I have little knowledge of the air industry and regulations, so could an informed planefag answer this for me please: Who sets the callsigns? Is it the pilots themselves, or is there a like a board that oversees it? I'm seeing callsigns posted, but that part I'm unsure about.
I haven't flown in about 18 years. I used to instruct at the AirForce Aero Club at Kelly AFB, which was a service provided to the AF community at the base commanders discretion. Because it was civilian aircraft (think Cessna 172, military version T-41, with T being trainer, F preceding would be fighter, B Bomber and so on) We mixed it up between C-5's and C-17's, which was neat to watch. Anyway, at that time, the call sign would be assigned to a unit and the scope of the mission. If it was a training sortie, it might have a different call sign than if it was on an actual cargo or combat support mission. We could, as an aeroclub, request a "call sign" from base operations if we wanted one, since we flew out of military airspace. When we were handed over to civilian ATC, that call sign would transfer over. Hope that helps explain a little. I assume the rules are still the same. Even commercials have "nicknames" that ATC will use. (our company has a KingAir 200 and sometimes I will climb up front still)
Cactus - was used by America West/US Airways before American Airlines merger
Rewood - Virgin America
Brickyard - Republic Airlines
Shamrock - Aer Lingus
Speedbird - British Airways
Hawaii Five-O - Hawaiian Airlines
Well I guess that beats the B52 going by DOOM84 around Jan 20th.
I saw that same callsign like a week /10days ago and chuckled
There are no coincidences
I have little knowledge of the air industry and regulations, so could an informed planefag answer this for me please: Who sets the callsigns? Is it the pilots themselves, or is there a like a board that oversees it? I'm seeing callsigns posted, but that part I'm unsure about.
I haven't flown in about 18 years. I used to instruct at the AirForce Aero Club at Kelly AFB, which was a service provided to the AF community at the base commanders discretion. Because it was civilian aircraft (think Cessna 172, military version T-41, with T being trainer, F preceding would be fighter, B Bomber and so on) We mixed it up between C-5's and C-17's, which was neat to watch. Anyway, at that time, the call sign would be assigned to a unit and the scope of the mission. If it was a training sortie, it might have a different call sign than if it was on an actual cargo or combat support mission. We could, as an aeroclub, request a "call sign" from base operations if we wanted one, since we flew out of military airspace. When we were handed over to civilian ATC, that call sign would transfer over. Hope that helps explain a little. I assume the rules are still the same. Even commercials have "nicknames" that ATC will use. (our company has a KingAir 200 and sometimes I will climb up front still)
Cactus - was used by America West/US Airways before American Airlines merger Rewood - Virgin America Brickyard - Republic Airlines Shamrock - Aer Lingus Speedbird - British Airways Hawaii Five-O - Hawaiian Airlines
Yeah, it's a bit clearer now. Thanks fren :)
Kek
Depicting a B52 but infact a KC 35 stratotanker
Deploy SAM's