Lat night there was a runway incursion incident forcing a go around of a USAir 737, flight 1189 from KDCA at Orlando (KMCO). The go around was caused by a Continental jet crossing the arival runway and apparently cleared in time but activated a ground incursion alert system first installed at MCO and is now active in 9 airports in the US! I was listening to the Air Traffic for MCO tower using liveatc.net and noticed something interesting! While all the other airlines where prefixed wth their callsign (ie: American 123) This flight was only referred by it's number (1189) is this the common way to refer to USAIR flights? Should we be changing our AI callsigns for USAIR flights? Interesting according to the news reports, The number of these types of incursion incidents are up at MCO since the installation of this new system.

It's quite common at KDFW for AAL flights to be called only by their number during really busy times.Also if you real many CVR and ATC transcripts of accidents, the flight number only is common around the world once an aircraft has been identified.

>It's quite common at KDFW for AAL flights to be called only>by their number during really busy times.>>Also if you real many CVR and ATC transcripts of accidents,>the flight number only is common around the world once an>aircraft has been identified.its very unusual to have a controller refer to planes by their flight number only. listen to this jfk controller and the day he is having. this is pretty funny.http://home.online.no/~chainly/JFKGround.mp3

It all depends on the situation at the air traffic control facility.I have had experiences when the controller(s) basically ordered us not to repeat their requests. One afternoon at DCA, after the airport had been closed for about 45 minutes due to thunderstorms and traffic was backed up both in the air and on the ground, the tower controller gave a request every 3 minutes for us to, "not repeat what I say...just do as I say". He didn't even call us by flight numbers, just type aircraft, ie- "American five miles out..number two to land... follow United."Somtimes when you have many aicraft of the same carrier on the same frequency it can get confusing when ATC uses the airline callsigns and using just flight numbers makes more sense.John M

>It all depends on the situation at the air traffic control>facility.>I have had experiences when the controller(s) basically>ordered us not to repeat their requests. One afternoon at DCA,>after the airport had been closed for about 45 minutes due to>thunderstorms and traffic was backed up both in the air and on>the ground, the tower controller gave a request every 3>minutes for us to, "not repeat what I say...just do as I say".>He didn't even call us by flight numbers, just type aircraft,>ie- "American five miles out..number two to land... follow>United.">>Somtimes when you have many aicraft of the same carrier on the>same frequency it can get confusing when ATC uses the airline>callsigns and using just flight numbers makes more sense.>>John MO'hare controllers use colors and acroynyms, but I haven't heard just flight numbers. Hey such and such follow the united guppy on your right. hey such and such follow company to runway 9L. then again at ORD it is the norm to not stop and initiate an action then report what you're doing (say if an alley is blocked). ORD ground controllers are the best in the world imho.

From what I've learned over the years, from following aviation, scanners, pilots and FS - is that there is an exception to every rule and practice.One thing I thought was only in Europe, but I'm hearing more and more on KDAL and KDFW is the "Company" label of a flight.i.e. "Southwest 123 follow company ahead, you are second for landing"And "American 123, follow company traffic to Rwy 35L for takeoff, contact tower on ...."

I'll second that, they are very good at KORD. The controller I mentioned in the post above was working both ground and two active runways at the same time. He would tell all traffic (air and ground) to stay with him until you were ready to turn into your gate. This way he was able to control the entire flow of traffic on and near the airport. At times it was like listening to an auctioneer."Eastern ( I'm dating myself here ) cleared for takeoff. United #2 taxi and hold, #3 be ready to go. American cleared to land runway runway 1, hold short 33. Eastern on 33 turn immediately, I got three going up". It was amazing to listen to and made us forget about the bumpy ride we just had to get there. We estimated he was getting about two down and two up about every minute and a half, or so. It all worked though since no flight crew ever got on the frequency to acknowledge him. My respect for ATC increased by quite a bit that day.John M

I've never flown into ORD, but I've flown into MDW numerous times for commercial cross countries, and I will also attest that Chicago controllers in general are pretty darn good. Every now and then you'll get a grumpy one, but who knows, maybe it's just not their day. One guy in particular that works Center over Dubuque on 133.95 is a really great guy. Anyway, I had to throw in my $.02 while you guys are talking about it.

The company traffic call is fairly common here at KSLC, with all the SkyWest flights coming and going.