BA Registrations
Thread Starter

Joined: Aug 1999
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BA Registrations
G'day,
I am curious to know what all of the registrations of the BA aircraft mean. For example, I remember reading in a forum somewhere that the prefix MM stands for the Year 2000 and that EU stands for Europe. I am wondering if anyone has a link to the original post or can provide additional info...
Thanks
I am curious to know what all of the registrations of the BA aircraft mean. For example, I remember reading in a forum somewhere that the prefix MM stands for the Year 2000 and that EU stands for Europe. I am wondering if anyone has a link to the original post or can provide additional info...
Thanks
Per Ardua ad Astraeus
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 18,575
Likes: 4
From: UK
Can't help with 'MM' but I think 'EU' is on at least one of the GB Airbuses.
Regarding 737s, several of the BA 737-300's had 'regional' regs such as G-XBHX (Birmingham) and G-ODUS (Dusseldorf) which I assume was someone's attempt at highlighting good old 'Regional's routes and bases (RIP
). I've been away for a while and maybe these have all gone? I know BHX is on another reg now. Some of the other 300's began G-LG--
A lot (All?) of the 'BA Spec' 737-400's began G-DO--: Others (presumably ex GB)) were G-GB--
The ex DanAir 737-400's had the DA regs still.
The 737-500s appeared to be totally random as G-GFF-, not that I can make MUCH sense out of many of the others!
I feel sure there is a website somewhere that lists ALL the BA regs, and that if no-one pops it up here you can search Pprune or Google for it?
Regarding 737s, several of the BA 737-300's had 'regional' regs such as G-XBHX (Birmingham) and G-ODUS (Dusseldorf) which I assume was someone's attempt at highlighting good old 'Regional's routes and bases (RIP
). I've been away for a while and maybe these have all gone? I know BHX is on another reg now. Some of the other 300's began G-LG-- A lot (All?) of the 'BA Spec' 737-400's began G-DO--: Others (presumably ex GB)) were G-GB--
The ex DanAir 737-400's had the DA regs still.
The 737-500s appeared to be totally random as G-GFF-, not that I can make MUCH sense out of many of the others!
I feel sure there is a website somewhere that lists ALL the BA regs, and that if no-one pops it up here you can search Pprune or Google for it?
Joined: Dec 1999
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From: UK
777-200ERs with GE engines - all G-VIIx series - VII = 7 in Latin
G-RAES 777 = Royal Aeronautical Society
G-BNLx = in CAA series - nothing special?
A319s-A321s = G-EUxx - European
Concordes = G-BOAx - to tie in to BOAC as photographed flagship
777-200s - originals = G-ZZZx series to E = ZZZ=777 sort of. D-E now gone back to Boeing (Khalifa & Varig).
G-CIVx series - perhaps as CIV is -400 in Latin? Ongoing theme as above perhaps along with G-YMMx series (777-200s, RR) as Year 2000. MM=2000 in Latin.
Don't have a clue about the others though - neither do I know why I know as I'm not a spotter - post amendments now made.
G-RAES 777 = Royal Aeronautical Society
G-BNLx = in CAA series - nothing special?
A319s-A321s = G-EUxx - European
Concordes = G-BOAx - to tie in to BOAC as photographed flagship
777-200s - originals = G-ZZZx series to E = ZZZ=777 sort of. D-E now gone back to Boeing (Khalifa & Varig).
G-CIVx series - perhaps as CIV is -400 in Latin? Ongoing theme as above perhaps along with G-YMMx series (777-200s, RR) as Year 2000. MM=2000 in Latin.
Don't have a clue about the others though - neither do I know why I know as I'm not a spotter - post amendments now made.
Last edited by Re-Heat; 22nd March 2005 at 06:33.
Couldonlyaffordafiver
Joined: Dec 2000
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From: The Twilight Zone near 30W
Other way round with the 777s, Re-heat.
G-ZZZA,B,C are GE90-76B engined (B777-236). (ZZZD and E went back to the lessor a couple of years ago).
G-VIIA-Y and G-RAES are GE-90-85Bs (B777-236IGW).
G-YMMA-P are Rollers (B777-236ER). Presumably YMM is Year Two Thousand. Maybe should have been G-YZKA-P.....
G-ZZZA,B,C are GE90-76B engined (B777-236). (ZZZD and E went back to the lessor a couple of years ago).
G-VIIA-Y and G-RAES are GE-90-85Bs (B777-236IGW).
G-YMMA-P are Rollers (B777-236ER). Presumably YMM is Year Two Thousand. Maybe should have been G-YZKA-P.....

Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 924
Likes: 21
From: Manchester, England
I believe that the ZZZx was chosen because ZZZ looks a bit like 777. YMMx was chosen because the year 2000 was coming up when it was first allocated. Not sure why the BA-ordered 734s got DOCx, but GBTA was to 'honour' the Guild of British Travel Agents, and GBTB just followed on from there. The last few 744s are in the BYGx series, which I assume was just BIG spelt wrong!
The GB Airways aircraft are G-TTOx (320s) - T(hree) T(wo) O(h)and G-TTIx (321s) - T(hree) T(wo) O(ne). Their old 737s were G-OGBx - self explanatory.
Anorak aside - ZZZD and ZZZE are now with Varig as PP-VRC and D respectively.
The GB Airways aircraft are G-TTOx (320s) - T(hree) T(wo) O(h)and G-TTIx (321s) - T(hree) T(wo) O(ne). Their old 737s were G-OGBx - self explanatory.
Anorak aside - ZZZD and ZZZE are now with Varig as PP-VRC and D respectively.
Joined: Oct 2004
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From: bedlam
As for the ones with Varig, some of the old BA logos are just visible on the old white paintwork where they were removed. The Varig blue seems to have been freshly applied but the white appears to be BA white still !!
Reminds me of the Aerolineas A340 ex-Lufty still in LH base colors with Aerolineas titles & repainted blue tail!
Reminds me of the Aerolineas A340 ex-Lufty still in LH base colors with Aerolineas titles & repainted blue tail!

Joined: Aug 1998
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From: Always Travelling, Never Arriving
The G-BPEx and G-CPEx series B757s are a throwback to the G-APEx Merchantmen operated in the distant past.
The G-LGxx 737s are for 'L'ondon 'G'atwick.
No new BA A/C will carry 'PI' as the last two (no G-EUPI) because of the Trident in 1972.
sB
The G-LGxx 737s are for 'L'ondon 'G'atwick.
No new BA A/C will carry 'PI' as the last two (no G-EUPI) because of the Trident in 1972.
sB

Joined: Oct 2004
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From: Golfers paradise
one other reason
BA uses (used??) a system called FICO (cant remember what it stands for,) from which one could call up a particular aircraft by using the "last three" letters of the a/c registration. Using this system one could find out where a particular a/c was, what its rotation was for the given period, maintenance status and so on.
Therefore in the current fleet each must have a unique "last three". When BA reserve a batch of new registrations from the CAA they would,I suppose take this into account.
Therefore in the current fleet each must have a unique "last three". When BA reserve a batch of new registrations from the CAA they would,I suppose take this into account.
Joined: Dec 2004
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From: Middle Earth
at bhx the embraers are G-ERJx or G-EMB but the RJ's dont seem to follow any kind of pattern
hence Cityflyer - G-CF**
not sure about the G-BX** & G-BZ** ones though
Fried Chicken
Guest
Posts: n/a
tigeriffic 69,
As far as BACX are concerned.....here are my thought's
The ex BRAL 145's are all G-EMB? for obvious reasons...
The ex Brymon Airways 145's are all G-ERJ? (Embraer regional jet)
The 3 remaining ATP's in GLA are G-MAUD - named after some office clerk from BRAL in the IOM - GMANJ/GMANL ex MANX Airlines.
141 GMABR EX MANX AIRLINES/BRITISH REGIONAL
142 GGNTZ same reg since Business Air.
142/3 GMIMA/GMANS/GOINV all ex MANX regs and GOINV is obvious.
The DASH-8'S are all ex Brymon Airways. ie GBRYU/V/W/X/Y/Z GBRYJ has been handed back and is currently at EXT followed by GBRYI on th 26th April.
The 2 Dash-8's GNVSA/GNVSB are so named due the cabin noise and vibration supression system.
The G-CFA? RJ100's are all ex Cityflyer.
other handbacks due on 1st MAY are 142 GMIMA and ATP GMANL
As far as BACX are concerned.....here are my thought's
The ex BRAL 145's are all G-EMB? for obvious reasons...
The ex Brymon Airways 145's are all G-ERJ? (Embraer regional jet)
The 3 remaining ATP's in GLA are G-MAUD - named after some office clerk from BRAL in the IOM - GMANJ/GMANL ex MANX Airlines.
141 GMABR EX MANX AIRLINES/BRITISH REGIONAL
142 GGNTZ same reg since Business Air.
142/3 GMIMA/GMANS/GOINV all ex MANX regs and GOINV is obvious.
The DASH-8'S are all ex Brymon Airways. ie GBRYU/V/W/X/Y/Z GBRYJ has been handed back and is currently at EXT followed by GBRYI on th 26th April.
The 2 Dash-8's GNVSA/GNVSB are so named due the cabin noise and vibration supression system.
The G-CFA? RJ100's are all ex Cityflyer.
other handbacks due on 1st MAY are 142 GMIMA and ATP GMANL

Joined: Aug 1998
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From: Always Travelling, Never Arriving
G-MIMA is 'Jemima'. The first Manx 146 was G-OJET, referred to by the crews as 'Jeremy the Jet'. When Jeremy left he was replaced by Jemima.
G-GNT_ is because Business Air's callsign was 'Granite' coming from their origins in Aberdeen.
G-GNT_ is because Business Air's callsign was 'Granite' coming from their origins in Aberdeen.
Junior trash

Joined: Nov 1999
Posts: 1,025
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From: UK
Cityflyer used only last 2 letters as identification so first RJ was AR and last AH but they went through BXAR/S/T BVAU/W BXAX/Y/Z CFAA-H without AG. The ATR 42's were EA-EH and 72's TJ-TP, so until the last batch of RJ's came along the last letter was enough.

Joined: May 2003
Posts: 3,083
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From: London/Oxford/New York
So, it appears that BA have nice themes etc for their various fleet registrations. I arrived on a stand at LHR on Fridayin a BA A319 , nicely and neatly registered in the A319 range as G-EUPH, parked next to us was another BA A319 registered G-BUSH, whats that all about then?




