Page 36 - World Airnews Magazine October Edition 2020

CALL SIGNS

STRANGE AND BEAUTIFUL

AIRLINE CALL SIGNS

f you ever listen to air traffic control,

Iyou’ll hear pilots of both commercial

and cargo aircraft identify themselves
by a combination of their call sign and

flight number.
In fact, these days there’s more than one
type of call sign.
Here, I’d like to focus on the original radio
call signs used by airlines, as this is where

sparks of creativity tend to spring forth.

You might hear a handful of straightfor-
ward and obvious call signs at any given

time: “American 37 heavy.” “Air Canada
112.” And so on. The name of the airline
and its call sign is the same. in the 1940s were dubbed the “Spring-

But then comes a surprise: “Brickyard bok service.” Though the emblem has airliner in flight.
3630.” That’s Republic Airlines, by the way. since disappeared, the call sign lives on. • Allied Air Cargo – Bambi. Why this
In their case, the call sign refers to the • Dynasty – China Airlines. The state- Nigerian cargo airline has the call sign
airline’s historical base at Indianapolis, owned airline of Taiwan, China Airlines Bambi is a mystery, for now. Any readers
have inkling?
where the famous Indianapolis Motor has long used the Dynasty call sign –
Speedway is known as the Brickyard which sounds oddly grandiose every time • Air Cargo Carriers – Night Cargo. This

(because back in the day the racetrack was it comes over the radio, but at least it’s call sign manages to be both descrip-

paved with bricks. See? Some of these call unique. Dynasty is also the name of its tive and also seriously evocative. Cargo
signs reach deep into history.) frequent flyer program and its lounges. planes being loaded up under palm trees

Middle East Airlines, aka MEA, carries the • Shamrock – Aer Lingus. Another and rocketing off into the night to fly

call sign Cedar Jet. self-explanatory call sign that is no goods to exotic islands? It has a good
ring.
With that in mind I thought I’d put less evocative for its obviousness. The

together a list of some of the better airline Shamrock is the definitive symbol of • Hahn Air – Rooster. The use of rooster

is another mystery. Either way it’s very
call signs out there. The airlines run the Ireland as far as the outside world is memorable. Hahn is a small German
range from some of the biggest in the concerned, and the green planes at Aer outfit running charters as well as a hand-

world to the very obscure. Some of the Lingus carry it perfectly. ful of scheduled flights. Pre-pandemic

more unusual call signs make sense right • Cedar Jet – Middle East Airlines. The ce- the airline used to run a Dusseldorf to
off the bat, while others will leave you dar tree is a central symbol of Lebanon Luxembourg scheduled flight on a Cita-

scratching your head. Next time you’re idly and even appears on its flag. The result tion business jet – a rare chance to fly a

listening to air traffic control (we all do that for the Lebanese carrier is a refreshing private jet for relatively cheap.

for fun, right?) keep an ear out for these. call sign unlike any other. • Pegasus – Sun Turk. In a way this call sign
THE BIG ONES LESSER-KNOWN EXAMPLES makes plenty of sense. This is a Turkish

airline and it flies to a number of sunny des-

• Speedbird – British Airways. Any tinations via Istanbul. It’s also very weird.

list of call signs needs to begin with • Air Guyane Express – Green Bird. • Scoot – Scooter. This is another call sign
Speedbird, which is probably the most Based in French Guiana, this airline that maybe makes some sense - take
famous ‘special’ call sign in the world. has a green bird for a logo, so the call the name of the airline and make it
The name comes from an old logo of a sign is obvious. Except that its planes roll off the tongue a little better. Never

bird, but whatever its origins, it is clear- now carry a livery with flowers. It’s mind that a scooter is just about the
ly the perfect call nevertheless a nice way to refer to an antithesis of an airliner

sign to evoke the that flies through the

speed and grace of sky. It wouldn’t have
an airliner cruising been my first choice.

through the sky. • Kalitta Air – Connie.

• Springbok – South It might sound odd at
African Airways. first, but not when you

The springbok deco- know that cargo oper-
rated South African ator Kalitta’s call sign

Airways planes since comes from its founder
before it was even Connie Kalitta, a former

called that, back in drag racer and a very
its early days in the interesting person in

1930s, and its first general. Q
services to Europe
World Airnews | October 2020
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