How many times do you correct your tail number before giving up.

cowman

cowman

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For some reason my tail number gives controllers trouble. At least every other flight I have to read it back at least once. No big deal.

I recently had one where I got flight following and told the guy he got the wrong number and corrected him back multiple times... he assigned me a squawk code which was clearly for me and confirmed it was me he was talking to but still the wrong number. I kinda just gave up and accepted it, remembering my new temporary tail number. I'm pretty sure my radio works fine, I've never had problems with anyone understanding me except the tail number.

I was unable to resolve this until I got passed on to the next controller who I explained the situation to and he was able to sort it out. This is the first time it's gone that far.

Just wondering if I'm handling it the best way. I would much prefer they were calling me by the right number but how many minutes do you clog up the radio repeating the same thing over and over before it becomes ridiculous?
 
On initial contact, try speaking your call sign 50% slower next time. They have to physically type your call sign into the computer as you're saying it, or write it down, while simultaneously listening to your request. Once you get beyond your tail number, then speak at a normal rate.

This happens all the time. If a controller starts calling me something I'm not, I'll wait for some radio silence and then advise him of the correct call sign.
 
6 1 8 5 H

And believe me as often as I have this happen I speak it slowly and annunciate... and get made fun of by the occasional controller for it. I used to have this issue with the tower where I got my initial training but they had a skyhawk 815HA flying almost every day so you can see where that would get confusing. But the issue has followed me everywhere, I am normally truncated to 85H pretty quick.

CFIs I've flown with have noted it to... every other controller seems to stumble over it on the first readback. I've heard plenty of N-numbers I thought were trickier than mine read back over the air but maybe I'm just used to it.
 
You: Approach, November 6185H looking for FF to XXX 6500' please.

ATC: N6815H squawk code 5214 and Ident

You: Uhh, that was N6185H

ATC: I'm sorry I was on landline, was that N68H just calling?

You: Yes sir, and that was N6185H

ATC: N6685H roger sir.

:raspberry:
 
Ryanb said:
You: Approach, November 6185H looking for FF to XXX 6500' please.

ATC: N6815H squawk code 5214 and Ident

You: Uhh, that was N6185H

ATC: I'm sorry I was on landline, was that N68H just calling?

You: Yes sir, and that was N6185H

ATC: N6685H roger sir.

:raspberry:
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The funny thing is that's not far from today's exchange. I tried to find it on liveatc but the feed was down.
 
Harold Rutila said:
On initial contact, try speaking your call sign 50% slower next time.
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Today I truly speak slowly when talking to ground or tower. I normally correct them once, then let it go. More than once they have replied Cessna NXXXR, when I report Beech Sport NXXXXR. No flight following here, but I fly out of class D Juneau, AK.

Lately what I do is call ground with aircraft make model and tail number. Wait for a response and give my intentions. It gives them time to write things down or concentrate who they are talking to.
 
Mine seems to get screwed up a ton lately. A lot of controllers call me 1BR when it's really 18R. My guess is that their screens have crappy text resolution.

After the first time or two of correcting them, I just acknowledge the transmission with my correct call sign.
 
Depends of it's a simple freq change or something like an altitude change. I always make them say it correctly for one of the biggies.
 
I've had it happen a lot over time. Just don't ever accept your "new" tail number. Always read back your entire correct tail number to the clearance.

Good controllers will advise when a similar tail number is on freq. But, always listen to all the other transmissions to be sure.
 
My tail number always gets butchered...not sure why but I'll say it back correctly a few times but then I learn to answer when it sounds close. Mine is N5237l..the 2 and 3 always gets messed up.
 
cowman said:
The funny thing is that's not far from today's exchange. I tried to find it on liveatc but the feed was down.
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Ha! I've had it happen many times, mostly during peak times when the controller is busy. After hearing multiple call signs in succession, I'm sure it's easy to misconstrue them. We've had a couple of new controllers here lately, but they've been doing a great job. It's always a surprise when queueing up ATC and a new voice answers.
 
I'd just keep on bothering them until they get it right. Even though I know they probably are calling me or giving me instructions, I always clarify. They mix up our airline's call sign all the time with another airline and I always clarify and say "confirm that was for XXXXX"
 
Mine has always given problems. Mostly, like @Fearless Tower example, there's an expectation that the last two characters be letters, but then yours has a number. In my case with 10P, when pronounced with nominal quickness inflight, it's phonetically hard to distinguish from the all too common "SP", as found in re-start production Cessnas. So unless I make a point to pronounce it sllooooooowly as in , bla bla One-zeROOOOOOOWWWW....PAPA! it just gets read back Sierra-Papa. It's a PITA. Additionally, since comanche tail numbers tend to end in Papa as well, I get called a comanche as well too, though that one is inconsequential to me.

Of course, I could always go the overnugget/carrier-break dooshbag RV-driver route and just use a tactical callsign. :D
 
just break it up into 3 segments like n7 34 54 stated as November 7,thirty four,fifty four.not as it should be but works good for quirky tail numbers that I had a few of.
 
I used to work for a company that had a couple planes with similar tail numbers. Most controllers were familiar with the two, but invariably, and usually at night, both planes would be flying, with new controllers in training and then the confusion would start. :lol::lol::lol:
 
Do you use "five"? Or do you use "Fife"?
 
Ours usually doesn't get messed up, but...

There's a new Cessna on the field that ends in "Niner Seven Mike" and we're "Seven Niner Mike" and the newbie is a rental somewhere and always up, so I'm having to force the issue with one controller specifically (frankly the worst one in our tower, constantly loses the big picture) at KAPA.

I'll be nice and say no more, but I always cringe when I realize that particular controller is on shift. Not great at the big picture, very few tricks up their sleeve to fix things, just one of those things ... when I hear that voice I usually change my plans and decide to exit the Delta to go do something else, anywhere else.

It's probably more noticible that this one controller is weak because the majority of our controllers are a very strong bunch. It's a busy airport.

The vast majority are sharp. This one controller is about as sharp as a butter knife. Can cut with it, but it takes a lot more work than necessary. ;-)
 
hotprops said:
just break it up into 3 segments like n7 34 54 stated as November 7,thirty four,fifty four.not as it should be but works good for quirky tail numbers that I had a few of.
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I heard a controller once say it is better to hear numbers in pairs and that has helped mine to be better recognized over the years. Also, say the pairs as a two digit number;

Yours: N6185H

"Sixty-one,....Eighty-five,...Hotel."
 
They say the human memory is good for about 7 digits +/- 2... so if you have 2 new tail numbers pop up, that's between 8-10 numbers for the controller to remember. Hell.. just one aircraft is on the -2 side of that.
 
simtech said:
My tail number always gets butchered...not sure why but I'll say it back correctly a few times but then I learn to answer when it sounds close. Mine is N5237l..the 2 and 3 always gets messed up.
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Yup. 2's and 3's. I bought an airplane, n1323c. I groaned a little when I did and prepared myself for the upcoming adventures with ATC. I don't know what it is, they don't rhyme.
 
cowman said:
6 1 8 5 H

And believe me as often as I have this happen I speak it slowly and annunciate... and get made fun of by the occasional controller for it. I used to have this issue with the tower where I got my initial training but they had a skyhawk 815HA flying almost every day so you can see where that would get confusing. But the issue has followed me everywhere, I am normally truncated to 85H pretty quick.

CFIs I've flown with have noted it to... every other controller seems to stumble over it on the first readback. I've heard plenty of N-numbers I thought were trickier than mine read back over the air but maybe I'm just used to it.
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That one doesn't seem tricky. It flows off the lips pretty easy, but if it happens all the time there must be a reason. I wouldn't let it rest until they get it right. That doesn't mean lock up the frequency getting it done "right now" to the point of interfering with the flow of traffic. But I would be paying real close attention for other similar call signs and jumping in right away if it sounds like someone is getting an instruction intended for someone else. Something you might try. If it's bungled on the first try, respond with something like "that's six one eight five hotel [very short pause] sixty one, eighty five hotel. Using group form numbers to clarify works with other things besides call signs to clear up individual digit confusions.
 
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There I wuz, poking along in central New Jersey in N4332N on flight following, with McGuire approach. I overheard a call for N4323N and was quiet as the N numbers didn't match. The second call from Approach was in an elevated voice brimming with displeasure at having to call twice for a mere Warrior.

I responded: "Check the N number this is Warrior 43 (pause) 32 N Are you calling me?" "Yes" he responded in a much more civil tone, "flight following cancelled, squawk VFR etc etc."

I did get a kick out of calling out his mistake and having him drop me like a hot throwed roll anyway.

-Skip
 
cowman said:
6 1 8 5 H
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Try saying November six one eight five hotel. It's the single letter that may be throwing them off and often controllers like to say the full "N" number and it will add a little delay for them.
 
I once owned a Grumman Cheetah, N116MC. By coincidence there was a Grumman (Tiger) N16MC based at a field just three miles away. I had lunch with the Tiger's owner one day. He jokingly suggested we both fly over to a nearby controlled field to shoot some touch-and-goes and play with the controller's mind. :D
 
I don't see how the single letter could be an issue. Your registration can have no letters, one letter or two letters. ATC will deal with multiples of each every day along with airline flight numbers. It shouldn't be an issue at all.
 
I am 5-9-8...I am also now trained to listen for 5-9-Bravo cuz it happens so often.

But yeah, I have also had the controller that was stuck in a dyslexic paralysis state and could not get it correct on call up.
 
I used to fly a plane with full call sign, "1ZK". I heard one kulu zilo a lot....... and may have said the same thing myself once or twice.....:lol::lol::lol:
 
Well thank dog....thought it was just I having this issue!
As above, I find "forty-five, twenty-four" clears up 4524 well
 
I had ground and tower keep getting my N number wrong by one digit one day...my copilot wasn't concerned about it, but I'm just naturally paranoid. ;) When we were issued the takeoff clearance, I told the copilot, "I've got this one," and flat out asked the controller if he was talking to us, because we were 130xx not 300xx.

Turns out he was thinking we were someone else going an entirely different direction...woulda been more entertainment after the initial turn than either the controller or I would've cared for.

Always verify, and don't accept "dead end" clearances (I've had just enough comm failures to not take that chance).
 
I won't taxi without it being correct. Going into a controlled airport I won't enter their airspace unless it's correct. I was recently in Kansas and some of those class d's are so empty it's creepy. Controllers kept getting my callsigns wrong and I even had one controller get annoyed with me, you could hear it in her voice.
Here in the bay area it isn't unusual to have two airplanes with very similar callsigns on a very busy frequency. The sloppiness of some controllers is just flat dangerous. And pilots who let them do that are part of the problem.
Took this picture about a year ago in Modesto. It's a good example on why making sure the entire callsigns is correct is important
71e741e6f5b9b60a1863e0ee36a802ee.jpg
 
Is that above photo another example of why the answer to anything is always "Bonanza"? LOL.
 
Usually the confusion I get from controllers is due to my 3 character tail number. If I check on with "RV123" I sometimes get "RV123 - say full tail number", I say "November one two three" and they are like, "OK."
 
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