Old British airline callsigns

[Milvus Milvus]

The pushback tractors at LHR still use the callsign "Beeline xx" when towing empty A/C where xx is the reg.........
However, I'm sure i heard a European airline using it recently as well !

[22/04]

Calibrator is still used by the King Airs today

Can anyone remember the EMA based operator with Viscounts (some ex German, and it's callsign- nam is escpaping me at present?

[Spiney Norman]

Might you be thinking of Alidair? Sorry! Can't remember the callsign even though I've worked them a few times...Might even have been Alidair!

Spiney

[22/04]

Yes Alidair, and I think the callsign was "Alida"

[The AvgasDinosaur]

I think the Alidair call sign was pronounced our-leader ?
Dans had a good scheme at one time (E.G. using G-ARAY) Dan-Air 99AY was a positioning flight DAN-AIR 89AY was an engineering flight 79AY was a test flight 69AY was was a ferry flight ( Not sure how that differed from a positioning flight.)
I remember a Dan Comet last minute substitute for a sick 707 being given his clearance at Ringway to Kennedy and reading it back as clearance to Ildewild. When challenged he stated the aircraft knew where Ildewild was but would never be able to find Kennedy. Bit more relaxed in those days ( Ahhhh !!!!) When KLM changed to flight numbers the late night DC7CF from Amsterdam would often call KLM James Bond in place of KLM 007 and often as not would advise on the 24 localiser somewhere abeam Doggar Bank, and get his straight in approach approved.
I recall albion as being the call sign of BEA Scottish division rather than Northeast who I'm sure used BKS and then Northeast except the Tridents which used Norjet. Wasn't there a time when BOAC had a mixed fleet the Comets used "Jet Speedbird" as a call sign?
Apropos the Court Line Beverly, Hunting Clan used two early production/prototypes on civil registrations in the Middle East somewhere when they were almost brand shiny new. Anyone recall them visiting Hunting at Heathrow (or should I say LAP in this context?).
Great thread thanks to all contributors.
Some other call signs from the past
Eagle EG
Pelican DP
Tradewinds FF ?
Transmeridian KK
Scimitar ??
Anglo ??
Ace freighters used registrations don't know if they ever had a designator
Be lucky
David

[22/04]

Think there might have been a merger- FF was orignally IAS cargo -or have got it the worng way round.

[Rhys S. Negative]

Tradewinds FF ?
Transmeridian KK
Scimitar ??
Anglo ??

Think there might have been a merger- FF was orignally IAS cargo -or have got it the worng way round.

Found some of my old JP airline fleets books in the loft while retrieving the Christmas decorations:

FF = IAS Cargo, later British Cargo Airlines
Tradewinds = IK
Scimitar = JA
Anglo used ML and later EC, plus 3-letter code ANC.

HTH, Rhys.

[22/04]

And incidently, The Alida callsign came from Alida packaginig- either associated or owners of Alidair.

[Helen49]

Norjet

I haven't read all the posts but have noted the recurring Norjet thread.

Norjet was certainly used for a short period by the Northeast Viscounts and Tridents. There was a good deal of 'mocking' the Viscount crews about their pretensions of grandeur and eventually, for whatever reason, the Norjet c/s was dropped by the Viscount fleet. It may also have been dropped by the Trident fleet at the same time, not sure about that!.

I think that 'Albion' superseded Norjet and I think the 'Albion' idea originated from the then Base Captain at LBA, Peter Owen.

H49

[hotelgulf]

Hello and.....

many Thanks to WHBM................ for the Courtline Reg info. I was deadlined this evening on a drawing of Courtlines amazing BAC 1-11's. I googled my question and located this thread. A real help to complete my project.

I would like to attach the sketch...but sorry to say, cant find a FTP window...was it overlooked?

Best,
HG

[055166k]

Albion

Airline code was BX. Name derived from Roman word for mainland Britain...was also used by old "Cambrian".

[Liffy 1M]

Albion

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Airline code was BX. Name derived from Roman word for mainland Britain...was also used by old "Cambrian".

It was BZ, as far as I can recall. BX was used by Spantax of Spain, which among other things was the last European operator of the Convair 990.

[Stenner153]

Short finals

I remember seeing a BAC 111 of British Midland, flown by a Captain who was German, don't remember his name, turn on the ILS on 27 at Bristiol Lulsgate at 2.5 miles.

[Get me some traffic]

Captain Pop?

[ZOOKER]

Helmut Popp.

[qsyenroute]

Here is a memory:

At which airfield in any one day would you have heard the following callsigns?

Vickers One
Vickers Two
Vickers Three
Waterpark
Minair
Aztec

[Finbarr]

Barrow (Walney Island)?

[rog747]

was donaldson's call sign 'thistle'?

and bea airtours was beetours and sometimes tango (more so in the early days)

is BMI still 'midland' today?

air2000 was going to be starship (as in star trek) but became jetset

[ZOOKER]

EGPF-based Air Sinclair used 'CLAN-KING', which ATC pronounced 'CLANKING'.
I seem to remember an Islander with the c/s "CLANKING 105 PAPA.
Allegedly the company also operated a (relatively faster) Hawker-Siddley 748, which used the c/s 'CLAN-SPEED'.

[22/04]

Don't think Donadlson were ever thistle; remember them as Donaldson or Delta India something.

Don't rememberTango as a callsign only a way of annoucing flights at Gatwik to pax. Always Beatours.

BMI still use Midland.