Callsign Phraseology
 

What is the correct or permissable procedure in Australia for saying an aircraft callsign where all three letters are the same.

For example if the callsign was VH-AAA.
Is "Triple Alpha" acceptable or is each letter of the callsign required to be transmitted phonetically.

My reason for asking is I heard some time back, an aircraft with this type of callsign being most upset when told over the radio that he was no longer to refer to himself as "Triple***"

However more recently that method seems to have crept back in.

YPPH controllers know which callsign I mean
;)

In my training, our instructors had a fight in front of the class on exactly this issue...

Student: "MATS isn't clear on the subject, can we abbreviate Foxtrot Foxtrot Foxtrot to triple-Foxtrot?"

Instructor 1: "Yes, after first contact with full callsign that would be acceptable"

Instructor 2: "NOT IN MY SIM!"

Common opinion was Instructor 2 was a little bit of a jerk (Kelpie concur?). His control technique was to aim all aircraft at the same point (14 NM final) and use speed control to sort out the sequence!

Personal opinion? If you want a slick callsign, use one with single-syllable letters. Golf Golf Golf -- now say that one fast three times over.

AIP is pretty clear - it doesn't allow abbreviation of the standard 3-letter callsigns for Australian registered aircraft operating in the Australian FIR "unless conforming with an approved alternative format" - GEN 3.4-20, 4.19.4.

If the pilot wishes to use an "approved alternative format" such as Triple Fox then maybe he should plan it either in the ACID if it fits or Field 18 if it won't.

Until he does that, in my opinion the callsign has to be Alpha Alpha Alpha or Foxtrot Foxtrot Foxtrot, etc.

What liberties people allow themselves is a different matter.

Agree with you 135.9 re slick callsigns. Either get a good one or get an approved alternative.



[This message has been edited by Ausatco (edited 13 September 1999).]