Pilot Callsigns - The web's largest collection of callsign stories (Read more @ F-16.net)

F-16.net wrote:The Three Rules of Callsigns

1. If you don't already have one, you will be assigned one by your "buddies".
2. You probably won't like it.
3. If you complain and moan too much about 1. and 2., you'll get a new nickname you'll like even less!

So, how do you get a callsign?

Do something stupid or have it fit with your last name. Obvious examples, 'Crash' or LT 'Cheese' Kraft. Sometimes it's based on a physical appearance thing like 'Carrot'. After you've earned the respect of your buddies, you'll get a more 'heroic' callsign.

Some of my favorites on there:

Omelet
Dutch pilot wanted to be called bouncer cause he used to be one at a club in Holland. Bouncer in dutch ("Uitsmijter") also means grilled egg. The squadron decided Bouncer sounded too cool so called him omelet. Lesson learned: NEVER ask for your own callsign!

Viper
"Very Idiot Person"

Scro
USAF Captain I met at Camp Red Cloud, around 1997. Last name was Tam.

Thumper
Was going through basic with a temporary callsign of "Fluffy" and had a soda next to my console when I shouldn't have. Well having a size 15 foot the soda ended up getting kicked over. So my instructor thought, "what's fluffy and has a big foot?" And there you have it.

Lawndart wrote:Scro
USAF Captain I met at Camp Red Cloud, around 1997. Last name was Tam.

ROFL!!!

Lawndart wrote:Viper
"Very Idiot Person"

Now that's not nice... what if the person has a fetish for the Dodge Viper.

Against all rules (I did know about them) I have chosen my own nickname
I have been consistant though and didn't change my nick for over 10 years.
Interesting would be, just to make it even worse by asking, what would be a suitable nick for me? No need to spare me

Frazer wrote:Interesting would be, just to make it even worse by asking, what would be a suitable nick for me? No need to spare me

In your case, it's very difficult to think of screw ups in your flying - my first thought was something to do with Metallica or "Drummer".

About the screwups, I think there are plenty Maybe "Screw Ups" is a good nick to go for but then again, I'm not allowed to decide that

Mine was chosen for me at school aged 13, my surname is Ellis and the guys called me Ells Bells (like Hells Bells) and Ells has stuck ever since and I haven't ever changed it (23 years ago).

For next time when someone shows up with no callsign or one that's too cool for their own good...

http://www.topgunday.com/call-sign-generator/

Lawndart wrote:For next time when someone shows up with no callsign or one that's too cool for their own good...

http://www.topgunday.com/call-sign-generator/

I also selected my own nickname, but I'm not sure, if you can call my name an nickname. The first suggestion, this generator gives me is "Trump".

I can speak an entire conversation with only the words

"dude"

and

"man"

using inflection and cadence these words can mean many, many things.

Therefore somewhere in the early 2000's I became

"Dudeman"

It's hard to explain and live up to. But I try...

It's hard to invoke millitary standards with these words as well.

But I try to slip them in, while striving for literary respect. It's tough. LMAO

from the generator...

lt. shawn 'longdong' lloyd....

dudeman750 wrote:I can speak an entire conversation with only the words

"dude"

and

"man"

using inflection and cadence these words can mean many, many things.

Therefore somewhere in the early 2000's I became

"Dudeman"

It's hard to explain and live up to. But I try...

It's hard to invoke millitary standards with these words as well.

But I try to slip them in, while striving for literary respect. It's tough. LMAO

Dude! Man that is something.........