November (not the month)

Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe

Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe

Touchdown! Greaser!
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Light and Sporty Guy
Watching a video a few minutes ago remindered me of something - when did everyone start saying "November 1234" instead of just "1234" when talking to ATC? That's one that I keep forgetting (not that I talk to ATC that often).

Old people. Gotta hate them.
 
I never have used November except for the ATIS identifier.

But all the planes I have flown were US registered.
 
I almost always am talking to ATC while flying. I've noticed over my flying career (so 10 years) that it seems more aircraft are omitting the aircraft type and just going with "November xxxx". Jets seem to do that more than prop jobs from what I can tell. I always go with "Twin Cessna six-two-zero-charlie-alpha." It seems the past few years it's been a lot more noticeable.

Likewise, I've heard more and more controllers go with "November xxxx" rather than reading back the aircraft type. I've also had a number of controllers get the aircraft type wrong, which is likely why. In the past couple weeks flying the 414 I've been called a Conquest and a Citation, which of course I am not. I've also been called a Chancellor which is technically also incorrect, since the Chancellor was the 414A. However both a tip tank 414 or a 414A (straight wing) file as C414, so the controller has no way of knowing which is which without asking (which only a few have bothered with).

When operating in foreign countries you're supposed to use November in the tail number, but that's another matter.
 
Suppose to use either November with your tail number or the type/model/manufacturer's name with your tail number. Either way works just fine. Haven't noticed a trend towards November though.

I'm old school so I use Nancy.
 
I used to fly a Baron that had a short tail number. At least it was short in the 80s. It was NXXXV. Many times the controller would ask for the first digit since most airplanes back then had four digits. If I placed November in front it seemed to eliminate that issue.

Otherwise, I never use it.
 
I have used “November” in the callsign if the registration is shorter than the standard five characters after the ‘N’. Saying “Bonanza November six one six Victor” would usually - but not always - avoid the obligatory “Say full callsign” response from ATC.

Edit: I see Saddletramp beat me to it. Beech built a lot of airplanes with short regos in the late ‘50s and early ‘60s, and my K35 Bonanza was one of them.
 
Velocity173 said:
I'm old school so I use Nancy.
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The 310's tail number was 488-Sugar-Pop.

As the man who donated it said "This airplane was born Sugar Pop, and it's gonna die Sugar Pop."

A few controllers got angry at me for that (mainly the guy in Williamsport tower), but most didn't care.
 
I hear ATC use November a lot, but can’t say I’ve heard any pilots using it in lieu of aircraft type.
 
mscard88 said:
I just say "hey approach I'm wit u"
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I use that too but usually it's when I'm going to fly-ins wit da boyz.

"Velocity flight check. Two! Three! Four!...Approach, Velocity 12345, flight of four wit u, angels ten, ATIS bravo for the carrier break."

I leave out that "experimental" nonsense though. It's not important.
 
Ted DuPuis said:
The 310's tail number was 488-Sugar-Pop.

As the man who donated it said "This airplane was born Sugar Pop, and it's gonna die Sugar Pop."

A few controllers got angry at me for that (mainly the guy in Williamsport tower), but most didn't care.
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Yeah I can't see too many getting worked up over that. Sugar Pop is pretty common. I can understand if the controller replied in current phonetics though.
 
Velocity173 said:
Yeah I can't see too many getting worked up over that. Sugar Pop is pretty common. I can understand if the controller replied in current phonetics though.
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Absolutely, and most responded with "Sierra Pop". There were a few old school controllers who liked it and responded sugar.

What was funny was a lot of them almost responding Sugar and then correcting themselves for Sierra. "Su-ierra Pop". :)
 
I just want an N# that ends in YV. That way when I fly around the south, I can say Yankee Victor all the time. Especially, if I fly to the lower south, such as 'bama. :D
 
SkyDog58 said:
I just want an N# that ends in YV. That way when I fly around the south, I can say Yankee Victor all the time. Especially, if I fly to the lower south, such as 'bama. :D
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Then there was Nick, who reserved N999NN just because "Niner niner niner november november" is the most obnoxious tail number that anyone could have to say on the radio.
 
Hmmm. OK
When I went to 6y9 I stopped at TVC (once) and SAW (twice) and it seemed like the controllers kept using the November. Now, I usually just say " 'spearmental 222Golf November slow mover" and don't bother with the "Merlin GT" because A) no one on the planet has ever heard of one and 2) there is a Merlin turboprop that controllers/ pilots have heard about (Oh, and I did get billed the "Turboprop service fee" at TVC when I bought my 6 gallons of gas). So, that might be part of it. Dunno.

Then, I was watching a video earlier today and it was November this, and November that - kinda broke though the fog of dementia and made me wonder what had changed.

But, I guess it hasn't.

I'll go back to sleep.
 
My first instructor had me identify as "November x x x x Uniform," every time. I really hated that for some reason.
 
SkyDog58 said:
I just want an N# that ends in YV. That way when I fly around the south, I can say Yankee Victor all the time. Especially, if I fly to the lower south, such as 'bama. :D
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Bring it big boy! You're lucky I don't control no mo... holding for you, EFC tomorrow.
 
I've got a short tail number (3 Characters) so I always say November so they know it's the whole thing.
 
Ravioli said:
I've got a short tail number (3 Characters) so I always say November so they know it's the whole thing.
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Well, that's totally different and makes more sense. I usually announce with the full call sign, minus November of course, then abbreviate to the last three for following announcements at non-towered fields. Even with that it feels like I'm talking too much!
 
I wonder what the pilots of the FAA's Gulfstream N1 say. November One? Gulfstream One? One?
 
SkyDog58 said:
I wonder what the pilots of the FAA's Gulfstream N1 say. November One? Gulfstream One? One?
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Probably operating with a different call sign.
 
SkyDog58 said:
I wonder what the pilots of the FAA's Gulfstream N1 say. November One? Gulfstream One? One?
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They don't say anything. They do whatever they want, and we get moved out of there way. :)
 
What always makes me cringe is when (typically a student or "fresh pilot") announces themself as "Cessna 172 November 1234 yankee"
 
I put the "November" prefix on my registration number when flying in Canada. When flying in the US I never do.
 
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