Difficult Callsigns
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 120
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From: United Kingdom
Difficult Callsigns
Certain callsigns have failed to compute in my brain until I've heard them half a dozen times - do the professionals on the other side of the mic have the same problem? To name a few:-
Alanmann
Solo
Penguin
Adobee
Science
Alanmann
Solo
Penguin
Adobee
Science
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 355
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From: united kingdom
My callsign is GYBAA. it is sometime read back incorrectly, always as GBYAA. Presumably because there are very few UK aircraft with a GYxxx call sign, but many with GBxxx. The error rate is probably about 5 percent or so, and occurs both on 'freecalls' and 'contacts,' i.e. it doesn't seem to matter if the controller has pre-knowledge of the callsign or not (indeed the confusion may have arisen earlier on telephone handover, or on inputting the flightplan).
Also occasionally get called as something like GBYBB, but these things are never a problem in practice. It's slighltly comforting to know that controllers, as well as pilots, sometimes find their brain is not quite connected to their mouth when the pressure's on! :-)
Also occasionally get called as something like GBYBB, but these things are never a problem in practice. It's slighltly comforting to know that controllers, as well as pilots, sometimes find their brain is not quite connected to their mouth when the pressure's on! :-)
Joined: Apr 2002
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From: Allerød, Denmark
Another version of the problem
When Sabena died as a company, the planes were in the air using the callsign "DAT" - on the radio "DAT".
Later on that was changed to "DAT" but on the radio "STAIL"
Since all the strips and radarlabels still has DAT guess what I call them.........
When Sabena died as a company, the planes were in the air using the callsign "DAT" - on the radio "DAT".
Later on that was changed to "DAT" but on the radio "STAIL"
Since all the strips and radarlabels still has DAT guess what I call them.........
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 8,266
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From: Berkshire, UK
When I worked abroad the country underwent a coup and change of government. As a result the ATC Unit where I worked underwent a change of callsign... but some of us still inadvertently used the previous callsign. One morning a military gentleman wrote in the ATC Log: "With immediate effect any controller using the old callsign will be shot". Nobody made the mistake thereafter!!
Joined: Jul 2001
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From: EGTT
A few are a bit awkward at the moment.
Ryanair 230 Zulu can be a s$d if you're in a hurry.
I often feel that the issuing of ICAO 3-letter codes to non airline operators is not helping.
They often have 4 characters after the company code - one example that comes to mind is GBJ ( Global Jet ) and 4 numbers.
And it's usually only a Beech 200 !!
Ryanair 230 Zulu can be a s$d if you're in a hurry.
I often feel that the issuing of ICAO 3-letter codes to non airline operators is not helping.
They often have 4 characters after the company code - one example that comes to mind is GBJ ( Global Jet ) and 4 numbers.
And it's usually only a Beech 200 !!
Watchdog Delta Hotel
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 128
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From: here but there in 6 years
veg
spent a number of years with airtours old callsign tourjet calling them courgette nobody noticed it seemed
but around the same time it took some time to realise the callsign coastrider was not ghost rider (to much top gun maybe)
but around the same time it took some time to realise the callsign coastrider was not ghost rider (to much top gun maybe)
Joined: Nov 2000
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From: Greystation
G-OMGG, Golf Golf Golf shortened is really difficult to grasp, as is the RyanAir southbound around lunchtime that we always complain about, cant remember the numbers though. Navy Juliet Mike's followed by 2 numbers and then 2 letters gets confusing when shortening, and the best is BAW49WY, gets us all 
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 624
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From: Deepest darkest Inbredland....
BMA (midland) 8M5 got all confused yestersay lunchtime at Redfa. When transferred to Maas said "see you later with an even worse callsign". Trouble is the TDB lookes like 8mS with is confusing for us as well.
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 183
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From: London
Well, personally speaking, ''namibia'' never seems to come out right on the r/t, and i can never say royal nipple with out smirking!!
Then theres UKA7YL that has come out as lanky lima before, and BMA70Z although I havent seen that one around for a while...
oh and lets not forget ''dagobert'', the second most stupid callsign in the world after ''Baby''!!!!!!!!!!
Then theres UKA7YL that has come out as lanky lima before, and BMA70Z although I havent seen that one around for a while...
oh and lets not forget ''dagobert'', the second most stupid callsign in the world after ''Baby''!!!!!!!!!!
Joined: Mar 1999
Posts: 690
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From: UK
Any Swedish bizjet... SE*** never rolls off this toungue nicely!
Oh, and any callsign with 'Airline(s)' in it, like RGA. How fr*gging pointless is that! Of course it's a bleeding airline, couldn't they have come up with something more original???!!!
And this one, from the sim...
Me: Trans-echek-you-tiv *** blah blah blah...
TEJ***: blah blah blah, TEJ ***
Instructor: No, no, no... it's Trans-ehek-utee-bvos
Me: Oh, ok.. Trans-eeeeehek-eee-teee... no, hang on... Trans.. oh b****!!!
After about 5 mins, I got the hang of it!
Oh, and any callsign with 'Airline(s)' in it, like RGA. How fr*gging pointless is that! Of course it's a bleeding airline, couldn't they have come up with something more original???!!!
And this one, from the sim...
Me: Trans-echek-you-tiv *** blah blah blah...
TEJ***: blah blah blah, TEJ ***
Instructor: No, no, no... it's Trans-ehek-utee-bvos
Me: Oh, ok.. Trans-eeeeehek-eee-teee... no, hang on... Trans.. oh b****!!!
After about 5 mins, I got the hang of it!
Joined: Jan 2001
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From: I sell sea shells by the sea shore
Slightly off topic, but worthy of a mention is a certain GB Airlines (Hello Dan!) callsign in daily use:
Gee Bee Zero Fife Tango ....
Not get it?
Well on the tube it looks like this:
GBLOST
Always raises a smile to see "GB LOST" creeping up the hill from GUBAR
Rgds BEX
Gee Bee Zero Fife Tango ....
Not get it?
Well on the tube it looks like this:
GBLOST
Always raises a smile to see "GB LOST" creeping up the hill from GUBAR
Rgds BEX
Joined: Apr 2002
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From: Allerød, Denmark
A couple of years back in the northern part of Denmark. Unidentified target low level and very fast fooling around. To get a label on the guy to remember to give traffic info we entered "HVEMDER" - which is danish for "Who´s there". We thought it very funny, until the military were on the phone in total panic - they have direct transfer of info from our system, and they thought it was an unknown fighter with the actual name "HVEMDER"
Just close to starting war against themselves......
Just close to starting war against themselves......
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 433
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From: preston
callsigns
half the problem is that a lot of aircrew and controllers dont speak proper on the rt. and im not having a go at non engligh speakers by the way! about 15 years ago the raf stopped giving trainee pilots formal rt lessons, and boy has the standard of raf rt dropped.
