Callsigns
Thread Starter
Recidivist
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 1,240
Likes: 0
From: Essex, UK
Callsigns
Occasionally I hear something like 'Intergalactic 02' making an initial call.
When told to pass their details, it's often a PA28 or C152 or similar.
Is there some rational reason for such aircraft having these callsigns, or just the airborne equivalent of personal number plates?
When told to pass their details, it's often a PA28 or C152 or similar.
Is there some rational reason for such aircraft having these callsigns, or just the airborne equivalent of personal number plates?
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 213
Likes: 0
From: Leicester
Its for the ponsy people who want to sound posh I know of a person who as a number of planes and has commander 01 and commander 02. I think it would be interesting to have david 01 and stuff unfortunatley i dont have my own aircraft oh well
David
David
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 129
Likes: 0
From: Aberdeen
A fairly recent list of Callsigns in civillian use can be found here:
http://www.airlinecodes.co.uk/callsign.asp
http://www.airlinecodes.co.uk/callsign.asp
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
From: Exeter
A lot of flying schools have their own callsigns too, so that ATC know an instructor is on board regardless of the a/c registration.
At Kemble for example it was Pegasus01 for the microlight CFI and Pegasus02 for the AFI.
Kemble06 was a Hawker Hunter operated by Delta Jets. I always kept a good lookout when he was inbound!
At Kemble for example it was Pegasus01 for the microlight CFI and Pegasus02 for the AFI.
Kemble06 was a Hawker Hunter operated by Delta Jets. I always kept a good lookout when he was inbound!
Hovering AND talking
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 5,711
Likes: 1
From: Propping up bars in the Lands of D H Lawrence and Bishop Bonner
Cheers
Whirls
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 1,924
Likes: 7
From: UK
Reminds me of an amusing R/T exchange I heard at the old Speke Airport in the mid 70s during their annual Air Display. The Mosquito had just called for start, and ATC queried what callsign the pilot would be using for his display. Back came the pilot's reply: "Mosquito, it'll be Mosquito!"
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 2,018
Likes: 73
From: Pewsey, UK
Whirlygig:
Not quite - ICAO controls callsign allocation, and you can send them a form with a choice of names and they'll see which is suitable. Bear in mind it's possible that callsigns on one aircraft might be heard in London on on day and Sydney the next, hence the global co-ordination.
I seem to remember it's free, too.
As an aside, I was pleasure flying at an airshow some years ago, and was asked to use the callsign "Jetranger" - made it easier for all the f/w folks to see and identify me. There were times when I was asked to stop flying - sometimes the display pilots were ok with me flying a deconflicted route away and back from the airfield, sometimes not. On about the fourth call for start, I asled for a callsign change to "Optimist 1" - got to go flying too !
Not quite - ICAO controls callsign allocation, and you can send them a form with a choice of names and they'll see which is suitable. Bear in mind it's possible that callsigns on one aircraft might be heard in London on on day and Sydney the next, hence the global co-ordination.
I seem to remember it's free, too.
As an aside, I was pleasure flying at an airshow some years ago, and was asked to use the callsign "Jetranger" - made it easier for all the f/w folks to see and identify me. There were times when I was asked to stop flying - sometimes the display pilots were ok with me flying a deconflicted route away and back from the airfield, sometimes not. On about the fourth call for start, I asled for a callsign change to "Optimist 1" - got to go flying too !
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 758
Likes: 0
From: Here and there. Here at the moment but soon I'll be there.
I remember 'Strike1' and 'Strike2', the Jet Provosts at Norwich International Airport. From a practical point of view those callsigns just roll off the tongue.
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 71
Likes: 0
From: UK
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 480
Likes: 0
From: Livin de island life
It is to make things easy for everyone:
The crew don't have to remember a different reg no each time.
The passengers (if it's an airline) don't need to know the reg, just the route.
ATC can recognise a route from a flight number and have been known to coordinate flights for the same company.
Eurocontrol can bill the correct people first time instead of chasing owners and/or former owners.
Dispatch/accounts can tell who flew the flight if you use a pilot-identifying flight number or the date if you use that as the number or even the aircraft type.
It is/or was free if you can convince the CAA/ICAO that you have a good reason for having one. We got ours to simplify the job of the charge-collectors at the Nav Service providers....our callsign means that the bill comes to me, not the current registered owner, the former owner or the lessee. Easy.
High Flying Bird
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 2,297
Likes: 0
From: Old Sarum ish
The formation flying courses at North Weald use callsigns for each group. Each course has a different theme. One year it was animals, but no-one thought it was funny when we in the tower started calling them 'Hamster Formation'. 
A little less conversation,
a little more aviation...
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 696
Likes: 0
From: Bracknell, UK
The formation course callsigns have a daily theme - e.g. storms - "Tempest", "Typhoon"...but on 'snake' day last Spring the suggestion of having "Viper", "Cobra" and "Trouser" was vetoed...well, "Trouser" was anyway.
I prefer 'Scooby' as a formation callsign....as in
"Scooby...Check"
"Scooooooooby Two!"
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 29
Likes: 0
From: UK
Just pass the callsign you want to use and the associated aircraft registration when you book out. Any landing fees etc. can then be allocated correctly by the ATC facility.
If you are away from your home base and the callsign is not recognised they will ask for the registration.
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 755
Likes: 0
From: EGPT/ESVS
Had a AS350 into Perth a few years ago using the callsign "Ghostrider zero zero seven"
we were in stitches when the guy on the radio mumbled (off air):
"...should have been called "Pretentious One"..."
we were in stitches when the guy on the radio mumbled (off air):
"...should have been called "Pretentious One"..."
A little less conversation,
a little more aviation...
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 696
Likes: 0
From: Bracknell, UK