Callsigns/Identifiers of yesteryear

[Shamrock145]

Long weekend with far too much time on my hands and I got thinking;

Must of us are familiar with the current callsigns/identifiers for the current aircraft in the fleet “Echo” for the EC135’s, “Sierra” for the AS355 Squirrel, “Papa” for the Pilatus/BN etc, and from that I could make an educated guess as to the identifiers used for earlier aircraft, but does anyone know for certain what identifiers were used on earlier aircraft, or indeed, when the current ‘system’ was introduced?

And while I’m at it, what will the new ‘AB139’s be using? “Alpha”, “Alpha Bravo”, “Alpha Hotel” … anyone?

…145

[Fouga]

Dauphin was DELTA HOTEL ?
Casa was CHARLIE ?
Gazelle was GOLF ?
Alouette was/is ALPHA ?
I dont know if i got them right so correct me please

[warthog]

papa was already used,the puma was PAPA 242 so the lads must be going green!

[Irish251]

Until the mid-70s or so there was a completely different system, which did not disclose the individual aircraft ID or type.  I seem to recall that it was a four-letter code, e.g. "BDIQ", in which the first two letters may have signified Baldonnel and the second two (maybe) the pilot's initials.  However I have no references on the matter to hand and someone else may be able to shed more light on it.

Before the present system there were some other callsign variations that I can remember.  The first King Air wore EI-BCY (possibly while dual-marked as 232) and used this civil registration as callsign for some time.  The HS.125s always used IAC238, 239 etc. until it became clear that "IAC" was already in use with Indian Airlines and so eventually the current "IRL" was adopted.

[GoneToTheCanner]

Hi all
"Irish" has always been the Callsign for the MATS flights.The paper identifier has been IAC followed by the number and now IRL. This also applied to aircraft being ferried overseas for overhaul.Air Corps aircraft only get a dual word callsign for training, eg, Whiskey Tango.
regards
GttC

[Fouga]

Gttc are my callsigns correct?

[RMR]

Cessnas were romeo and i seem to remember marchettis being whiskey..

[Irish251]

The suffix "Victor" is used for certain VIP flights, e.g "IRL251V" for the G-IV.

[GoneToTheCanner]

Hi Fouga
The Dauphin was coded as "Delta" only, as two-word identifiers are only for non-standard flights such as training flights or VIP flights.The MATS flights are coded "Victor" so that ATC will know that they are requesting priority and will not just be slotted into the normal traffic flow.The only other flights that get priority are SAR/Medevac/air ambulance flights.
regards
GttC

[Irish251]

GttC

The Dauphins definitely used "Delta Hotel" for ATC purposes.  

In fact I don't think I ever heard them use just "Delta" - that may well be because of potential confusion with civil ATC, as Delta Airlines was there first as far as that callsign is concerned!

Short Finals

[Fouga]

Quote (GoneToTheCanner @ 11 June 2006,02:08)

The MATS flights are coded "Victor" so that ATC will know that they are requesting priority and will not just be slotted into the normal traffic flow.

Cheeky Buggers!

[GoneToTheCanner]

Hi Fouga
ATC will always try to route VIP flights as directly and rapidly as possible, to keep them out of the regular traffic flow. For example, a VIP aircraft routing to Baldonnel from the UK could get routed directly to Bal, off airways, but still under positive ATC control. I was on a Casa air ambulance one night that was touted Bal-LHR direct. No airways, only direct radar vectors until we got near Heathrow and a "priority" status meant that we "jumped the queue" and got onto the ILS before anyone else.
SF, I only ever flew on one Dauphin flight and they used "Delta 245" for a local flight.
regards
GttC

[Fouga]

why would a casa do an air ambulance? was it a person? was the person in need of help that could only be gotten in the uk? its amazing to me as you always hear about people trying to raise funds to send johnny civillian to here and there etc so what was the priority? amazing stuff!

[GoneToTheCanner]

Hi Fouga,
The original Casa and the current Casas carried/carry out air ambulance missions as follows: transportation of organs where time is critical, such as lung/heart transplants and the recipient is actually on the operating table or transportation of stretcher-borne patients, medical teams and their equipment, for when local facilities are unavailable. The original Casa was well-liked for the job because it's high tail and loading ramp and a clear cabin meant that an ambulance could reverse up to the aircraft, the stretcher could be taken off the ambulance and slid straight onto the aircraft and the medical team could walk straight on, with all their baggage. It took about ten minutes to get everyone and every thing secured and the aircraft on it's way.The present Casas aren't so handy because they have a semi-obstructed ramp and the cabin is almost full, but it still has a limited utility.A lot of modern companies use business jets for the job but it's hard to get a stretcher-borne patient off such an aircraft and they are usually cramped inside.The Air Corps have done probably hundreds of those missions and are well-known in the UK NHS system.
regards
GttC

[Fouga]

Wow thats amazing news thanks its always nice to hear about stuff like that.