I saw somewhere (you know how the internet is) that pilots are not actually given colorful, adventurous, masculine-sounding names for call signs, but named for something stupid they did. Is there any truth at all to this?

This message has been edited. Last edited by: egregore,

Sort of. Stupid/mistakes/actions, a "play" on a given name/surname, and "attribute", something you say, stuff like that.

Mine was was because of a misspelling of my last name on my dog tags (a new set ordered when I went into a new (worldwide deployment) unit.

Using " uppercase block letters" on the form, I did not put a "tail" in the U and it was mistaken as "V", and the "F" touched the bottom of the box and was mistaken as an "E", so my tags came back as "KAVEMAN" and that was the white label on the the envelope they came in, so I got hung with that.

(and aka "monkey", but that's another story)

quote:

Originally posted by egregore:
I saw somewhere (you know how the internet is) that pilots are not actually given colorful, adventurous, masculine-sounding names for call signs, but named for something stupid they did. Is there any truth at to this?

I watched a documentary series about Navy flight school and most of the call signs were pretty tame. Duster, Pancake, Bird, Bambi, etc.

^^^ The above two posts make more sense.

quote:

Originally posted by egregore:
I saw somewhere (you know how the internet is) that pilots are not actually given colorful, adventurous, masculine-sounding names for call signs, but named for something stupid they did. Is there any truth at all to this?

Call signs, at least with the Navy tend to be a humbling reminder of a notable event, a physical characteristic, an affectation or, a humorous play on their name. Any person thinking they could give themselves a callsign, is ripe for derision and getting a callsign that's the direct opposite of what they hoped for. Callsigns used to be much more crude if not insulting or offensive, today they've cleaned them up.

Not to mention the ‘cleansing’ of callsigns after Tailhook. There was that too.

quote:

Originally posted by sourdough44:
I think it’s called ‘artistic license’, making it more of a story or enjoyable to watch. Kinda like the movie’Lone survivor’, much different than real events.

Then again, Top Gun is totally fictional, so just check out & enjoy.

Well, in the first one, coming out of afterburner was a flame out, the pilot’s fuel gage was in the backseat, and the missiles were the infamously deadly blue tubes.

In the second, they did give credit to the F-18’s flight capabilities and how to start an F14 and remove the landing gear locks - albeit not 100% accurate though.

quote:

Originally posted by berto:

quote:

Originally posted by egregore:
I saw somewhere (you know how the internet is) that pilots are not actually given colorful, adventurous, masculine-sounding names for call signs, but named for something stupid they did. Is there any truth at to this?

I watched a documentary series about Navy flight school and most of the call signs were pretty tame. Duster, Pancake, Bird, Bambi, etc.

With credit to a couple other posts…

We had a pilot called "Darth" because that was his breathing sound on air and the there was the Japanese exchange RIO who’s real name was Yamashita.


Once Lt Yamashita forgot to poop before his sortie. His new moniker became "Shitter."

So, take it with a grain of salt.

Also, how do you know who the fighter pilot is when attending a crowded party?

Don’t worry, he (or she) will come over and tell you.

Another question about call signs. Do only fighter pilots get to have them? What about pilots of transport planes, helicopters, etc.? Or land-based?

Gotta wonder how this pilot got his callsign.

quote:

Originally posted by egregore:
Another question about call signs. Do only fighter pilots get to have them? What about pilots of transport planes, helicopters, etc.? Or land-based?

No, typically all aviators (cause they wannabe like a fighter community member )

quote:

Originally posted by egregore:
Another question about call signs. Do only fighter pilots get to have them? What about pilots of transport planes, helicopters, etc.? Or land-based?

I have a call sign. I wasn't a pilot and I never served. The Air Force gave me a call sign because some work I did was innovative. I would say it here but I don't want to Dox and it is not cool like Blade or Lone Wolf. It fits what I am known for but it is comical.

quote:

Originally posted by egregore:
I saw somewhere (you know how the internet is) that pilots are not actually given colorful, adventurous, masculine-sounding names for call signs, but named for something stupid they did. Is there any truth at all to this?

It's true even for the non pilots. My cousin was an Air Force flight surgeon.

She was pumping milk for a newborn during some of her work meetings on base.

Her callsign was Skim.


She wasn't an Air Force pilot but she was working on her license privately. She flew with fighter pilots because she needed to understand the experience of G-forces and other physiological realities of what pilots endure, so she could better understand how to care for them and what things should and should not cause restrictions and the like.

They had 2 seater F-16s, F-15s and F35s for training purposes and she got to ride in all of them.


She had a different nickname when she was deployed. Pink Dragon Lady. She was the one who dispensed 'Go Pills', which are pink.

No two seat F-35s, but I know a Flight Surgeon gets time in more models and types than a test pilot.

They earn their time.

She has my respect.

This. I watched it just to be entertained. I watched the original movie back in “88. I like that one better than the latest one. Both are entertaining movies.

quote:

Originally posted by lastmanstanding:
Sometimes ya just gotta let a movie be a movie. Are you not entertained??

Call sign "WingNut"

Dude had very large ears.
.
Naval Aviator Robert Fluck. Call sign "Cluster"
-

quote:

Originally posted by egregore:
Another question about call signs. Do only fighter pilots get to have them? What about pilots of transport planes, helicopters, etc.? Or land-based?

I did 25 years active duty all in Helicopter commands and never knew any pilot that had a "Call Sign".

Almost all the Marine aviators I knew had call signs. They aren't necessarily about a "cool factor," but are helpful to distinguish individuals on the radio and to keep communication as brief as possible (I don't know about Air Force or Army pilot communication, but Navy/Marine communications are very short. Not just concise, but at times terse).

A lot of the aviators I knew had call signs that were a play in their last name such as "Fig" Newton and "Buster" Heiman (bust her hyman). Others resulted from a trait of the person or from a specific incident, usually one of great embarrassment to the person given the call sign.

Cases in point: for those who watch Ward Carroll on You Tube know his call sign "Mooch" resulted from him asking someone for money or something, and they replied "you're such a mooch." The one I fondly remember was when we were on deployment and a group of us were at a bar drinking. Someone suggested going to a strip club and exclaimed "everyone there is totally naked!" A young and apparently naive 1st Lt paused with a serious look of concern. With all seriousness he objected by saying, Wait a minute! Who's naked? I'm not getting naked!" And thus his callsign "Turnip" was earned (as in just fell off the turnip truck).

Lastly, some are merely a matter of convenience. My first callsign when I was still a student aviator was that kind. We were on the air combat phase of training where a callsign is preferred (see communication above). When asked what mine was as we briefed, I replied that I did not have one. The instructor asked, "where are you from?" "Florida," I replied. "You're Gator. Now get in the fucking jet"

As an aside, I've never known a non-aviator/pilot to have one, but maybe other branches do it differently.

quote:

Originally posted by egregore:
I saw somewhere (you know how the internet is) that pilots are not actually given colorful, adventurous, masculine-sounding names for call signs, but named for something stupid they did. Is there any truth at all to this?

I attended an inter-service course in which we had a Navy pilot. His call sign was Spurt. His real last name was Seeman or Seaman.

quote:

Originally posted by egregore:
Another question about call signs. Do only fighter pilots get to have them? What about pilots of transport planes, helicopters, etc.? Or land-based?

I will disagree. In the AF of about 10 years ago, it was mainly a fighter thing*. I have seen the exact scene where Bob gets introduced play out multiple times. Most transport dudes just didn't have one.

*The exception was for USAF Weapons School graduates. As the Weapons Instructor Course descended from the the USAF Fighter Weapons School, we carried over many of their traditions (to include callsigns.)