callsign ?

[Gus Heinze]

I flew on PilotEdge for the first time tonight. Completed my I-06 rating, ATC was EXCELLENT! The instructions are crystal clear and the the ATC was VERY polite.

I was flying my Carenado C182Q N14306 and at the end the CTR gave me a few pointers about the callsign and how to properly say it. I'm kinda confused so I was hoping someone could clear it up for me.

I was saying "Nov 14 306" I think the controller said in GA you usually say the entire callsign "nov 1 4 3 0 6" and grouping them together like I was is for larger planes. Is this correct? Did I hear him correct? I just want to make sure and do it the proper way.

He also said I could shorten it to "Cessna 3 0 6".

I have 2 other C182Q's that I like to fly, N8625C & N4021E. If I was flying them would the proper callsigns be "Nov 8 6 2 5 Charlie" and "N 4 0 2 1 Echo" respectively? Could I also shorten them to "Cessna 2 5 Charlie" and "Cessna 2 1 E"?

Can I be the one to shorten them or does the Controller shorten them and I follow his lead? I'm not sure what the proper etiquette is.

Thank you for any helps/tips.

Gus

[Jason Baxter]

Callsigns work specifically, unless you are flying an ICAO (for the most part airline) designated callsign the callsign is to be read in single digits such as N6-8-0-M-A. The controller can shorten it to the last three characters led by some prefix of type or designator so N6-8-0-M-A can become N-0-M-A or Cessna 0-M-A.

[Eugene Zaporozhets]

Great question, Gus. I'm glad you decided to get to the bottom of it if the initial explanation wasn't clear.

Grouping numbers (i.e. saying "twenty-eight" instead of "two, eight") is not practiced in general aviation callsigns; while in the airline callsigns, on the opposite, numbers are always grouped. Your callsign would be pronounced as "November one four three zero six" on the _initial_ call you make with ATC. If in his response the controller shortens your callsign to "November three zero six" or "Cessna three zero six" (provided you identified yourself as a Cessna on the initial call), you would follow that shorter form from then on. When you contact a new position, you would again check in with the full callsign "November one four three zero six" and then follow whatever form the controller uses in his response. If you want some more technical read on this, check out AIM at http://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publicat ... m0402.html, scroll down to "4-2-4. Aircraft Call Signs."

You got your other two callsigns just right in that example. If the controller responds to you using Cessna 2 5 Charlie, that's what you use as long as you're on the same frequency.

[Gus Heinze]

Callsigns work specifically, unless you are flying an ICAO (for the most part airline) designated callsign the callsign is to be read in single digits such as N6-8-0-M-A. The controller can shorten it to the last three characters led by some prefix of type or designator so N6-8-0-M-A can become N-0-M-A or Cessna 0-M-A.

Thank you sir.

[Alex Stjepanovic]

One thing that I'm gonna add, is that the shortcut is not meant to be used until after the establishment of communications. So expect the first reply to be your full callsign.

I'm not sure if this is included anywhere in the AIM, but it is available in FAA JO 7110.65T 2-4-9.

2-4-9. ABBREVIATED TRANSMISSIONS
Transmissions may be abbreviated as follows:

a. Use the identification prefix and the last 3 digits or letters of the aircraft identification after communications have been established. Do not abbreviate similar sounding aircraft identifications or the identification of an air carrier or other civil aircraft having an FAA authorized call sign.

REFERENCE FAAO JO 7110.65, Para 2-4-20, Aircraft Identification.

b. Omit the facility identification after communication
has been established.

c. Transmit the message immediately after the
callup (without waiting for the aircraft's reply) when
the message is short and receipt is generally assured.

d. Omit the word “over” if the message obviously
requires a reply.

[Gus Heinze]

Thank you sir, I flew another flight last night and the controller cleared it up for me. Like ya'll are saying, I am to use my COMPLETE callsign each time I contact a ATC on a new frequency and only follow the short-cut version once the controller initiates it.

Flying on PE is VERY fun so far and seems very professional and straight forward.

[Daddy O]

It's just like when you introduce yourself in the real world, the first time you say "Hi, I am Gus Heinz." From then on you are just Gus (to that controller on that frequency.)

When you change frequency, you give the full call sign initially. Once the introduction is done you get to be just 'Gus' again.

Sometimes I fly a cessna of mine by the tail number of N67888. After the initial introduction I am just Cessna triple-eight. Although it does not follow the strict rule, that is how controllers referred to the actual 67888 (back before it was destroyed by a storm that wracked Tucson International 20 minutes after I tied down.)