Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!ames!sun-barr!texsun!texbell!vector!telecom-gateway From: HAMER@ruby.vcu.edu (ROBERT M. HAMER) Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom Subject: Radio Call-signs In Airplanes Message-ID: Date: 6 Sep 89 13:04:00 GMT Sender: news@vector.Dallas.TX.US Lines: 19 Approved: telecom-request@vector.dallas.tx.us X-Submissions-To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu X-Administrivia-To: telecom-request@vector.dallas.tx.us X-TELECOM-Digest: volume 9, issue 353, message 5 of 9 Roy Smith writes: >> Other types of radio services use both W and K, depending. > >Don't airplanes use N prefixes for their call signs? Aircraft radios are licensed by the FCC, and pilots have to get a "Restricted Radiotelephone Operator Permit" (at least that's what mine says) in order to operate it. As a call sign, one uses the FAA-registered aircraft identification number. All US-registered civilian aircraft have aircraft identification numbers that start with "N." (Oh, I just lied a bit; Airlines get to identify themselves to ATC via radio using their flight numbers, regardless of their aircraft ID number, e.g., "Richmond Approach, this is US Air 1462, 32 miles southwest, ...." The rest of us would say, "Richmond Approach, this is November 1 5 4 9-er Quebec, 32 miles southwest..."