Two planes manuever as a ground crew looks on.
Military call signs are used for vessels as well as pilots, and were thrust into the limelight after the release of the movie "Top Gun," starring Tom Cruise. They have a long history, but some regulations are changing the practice.
Origins
According to retired Lieutenant Commander Dave Parsons and Derek Nelson, authors of "Fighter Country: A History of F-14 Tomcats of NAS Oceana," call signs originated in the early years of aviation. By 1930, it was common for pilots to have nicknames based on their flying styles, such as "Squash," "Country," and "Stiffy."
Military history
According to an article on the Air Force website by Second Lieutenant William Powell, the first call signs were probably used by ground controllers to communicate with pilots during World War I. "It was faster and easier to call a pilot by his nickname, and it would have confused the enemy in case they were listening," says Yvonne Kincaid, an Air Force historian.
Air Force One
The call sign for the plane that ferries the U.S. President is the most recognizable: Air Force One. It was established in 1953, during Dwight Eisenhower's presidency, after an Eastern Airlines commercial flight using the same call sign as a flight the president was on accidentally entered the same airspace.
Hollywood
The most recognizable call signs for pilots belonged to Tom Cruise and Anthony Edwards, who were known as "Maverick" and "Goose" in the film "Top Gun."
Naming
Aviator call signs almost always originate from a member of a pilot's squadron. It's considered bad form to make your own call sign. Call signs are often derogatory, and the more a pilot complains, the more likely the name is to stick.
New Regulations
On June 17, 2000, a new regulation was issued on the use of call signs. Among the new stipulations was a rule against profane names, as well as identical signs. The 14th Tactical Air Squadron of Grand forks, North Dakota, had caused a lot of confusion after all giving themselves the call sign "Maverick."
Tags: call sign, call signs, call signs, most recognizable
