Englishal

Sorry, I wasn't clear. this has happened repeatedly to me in the US, specifically with Prescott flight service but I'm sure elsewhere. It's like they want me to use the 'November' as well. I don't, because it doesn't say that in the regs and anyway I think the type is helpful to other pilots.

(I wasn't suggesting using the 'Cessna' call in the UK - that would be a ticket to a serious shouting at!)

Maybe they are trying to clarify that they are talking to a US aircraft when responding to the opening 'Cessna' call, rather than a foreign registered one with an English sounding pilot?

Has anyone else experienced this?

Hmm, I see. Never come across this is the USA, in fact if anything, I've heard people being told to drop the November...? Maybe you sound too british? :D

Prescott radio can be a bit weird sometimes :), but using November is usual when calling FSS.

Nothing wrong with sticking November on the front of things, controllers will say it all the time. If on initial callup you say 'November 12345' they appear to have some mouse click thing they can use to look up your type (and name, date of birth, inside leg... ), but generally they will take the easy option and come back with SAY AIRCRAFT TYPE (with occasionally 'AND EQUIPMENT SUFFIX'). Had one the other day who had never heard of a cutlass, sometimes easier to say 172 for any cessna with poor performance.

I don't want to give the wrong impression here. I have found Prescott and every other FSS, ATC, Center etc that I have spoken to in the US to be completely courteous and helpful (well, almost every one!)

I expect SS has hit the nail on the head: they are typing November etc into the database and reading it back at the same time. Hence the note of concentration in the voice.

So is there any chance of the UK adopting 'type' in the callsign? If any mandarins are reading this, please take note: it would be an important ancilliary to the new safety frequency to know the type of the other aircraft in each call.

I am definitely 'Skyhawk' from now on (in the US, not here!).

Had that with an OMF Symphony.

"Say aircraft type"
"OMF 160"
"a what?"
"OMF 160"
"Made by Cessna?"
"no made by OMF"
"roger, cessna xy0MF taxy 26"

:D

Can't match the Symphony story, but I once filed a flight plan from Prescott to Shiprock. The FSS guy said "Wow! Nobody from here ever went there before!

Read the CAP413 which details the required UK callsign phraseology. You already can if you wish, however you need to use the full callsign until the ground station abbreviates it;

e.g Piper G-BSZT which can then be abbreviated to Piper ZT.

Fraught with problems. Most of us could relate to Piper, Cessna, Citation etc, but what about the more diverse breeds of aircraft. How about the German system where the full 5 letter callsign idicates the 'class' of aircraft. For example, most of the biz jet type stuff is/used to be D-Ixxx

vintage ATCO Luton do indeed do it by the book, it is abbreviated to G-XX :ok: I suppose that may be due to the number of foreign registered aircraft using the place.

I've noticed an increasing amount of clubs applying for heir own callsign and then giving each instructor and member a number.

This solves the problem of abriviation, callsigns are never duplicated, and pilots who fly many different aircraft don't get their callsigns mixed up (I know I've done it!).

The ATCO's I've talked to prefer it.

Although still mainly used only by commercial FTO's, company calsigns are getting ever more popular in GA.

Other advantages include:-

Being able to supplement the callsign with a letter such as 'T' to denote a skills test, or 'S' to indicate solo student.

ATC will know wich company an aircraft is with, which helps parking alocation and billing.

Local ATC will often get a good idea of pilots experience by there callsign: i.e assign 01-09 Instructors, 10-29 solo students, 30-69 PPL, 70+ IMC or IR.

I've flown using reg and company callsign, I much prefer the later.

Actually, my experience here the last 3-4 years is that in France pretty much everyone uses only the last two letters, so that F-GAVK would become VK...this applies to ATC too, not just at small French only fields. Not saying thay officially everyone is supposed to use the F-XX format, but then we are talking about relaxed and practical flying France here:ok:

Regards, SD..

jezbowman, Not universal in all of Oz. When I flew VH-BXR in January this year ATC abbreviated it to VXR.

What do they do in NZ?

Most light aircraft there don't even display the ZK-, since very few have the range to make an international flight!

Rattus