Return-Path: Sender: (Marvin Kaye) To: lml Date: Tue, 13 Aug 2002 11:02:41 -0400 Message-ID: X-Original-Return-Path: Received: from imo-d09.mx.aol.com ([205.188.157.41] verified) by logan.com (CommuniGate Pro SMTP 4.0b6) with ESMTP id 1687118 for lml@lancaironline.net; Tue, 13 Aug 2002 10:55:52 -0400 Received: from Wclarkstill@aol.com by imo-d09.mx.aol.com (mail_out_v33.5.) id q.34.2baa711e (4459) for ; Tue, 13 Aug 2002 10:55:51 -0400 (EDT) From: Wclarkstill@aol.com X-Original-Message-ID: <34.2baa711e.2a8a77f6@aol.com> X-Original-Date: Tue, 13 Aug 2002 10:55:50 EDT Subject: Tail Numbers X-Original-To: lml@lancaironline.net MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="part1_34.2baa711e.2a8a77f6_boundary" X-Mailer: AOL 7.0 for Windows US sub 10512 --part1_34.2baa711e.2a8a77f6_boundary Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit In thinking about tail numbers, many of us try to find really short ones. Expect the following will generate lots of controversy but it is worth thinking about. Came from a friend who as you'll see thinks short N-numbers have a downside. ...Clark Still (N750S) I would definitely avoid anything less than five characters total. My Lake was renamed (by its previous owner) N3ZQ. It was awful - a huge pain in the neck. Every single time I called any ATC facility, I always had to say "November Tree Zulu Kebeck" because if I said "Tree Zulu Kebeck" they would INVARIABLY respond "Tree Zulu Kebeck, say full call sign." Very frustrating! (Luckily I knew to expect it, because during my instrument training I flew a cherokee 180 that had been renamed (by its previous owner, Frank Brown or someone like that) N2FB. Whenever I had checked in as "Two foxtrot bravo" the response was always "say full call sign" so I was already used to adding "november.") Even worse, N3ZQ featured two letters you NEVER want in your call sign. Avoid "Q" and "Z" at all costs - ATC personnel jot them down on a piece of paper, then moments later they read them back as "zero" and "two". Personally, I would prefer a four-number-one-letter call sign such as 1234H, but without repeating digits. You get less readback errors from ATC if you have four non-repeating digits plus one letter (e.g., Comanche 9284P.) My second choice would be a three-number-two-letter call sign such as 123HY. (actually if I was getting two letters, I would try for mike mike, or golf golf, since it's so much quicker to say mike mike than Ho-tel Yan-kee. but that's just my passion for brevity.) --part1_34.2baa711e.2a8a77f6_boundary Content-Type: text/html; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit In thinking about tail numbers, many of us try to find really short ones.  Expect the following will generate lots of controversy but it is worth thinking about.  Came from a friend who as you'll see thinks short N-numbers have a downside.  ...Clark Still (N750S)

I would definitely avoid anything less than five characters total.

My Lake was renamed (by its previous owner) N3ZQ.  It was awful - a huge
pain in the neck.  Every single time I called any ATC facility, I always had
to say "November Tree Zulu Kebeck" because if I said "Tree Zulu Kebeck" they
would INVARIABLY respond "Tree Zulu Kebeck, say full call sign."  Very
frustrating!

(Luckily I knew to expect it, because during my instrument training I flew a
cherokee 180 that had been renamed (by its previous owner, Frank Brown or
someone like that) N2FB.  Whenever I had checked in as "Two foxtrot bravo"
the response was always "say full call sign" so I was already used to adding
"november.")

Even worse, N3ZQ featured two letters you NEVER want in your call sign.
Avoid "Q" and "Z" at all costs - ATC personnel jot them down on a piece of
paper, then moments later they read them back as "zero" and "two".

Personally, I would prefer a four-number-one-letter call sign such as 1234H,
but without repeating digits.  You get less readback errors from ATC if you
have four non-repeating digits plus one letter (e.g., Comanche 9284P.)

My second choice would be a three-number-two-letter call sign such as 123HY.
(actually if I was getting two letters, I would try for mike mike, or golf
golf, since it's so much quicker to say mike mike than Ho-tel Yan-kee.  but
that's just my passion for brevity.)

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