Quirky callsigns

DDAC Instructor • January 21, 2020

Interesting callsigns used by some well known airlines

Here's a few interesting callsigns that some well known airlines use. Enjoy!

"Jazz" Jazz Aviation 
Jazz Aviation is Canada’s 2nd largest airline in terms of fleet size, operating under the brand name of Air Canada Express. The call sign Jazz is also used as the company’s logo.

"Shamrock" Aer Lingus
Call signs can be used to rep- resent national pride and the call sign Shamrock does just that. Ireland’s national carrier Aer Lingus, has been using the shamrock as its logo since the early 1960’s. It only seems fit- ting for this call sign to be used.

"Brickyard" Republic Airlines
Republic Airlines, based in Indianapolis, uses the call sign ‘brickyard’. This is paying homage to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, home of the Indy 500 race which in 1909 was paved with 3 million bricks. Republic Airlines operates a fleet of 180 Embraer 170/175 and files to 100 cities in the U.S.

"Redwood" Virgin America
Based in the San Francisco Bay area famous for its California Redwood forests, Virgin America can be heard to use the call sign Redwood. Not only does the callsign fit the area but it also represents Virgin America’s red logo.

"Dragon" Hong Kong Dragon Airlines
Dragon Air began operation in 1985 and flies to 13 countries across Asia. Dragon Air’s all Airbus fleet is decorated with a red dragon. The red dragon represents power, strength and good luck, the ideal qualities of a passenger airline!

"Speedbird" British Airways
This callsign originated from British Airways’ original corporation the ‘British Overseas Airways Corporation' Logo which depicted a yellow bird commonly referred to as ‘Speedbird.’ The call sign was most notably used by the supersonic Concord.

"Waterski" Trans States Airlines
This novel call sign is used by Trans State Airlines dating back to the early 1980’s when the then Resort Air flew passengers to Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri for summer holidays. 

"Dynasty" China Airlines
China Airlines is the largest carrier in Taiwan. The logo features a plum blossom and pays homage to China’s vast history, hence why the callsign ‘Dynasty’ is used.

"Cactus" US Airways
The callsign, Cactus originated in 1983 with America West Airlines that eventually merged with US Airways in 2006. This callsign may be familiar to those who remember the day it all went cactus for Captain Sully and Crew on US Airways flight 1549. 

"Citrus" AirTrans Airways.
The tangy call sign “Citrus” was used by the Orlando based AirTran Airways, inspired by the state fruit of Florida, the orange.

Wouldn't it be cool if QANTAS had a callsign like 'Skippy'. 
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