Callsign question

aviatorx43

aviatorx43

Well-Known Member
Heard two different aircraft call up as "Navy 1-Golf-###" with three numbers after the G... Like 1G432 or something. What does that mean?

The other military acrft callsigns I've heard have always been a name and number like Coach 33 or Rats or Turbo and whatnot. Does the navy just do it different?
 
aviatorx43 said:
Heard two different aircraft call up as "Navy 1-Golf-###" with three numbers after the G... Like 1G432 or something. What does that mean?

The other military acrft callsigns I've heard have always been a name and number like Coach 33 or Rats or Turbo and whatnot. Does the navy just do it different?
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That sounds like a training flight identifying wing and the last three of the bureau number. I'm guessing Corpus Christi as they wear a G on their tail. There's probably a list online.

Operational tacair squadrons usually have the descriptive callsigns you are used to.
 
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aviatorx43 said:
Heard two different aircraft call up as "Navy 1-Golf-###" with three numbers after the G... Like 1G432 or something. What does that mean?

The other military acrft callsigns I've heard have always been a name and number like Coach 33 or Rats or Turbo and whatnot. Does the navy just do it different?
Click to expand...

As Pilot Fighter explained for USN/USMC non-tactical aircraft, that's usually what you'll hear. Tactical aircraft in the USN/USMC generally have a squadron callsign followed by the "nose number" on the aircraft. IE- "Sundowner 102", etc.

USAF tactical aircraft will have a list of callsigns assigned to the Wing or the Group/Squadrons, and those get randomly assigned to individual flights. In combat, there may be assigned flight callsigns for the theatre. And in some cases, callsigns can be "purchased" for daily flight use by individuals as a way of making money for the unit slush fund. USAF non-tactical aircraft use various callsigns depending on what they're doing: most airlift aircraft used to use "MAC" then the last 5 of their aircraft number, nowdays they use "Reach" with the chance of MAC to AMC. VIP aircraft carrying certain VIPs will use "SAM" for "Special Air Mission" if appropriate. Training command bases have specific callsigns for individual units, and also for when the unit aircraft is being flown dual or solo. And there are other variations to the theme USAF-wide.

The US Army generally uses "Army" or "Guard" and the 5 digit number of the particular aircraft, ie "Army 23641" when in the National Airspace System and talking to ATC. They have individual callsigns like "Killer 32", but those are only used on the range, or in maneuvers, or overseas in theatre, they're not used when talking to the FAA.
 
Another "Navy-ism" is using airwing tail code and side number for CQ type (flying to and from the beach) ops. IE, "Alpha Bravo XXX" with XXX being the 3 digit side number, where AB is the tailcode worn by the airwing they are assigned to (I think AB might not exist, can't remember off the top of my head) as a generic example. Some squadrons may have a different standard, but at least at Oceana and Miramar for everyday training hops, we always used/use squadron specific ATC call sign followed by the event number and position in flight. So "Shutr 11" would be the first event of the day, and the lead aircraft of that event....."Shutr 12" would be the -2 guy of that flight, and so on. In real world scenarios, your callsign is determined by the ATO (Air Tasking Order), to reduce the confusion when working with foreign or other service controllers with a lot of aircraft all going to and from similar places.
 
unclassified said:
How come it's CVW1 with a B suffix? And why is CVW17 AA? It should be CVW1.

How come the airpac airwings have an N prefix and not a P, since the airlant airwings have the A prefix?
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Not sure if a pilot or NFO was ever curious enough to ask. However, I think that the original naming scheme called for the second letter to be unique swapping the first letter if required. Like most Navy naming conventions, it broke down at some point. I think that -7 is AG and -9 is NG, which would have violated the scheme at some point in our history. Isn't -17, NA?
 
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