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Flightnumber versus Call sign - what to use


Christian Martensen

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Christian Martensen

Hello!

Usually flightnumber and callsign are the same - but sometimes, they differ. Why - and which should I use to file on VATSIM, and communicate with ATC ?

Example:

Flight details: NAX1885E : LGAV - ENGM

Flight number: NAX1885E  - Callsign NAX85TA

 

Should I file flightplan (and use in Squawkbox as well) as NAX1885, or as NAX85TA ?

 

I asked Anders in Virtual Norwegian already, I think he is too busy atm to reply :):P

 

Thanks for reply in advance,

 

Christian

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Mats Edvin Aaro (1227980)

As Mattias said, use the callsign. There's a section for just that question in the crew briefing dispatch notes, you should read those. :)

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Christian Martensen

Oops shame on me, I'll start reading! :P

Thanks much for your replies!

So, I'll file the flightplan using the callsign, and also use the callsign for connect and communicate. 

Best regards 

Christian 

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Jouka Ahponen (1239359)

As people already said, use the callsign. As the name says it's the flight callsign for communication between ATC and pilots and it follows ICAO standards. The flight number (which is not by the way NAX, but DY) is IATA standard.

ICAO and IATA differ in their original standpoint. ICAO is more for operational stuff between pilots and ATC while IATA is flight information for passengers to put it extremely bluntly. On VATSIM we don't need to worry about IATA at all and it just makes ATC confused.

On the other note as well. You list flight number NAX1885E / NAX85TA. On Virtual Norwegian they use the letters on flight number just to separate that flight from other flights with the same number to make the flight correct if it has different departure time on certain days for example. It's a bit complicated system there. In real life the correct flightnumber and callsign would be DY1885 / NAX85TA.

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Anders Moen (1066135)
19 hours ago, Jouka Ahponen said:

The flight number (which is not by the way NAX, but DY) is IATA standard.

Just imagine how many people we'd see online as DY/D8/DI if we had used the IATA designator instead, considering all the "B"(etc) flights we already see online... :P Could be fun to test out just to see

 

I didn't see you had created this topic when I answered you Christian, but looks like you have gotten your answer here as well anyway :)

Edited by Anders Moen
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Martin Tornberg (1069087)

While we're at it, I'd like to remind that if yo uare going to fly a Cessna for example with a registration of SE-EHI. Log in as SEEHI (without the hyphen). NOT SE-EHI. :)

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Christian Martensen

Hej Anders, 

I was just being impatient haha,, so no worries, and yes, people here are always super friendly and know (almost) everything. 

I can well see the chaos IATA designator would give ?. 

I'll keep the Cessna info in mind, Martin, if ever needed. 

Big thanks to all! 

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