters Ltd / - / SKYCRANE
Invicta Airways Ltd / IM / -
Iraq Petroleum Co. Ltd / - / IPC
King Aviation Ltd / - / KINGAVIA
Laker Airways Ltd / GK / LAKER
Lloyd International Airways Ltd / LW / -
Manchester Airport Agencies / MJ / -
Manx Airlines, Ltd / - / MANXMAN
Marshalls' Flying Services, Ltd / MF / MARSHALL
McVitie & Price. Ltd / - / MCVITIE
Morton Air Services, Ltd / MT / MORTON
Northern Air Taxis Ltd / NT / NORTHAIR
North Sea Air Transport, Ltd / NS / NORSEA
Nuclear Power Group / NP / NUPOWER
Plymouth Aero Club, Ltd / PL / PLYFLY
Pressed Steel Co., Ltd (Aviation Division) / PX / PRESTAIR
Royal Air Force / - / RAFAIR
Royal Navy / - / NAVAIR
Sir Alfred McA1pine & Sons Ltd / - / MCALPINE
Skycabs / - / SKYCABS
Sky Charters Ltd / JE / -
Skyfame Ltd / - / SKYFAME
Skyways, Ltd / SY / SKYWAY
Skywork Ltd / - / AIRMOVE
Southend Municipal Flying School / SM / SCOFLY
Starways. Ltd / WY / STARWAYS
Surrey and Kent Flying Club Ltd / - / KENTAIR
Swift Travel Services Ltd / SS / -
The Air Taxi Operators Association Ltd / - / TAXAIR
The Rank Organisation Ltd / - / RANKJET
Tradair / TQ / TRADAIR
Trans Meridian Flying Services Ltd / TO / TRANS MERIDIAN
Treffield International Airways Ltd
(Formerly Treffield Aviation Ltd) / TJ / (1) TREFFIELD (2) SKYFRATE
United Biscuit Co Ltd / - / YOOBEE
United Steel Companies Ltd / UZ / UNISTEEL
Universal F1ying Services, Ltd / UF / UNIFLY
Westair Flying Services Ltd / - / CESSNAIR
Western Airways, Ltd / WN / WESTWAY
Wiltshire School of Flying. Ltd / WS / AEROWILT
Yorkshire Flying Services Ltd / - / YORKAIR
Jumbo Driver
However, within the COM Section at Appendix 9 is a list of "Telegraphy and Radiotelephony Abbreviations (for) Aircraft Operating Agencies". The page is dated 26.1.68.
Here is the gist of it - it may be of interest ...
Airborne Aviation Services (Gatwick) Ltd / YI / -
Air Couriers Ltd / QU / MESSENGER
Air Ferry, Ltd / LK / AIR FERRY
Air Links Ltd / IK / -
Air London / MI / -
Airwork Services Training / - / AIRWORK
Atlas Air Express / LS / -
Autair International Airways Ltd / OU / AUTAIR
Automobile Association / - / FANUM
Aviation Charter Enterprises Ltd / FC / -
B.A.C. (Filton Division) / OF / -
Bedfordshire Air Centre Ltd / - / BEDSAIR
Bees Flight,Ltd, / BF / BUMBLE
B.K.S. Air Transport, Ltd / BK / BEEKAYESS
Bristol Siddeley Engines Ltd / BT / -
Britannia Airways Ltd / BY / BRITANNIA
British Eagle International Airlines Ltd / EG / EAGLE
British European Airways Corporation / BE / BEALINE
British Insulated Callenders Cables Ltd / BC / BICAL
British Midland Airways Ltd / BD / BRITISH MIDLAND
British Overseas Airways Corporation / BA / SPEEDBIRD
British United Airways / BR / BRITISH UNITED
British United Air Ferries Ltd / VF / BRITISH UNITED
British United (C.I.), Ltd / JY / BRITISH UNITED
Bristow Helicopters, Ltd / - / BRISTOW
British United (Manx) Airways / NX / -
Business Aircraft Users Association, Ltd / - / BIZAIR
Caledonian AIrways Ltd / CA / CALEDONIAN
Cambrian Airways, Ltd / CS / CAMBRIAN
Cardinal Air Taxis Ltd / KG / CARDINAL
Channel Airways Ltd / CW / CHANNEL AIR
Civil Aviation Flying Unit / MC / MINAIR
Club Aviation (Cheltenham), Ltd / - / CHELTHAM
Chartair Ltd / - / CHARTAIR
Dan-Air Services, Ltd / DA / DANAIR
Don Everall (Aviation), Ltd / ER / EVERALL
Duncan Logan (Contractors), Ltd / DU / LOGANAIR
Dunlop Rubber Co., Ltd (Aviation Division) / DP / DUNLOP
Emerald Airways Ltd / EF / -
E. Raffles and Co. Ltd / - / RAFFLES
E.S. and A. Robinson / RL / -
Executive Air Transport Ltd / EZ / EXECUTIVE
Executive (Handling) Services Ltd Gatwick / YE / -
Fairey Air Surveys Ltd / FY / -
Ferranti Ltd / FB / -
Field Aircraft Services Ltd / FS / -
Flight Refuelling Ltd / FR / TANKAIR
Granada TV Network Ltd / GD / GRANADA
Gregory Air Services Ltd / GZ / GREGAIR
Herts. and Essex Aero Club, Ltd / HZ / HARTEX
Hunting Surveys Ltd / HG / -
International Helicopters Ltd / - / SKYCRANE
Invicta Airways Ltd / IM / -
Iraq Petroleum Co. Ltd / - / IPC
King Aviation Ltd / - / KINGAVIA
Laker Airways Ltd / GK / LAKER
Lloyd International Airways Ltd / LW / -
Manchester Airport Agencies / MJ / -
Manx Airlines, Ltd / - / MANXMAN
Marshalls' Flying Services, Ltd / MF / MARSHALL
McVitie & Price. Ltd / - / MCVITIE
Morton Air Services, Ltd / MT / MORTON
Northern Air Taxis Ltd / NT / NORTHAIR
North Sea Air Transport, Ltd / NS / NORSEA
Nuclear Power Group / NP / NUPOWER
Plymouth Aero Club, Ltd / PL / PLYFLY
Pressed Steel Co., Ltd (Aviation Division) / PX / PRESTAIR
Royal Air Force / - / RAFAIR
Royal Navy / - / NAVAIR
Sir Alfred McA1pine & Sons Ltd / - / MCALPINE
Skycabs / - / SKYCABS
Sky Charters Ltd / JE / -
Skyfame Ltd / - / SKYFAME
Skyways, Ltd / SY / SKYWAY
Skywork Ltd / - / AIRMOVE
Southend Municipal Flying School / SM / SCOFLY
Starways. Ltd / WY / STARWAYS
Surrey and Kent Flying Club Ltd / - / KENTAIR
Swift Travel Services Ltd / SS / -
The Air Taxi Operators Association Ltd / - / TAXAIR
The Rank Organisation Ltd / - / RANKJET
Tradair / TQ / TRADAIR
Trans Meridian Flying Services Ltd / TO / TRANS MERIDIAN
Treffield International Airways Ltd
(Formerly Treffield Aviation Ltd) / TJ / (1) TREFFIELD (2) SKYFRATE
United Biscuit Co Ltd / - / YOOBEE
United Steel Companies Ltd / UZ / UNISTEEL
Universal F1ying Services, Ltd / UF / UNIFLY
Westair Flying Services Ltd / - / CESSNAIR
Western Airways, Ltd / WN / WESTWAY
Wiltshire School of Flying. Ltd / WS / AEROWILT
Yorkshire Flying Services Ltd / - / YORKAIR
Jumbo Driver
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Thanks, Jumbo Driver, certainly is of interest! Quite a memory-jerker, not least of which brings back memories of lugging around that Jan 68 big red Air Pilot during my Primary Course at Hurn.....and the memory of the consecutive sections of it: AGA/COM/MET/RAC/FAL/SAR/MAP/GEN. Sad.....or what......and used to fly in 'Minair Fox Tango' during the lunchbreaks.....
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Talkdownman
...and I've just found the Radio Facilities Chart (11.1.68) ...
There are NDB's at Hurn and Fawley, a VDF at Southampton and Hamble (sigh), and a VOR at Ibsley ...
Oh, and I see Heathrow has 5 operational runways ... 05L/23R, 05R/23L, 10L/28R, 10R/28L and 15R/33L ...
... not many airways - but fan markers simply everywhere ...
Jumbo Driver
...and I've just found the Radio Facilities Chart (11.1.68) ...
There are NDB's at Hurn and Fawley, a VDF at Southampton and Hamble (sigh), and a VOR at Ibsley ...
Oh, and I see Heathrow has 5 operational runways ... 05L/23R, 05R/23L, 10L/28R, 10R/28L and 15R/33L ...
... not many airways - but fan markers simply everywhere ...
Jumbo Driver
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Don't bin it!
Fans? Compton, Haslemere, Beacon Hill, Chertsey, Matching, Woburn, Outers, Middles, Inners, fahsands of 'em....
Airways? Red 1, Green 1, Amber 1, Amber 2, Blue 1 (Used to be Green 2), White 39, et ceteraaa, a lot easier to remember than Upper Lima 866 and so on.
The old props, Connies, and Seven Seas etc, used to whizz past the Southern ATCC (in Block 1) when landing 15R. I remember the approach lights were on telegraph poles.....not exactly 'frangible'........
The old sawn-off Runway 16 stopped in the Mikes, known as 'Waites Alley' after a certain Viscount's very abbreviated take-off run in fog one day.....
Fans? Compton, Haslemere, Beacon Hill, Chertsey, Matching, Woburn, Outers, Middles, Inners, fahsands of 'em....
Airways? Red 1, Green 1, Amber 1, Amber 2, Blue 1 (Used to be Green 2), White 39, et ceteraaa, a lot easier to remember than Upper Lima 866 and so on.
The old props, Connies, and Seven Seas etc, used to whizz past the Southern ATCC (in Block 1) when landing 15R. I remember the approach lights were on telegraph poles.....not exactly 'frangible'........
The old sawn-off Runway 16 stopped in the Mikes, known as 'Waites Alley' after a certain Viscount's very abbreviated take-off run in fog one day.....
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I'll get my 1972 Half mil chart out - controlled airspace - what's that!
Air 2000 (First Choice AMM/DP) started with Air2000 as the c/s. I recall
Air2000 262 which UK ATCO's just about coped with....not sure about the Europeans down Amber 34 though. Jetset soon followed.
Maersk Air was not Birmex, but Blue Star - even though it was a white star on blue background.
Not British, but I think CP Air had the best - "Empress"
Air 2000 (First Choice AMM/DP) started with Air2000 as the c/s. I recall
Air2000 262 which UK ATCO's just about coped with....not sure about the Europeans down Amber 34 though. Jetset soon followed.
Maersk Air was not Birmex, but Blue Star - even though it was a white star on blue background.
Not British, but I think CP Air had the best - "Empress"
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GK430
Maersk Air (UK) Ltd did for a while operate as 'Birmex' prior to the change to 'Bluestar'. 'Whitestar' belonging to Star Air, now the only Maersk (AP Moller) airline, I believe.
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Wondered where you got to. Hope you found a hangar where they keep the doors firmly closed over the next few days
'Cause the temp is dropping.
Used to communicate with you from across 15/33 but with a different handle or whatever they're called.
Did you go at same time as duo?
BHX ain't going nowhere - I gather Macquarie wanted to take the Council's 49% but it's back to the middle ages instead
Wondered where you got to. Hope you found a hangar where they keep the doors firmly closed over the next few days
'Cause the temp is dropping.Used to communicate with you from across 15/33 but with a different handle or whatever they're called.
Did you go at same time as duo?
BHX ain't going nowhere - I gather Macquarie wanted to take the Council's 49% but it's back to the middle ages instead
aceatco, retired
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Court Line used to use the 'Halcyon' call-sign.
I'm with Va on the 'Halcyon' subject. It was used as an aircraft naming prefix. I can't honestly remember the matching colours but there were...'Halcyon nights'(I think purple). 'Halcyon breeze', (I think green), etc etc. It certainly was never used as an RTF callsign during my time at Luton. Courtline were unusual in that they didn't use trip numbers on the RTF, they filed them in item 18 of the flightplan but actually operated under individual aircraft registrations. I was at Luton from 74-89 but Va beats me by miles and probably has a much better memory!
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