Kush

Hi - I have a general question for someone who knows: I am an instrument student at the moment(not looking to go professional, just to CFII). I work close to KPHL and sometimes on lunch bring my transceiver with me and listen to the tower and landing aircraft.

I NEVER fly in Bravo airspace, Charlie sometimes but mostly Delta. Anyway, I have been hearing on the radio some aircraft identified as Cactus, something the other day was like Ski lift, and I watched a BA 777 depart the other day and he was Speedbird.

What is it with the callsigns? My first thought was it is a level of security as if to not idenitfy the specific airline and flight number, however I do hear some airlines using their flight number.

Any help??

Kush -

Many airlines have call signs other than the regular company name.

Cactus = Southwest
Speedbird = British Air

Clipper = used to be Pan Am

The list goes on.........

Last time I checked.....Southwest = Southwest

Cactus = "Ol AWA, now USAirways.....I think that's what you ment

UAL T38 Phlyer

Kush:

Cactus was a callsign originally associated with America West, which was an upstart in 1983 (ish), and was based in Phoenix.

Airlines get their authority to operate from an FAA document called the "Operating Certificate." When a carrier goes out of business, sometimes new investors will buy the certificate, and start a "new" airline. The approved callsigns go with that certificate.

So today, Air Tran uses the callsign "Citrus," because:

Citrus was originally an Air Florida Callsign.

Air Florida went out of business, and ValueJet bought their certificate.

Air Tran merged with Valuejet, and used the original Air Florida certificate.

As to where the actual callsigns originate, I don't know if that is airline generated, or FAA. The legacy carriers are all "United," "American," "Continental," etc. My guess is they come from the airline and are approved by the FAA.

captfred

Air Florida was "Palm" not Citrus.

captfred

Pan American was "Clipper"

Jake Wheeler

Valujet's callsign was Critter. After 2-3 incidents of burning aircraft their unofficial callsign was "Crispy Critter." After they augured one into the Florida Everglades (VJ592) and a huge lawsuit along with many complaints by the flight attendants union (the only union on the property were most pilots were Eastern strike-breakers), Valujet bought another airline, Air Tran, and changed their name, colors and callsign to "Citrus". The Air Tran pilots (all 737's) at the time were not happy.

Callsigns are selected by the owners but cannot be duplicates of existing ones.

Google the callsigns or go to wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airline_codes-T

Waterski is Trans States Airlines

Diver Driver

Comair - Comair
ASA - Acey
Virgin America - Redwood
Compass - Compass Rose
GoJet - Lindburgh
ASTAR - DHL
Pinnacle - Flagship
Mesa - Air Shuttle
Lynx - Shasta

...this is all I could think of off the top of my head that weren't already listed. It's a start.

blastoff

Expressjet = Jetlink

Planespotta

Every airline you could think of and then some

Just click on the starting letter of the airline's name and it will give you its IATA/ICAO identified, as well as its name and callsign.

Brownguy

UPS...decided to go w/"UPS"...crazy shiznit.

cpatterson19

That was a very good question asked.....I like the new one for "the new delta" where they have to say NW^%$ delta colours. think they should go by callsign blue tail.