Midway MDW incident averted
Flight numbers 1328 and 3828, hmmm.
Whatever the reason, it's a cheap lesson for everyone.
Definitely not the first time similar sounding call signs have resulted in pilots executing someone else's clearance. There isn't a surefire solution to every problem, but this one requires more attention to detect than many other problems do. In my experience, ATC is usually really on the ball about issuing warnings for similar sounding call signs on the frequency, but nobody can be expected to recognize it every time. Perhaps it IS time to require all call signs to be spoken alphanumerically one character at a time. That would take some time for pilots and controllers to get used to. Seems worth talking about at least...
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i have never understood why the FAA has not adopted the EU system of callsign modification, e.g. SWA1328 could have used the callsign SWA132H and SWA3828 could have used the callsign SWA382J. Risk reduced. I loved the callsign mod when I flew contract in Europe.
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Takes more readback brain power to say each digit seperately.
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Reading each digit separately or using letters is no guarantee either. I've had very similar and even identical callsigns of different airlines on the same frequency. One time an altitude bust was marginally avoided by an attentive controller. Perhaps if the system was a bit smarter and could update callsigns in real time when two similar sounding callsigns are about to enter the same sector.
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Both the ground and tower conversations are already up on LiveATC.
Before pushing back, these two flights stepped on each other's transmissions to ground. That's a clue. While still on ground frequency, ATC directly advised both flights of the similar numbers on the frequency. Both flights acknowledged.
Delta somehow started rolling even thought the takeoff clearance was for 31C and he was on 4R. I Wonder if the Delta crew every heard of a pilot named van Zanten?
Before pushing back, these two flights stepped on each other's transmissions to ground. That's a clue. While still on ground frequency, ATC directly advised both flights of the similar numbers on the frequency. Both flights acknowledged.
Delta somehow started rolling even thought the takeoff clearance was for 31C and he was on 4R. I Wonder if the Delta crew every heard of a pilot named van Zanten?
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i have never understood why the FAA has not adopted the EU system of callsign modification, e.g. SWA1328 could have used the callsign SWA132H and SWA3828 could have used the callsign SWA382J. Risk reduced. I loved the callsign mod when I flew contract in Europe.
"Southwest thirteen twenty-eight" and "...checking in three five oh" and "runway four" might sound cool on the radio, but it's not ICAO standard and has huge potential for a serious accident.
Oh, but don't forget to add "heavy" to your call sign when taxiing or cruising at FL370...
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Good point, and while we're at it, why doesn't the FAA try to stamp out the use of slang?
"Southwest thirteen twenty-eight" and "...checking in three five oh" and "runway four" might sound cool on the radio, but it's not ICAO standard and has huge potential for a serious accident.
Oh, but don't forget to add "heavy" to your call sign when taxiing or cruising at FL370...
"Southwest thirteen twenty-eight" and "...checking in three five oh" and "runway four" might sound cool on the radio, but it's not ICAO standard and has huge potential for a serious accident.
Oh, but don't forget to add "heavy" to your call sign when taxiing or cruising at FL370...
I wouldn't go as far as calling it a huge potential for a serious accident. There is never just one factor leading to an incident/accident.
Good point, and while we're at it, why doesn't the FAA try to stamp out the use of slang?
Good point, and while we're at it, why doesn't the FAA try to stamp out the use of slang?
"Southwest thirteen twenty-eight" and "...checking in three five oh" and "runway four" might sound cool on the radio, but it's not ICAO standard and has huge potential for a serious accident.
Oh, but don't forget to add "heavy" to your call sign when taxiing or cruising at FL370...
"Southwest thirteen twenty-eight" and "...checking in three five oh" and "runway four" might sound cool on the radio, but it's not ICAO standard and has huge potential for a serious accident.
Oh, but don't forget to add "heavy" to your call sign when taxiing or cruising at FL370...
The new hires at Southwest and Delta are running 4 and 5 thousand hours, but your EU LOCO with the 200 hr airline puppy mill graduate is going to be so much safer because he can talk the "right" way on the radio
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the group form of call sign has been around for awhile.
now,some smart computer programmer should come up with a way of assigning call signs to make sure there are no confusing elements.
now,some smart computer programmer should come up with a way of assigning call signs to make sure there are no confusing elements.
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Am I the only one who thinks that, having been cautioned about the similar flight numbers, having actually stepped on each other which getting push-backs approved, and knowing departures were on both 31C and 4L, that the Delta pilot should have figured out that even if the flight number sounded close, he wasn't on 31C?