Similar Callsigns/Registrations

[RVgrin]

Is there a procedure requiring or recommending that ATC warn aircraft with similar callsigns of each other's existence?

[husky]

Yes. We are required to advise an aircraft of the presence of another aircraft with a similar flight number/registration being on frequency.

What is considered similar is not defined, but common sense usually dictates....

[DeuceEng]

Jazz is a pain for similar callsigns.

JZA7791
JZA791
JZA91
JZA7991

You will hear Jazz and then the last two numbers. Good luck!

[Therewewere]

I am curious where and why the practice of using Phonetics for saying registrations developed. I suppose that except for us Longer in the tooth pilots no one really remembers, but seems to me it used to be a lot better when you could just say the letters.

The primary limiting factor of any communications system is its ability to separate the desired signal from noise that appears in the system. It can be scientifically proven that in communications systems every time a conversion takes place more "noise" is introduced into the system.

When we use Phonetics for instance to Say C-FABC we first think of the letters, FABC then convert it to Phonetics FOX ALPHA BRAVO CHARLIE. The Receiving end hears the Phonetics FOX ALPHA BRAVO CHARLIE, then converts it into Letters FABC. So this introduces two conversions. This slows things up, makes the communications cumbersome, and in my opinion introduces more errors.

Any thoughts on this?

[Jonathan]

Maybe it is more demanding for the brain but it's better than having two similar callsigns on the frequency and someone responding to an instruction meant for someone else, even though it still happens.

[RVgrin]

Remember, the whole aviation world uses english, but not everyone pronounces it the same.

[North Shore]

I am curious where and why the practice of using Phonetics for saying registrations developed. I suppose that except for us Longer in the tooth pilots no one really remembers, but seems to me it used to be a lot better when you could just say the letters.

The primary limiting factor of any communications system is its ability to separate the desired signal from noise that appears in the system. It can be scientifically proven that in communications systems every time a conversion takes place more "noise" is introduced into the system.

When we use Phonetics for instance to Say C-FABC we first think of the letters, FABC then convert it to Phonetics FOX ALPHA BRAVO CHARLIE. The Receiving end hears the Phonetics FOX ALPHA BRAVO CHARLIE, then converts it into Letters FABC. So this introduces two conversions. This slows things up, makes the communications cumbersome, and in my opinion introduces more errors.

Any thoughts on this?

I dunno about the 'conversion' involved in FABC to FOX ALPHA etc... Perhaps at first - I remember driving home from the airport at the beginning of my licences with a sheet of paper covered in cartoons of the various letters/words (A couple dancing for TANGO, for example) reading off licence plates to learn them all. Now I can look at the reg. of an a/c, and see it as either ABC or ALPHA BRAVO CHARLIE. It's just like speaking a foreign language - once you think in that language, then you're golden..

[mikesxr]

At my school we have GHXG, GHXF and FVWT, FVWH that can get confusing on the radio sometimes specially when you fly one for a few weeks then get switched to the the similar call sign.

[fish4life]

some ywg mornings you'll hear calm air 501, westjet 501 and perimeter 501 at the same time... thats a pain

[invertedattitude]

Go have a look at Moncton flight colleges plane lists... Now imagine them spoken in a heavily accented Chinese english

[HeadingAltitudeSpeed]

I have actually had a few times when the inbound and outbound are both in the air at the same time. WJA469 inbound and WJA469 outbound (or ACA or JZA). Happens now and then. Good thing for frequency separation.

[Go Guns]

reading off licence plates to learn them all

I used to do that too. Great way to learn it quick.