Waypoint Names

[Flying Ted]

Can anyone explain how waypoint names are created? Who creates them and whether there is any particular logic used?

[Clare Prop]

I remember the waypoint Timmy being created about the same time as the character appeared in South Park, and often pronounced the same way

[Desert Flower]

Originally Posted by Flying Ted

Can anyone explain how waypoint names are created? Who creates them and whether there is any particular logic used?

Some waypoints have been named after people. Others are indicative of a place in the area they're in.

DF.

[Pinky the pilot]

Seem to remember someone once pointing out that the following were (or still are) waypoint names here in Australia at one time.

Aye
Taut
Eye
Saw
Putty
Tat

[Capt Fathom]

Airway between Townsville and Mt.Gordon Mine. Airway long gone.
Maybe the waypoints got 'recycled'.

ITORT EYSAW APUSS ECATT

[CaptainMidnight]

Originally Posted by Flying Ted

Can anyone explain how waypoint names are created? Who creates them and whether there is any particular logic used?

Prior to about 12 or so years ago they used to be chosen locally by Airservices and its predecessors at their discretion.

Since then due to the use of worldwide databases e.g. in FMS, flight planning software etc. and the potential for duplication, new waypoint names could only be selected from a set allocated to a region by ICAO. I suspect that is probably still the case.

[Gne]

There was a sequence LEAKY BOATS SINKK on the arrival across Moreton Bay and the attached graphic show a sequence that was off the west coast some time ago.

Gne

[compressor stall]

My favourite, sadly under appreciated, was the Fergi Stoes in Darwin, a fitting reference to the Duchess' proclivities in a French chateaux.

[Gne]

And, along the lines of FERGI etc, some of the sequences used in the routes (please excuse the pun) across central Oz in the mid to late '80's always brought smiles to those in the know.

Ah... those good old days before young Mr Plod came into existence and the alarm clock sounded. .

Gne

[Lead Balloon]

And we all know which peanut farmer's farm was under BJLKE...

[KRviator]

From back before the PC brigade and ICAO got their noses out of joint...the earlier 'Prune thread Clever Waypoint Names

I have a vague memory about 20 years ago you could buy (create your own) a waypoint name with the $$ going to RFDS or something like that. Anyone else remember such a thing?

[CaptainMidnight]

Originally Posted by KRviator

I have a vague memory about 20 years ago you could buy (create your own) a waypoint name with the $$ going to RFDS or something like that. Anyone else remember such a thing?

While that was announced, it promptly got canned because it was deemed that Airservices could not take $ for such things, even if the $ were going to charity (in addition to presenting other issues).

I don't believe any waypoints proposed ever saw the light of day. I do recall being told that some bright spark tried to slip in some offensive 5 letter words, which didn't help matters.

[Desert Flower]

Originally Posted by KRviator

From back before the PC brigade and ICAO got their noses out of joint...the earlier 'Prune thread Clever Waypoint Names

I have a vague memory about 20 years ago you could buy (create your own) a waypoint name with the $$ going to RFDS or something like that. Anyone else remember such a thing?

Yes - one of my mail run pilots had one named after him - STEWI. But you had no say as to where it would be put. His ended up around Darwin I think.

DF

[Ironpot]

Originally Posted by Capt Fathom

Airway between Townsville and Mt.Gordon Mine. Airway long gone.
Maybe the waypoints got 'recycled'.

ITORT EYSAW APUSS ECATT

Its still there! ZZ929

[B Fraser]

That sequence was followed by IDEED

[Little One]

Waypoints or rather 5LNC (Five-letter-name Code) are issued by the ICAO ICARD (International Codes and Route Designators) System. States have a secure log in and when designing Instrument Flight Procedures and ATS Routes can request or select available 5LNC assigned for the purpose.

The first internet application of the ICAO International Codes and Routes Designators (ICARD) database was deployed in 1998. It was developed to support the allocation process of five-letter name-codes (5LNC) within the ICAO EUR/NAT region. The application was gradually extended to other ICAO Regions from 2005 onwards with ICARD becoming accessible to all ICAO Regions at the end of 2010.

Searching the ICAO site for ICARD gives some information and a description of how the 5LNCs can be selected is available on this link:
https://www.icao.int/NACC/Documents/...024Sep2014.pdf

The links to the public website for 5LNCs I believe have been disabled and you need a secure access now.

[Captain Dart]

Inbound to Diego Garcia (not a popular posting for U.S. military) were WATTR - BUMMR - MOMMA. MOMMA was the only one left the last time I was in the area some years ago.

ISTR several thousand US personnel, some 20-odd British military police and admin, wild donkeys, and T-shirts for sale that read ‘Every week is Chicken Chokin’ Week on Diego Garcia’.

[Pinky the pilot]

Airway between Townsville and Mt.Gordon Mine. Airway long gone.
Maybe the waypoints got 'recycled'.

ITORT EYSAW APUSS ECATT

Thanks for that, Capt Fathom.

Makes me wonder if there was ever a Suffrn, Succo and a Tash.

[Arm out the window]

Gotta love GAFFA - not sure if it's still there.

In a similarly silly vein, when Cowes NDB was still there, I used to enjoy hearing people estimating Cowes at time whatever, followed by some smart arse transmitting a lazy 'mooooo'.

[CaptainMidnight]

In the heat of NAS times past, NASUX was created, and still there.