FPP002 - Callsigns

Only in the movies do fighter pilots enjoy cool nicknames like “Viper”, “Iceman”, or “Maverick.” In the real world, callsigns are generally plays on names (e.g. “Notso” Sharp), reflective of a pilot’s physical resemblance to some well-known character (“Shrek” Olsen), or the result of a mistake the pilot made at some point in his or her career (“Skids” Pennington). Admittedly, they are at times derogatory, and frequently not politically correct, but they are almost always funny.

On this episode, U.S. Navy Captain Brian “Ferg” Fergusson stops by to explain those whimsical, often juvenile nicknames many military aviators go by instead of their real names when flying and, on the ground. Learn how callsigns are assigned, whether they ever change, and why it’s actually a good thing when a new fighter pilot despises a newly-assigned callsign.

Bumper music by King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard.

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Constructive observations and… Congrats!

I believe it is not qualified info but the call signs also have a reason to exist, so the family or even first name of any of the aviators/pilots is not ever mentioned in a frequency,right? Even with total radio silence if you have an absolute necessity of call each you use their call sign.

A number of call signs (with their stories approved by the “victims”) could have been shared been shared. The shareable ones obviously!

I was lucky, mine was Cuervo (as the tequilla). My last name is Coelho (from Portuguese Air Force and I flew A7 Corsair II).
During UPT they wanted to call me “Vanilla Ice” (which I secretly hated - but was smart enough not to demonstrate that). I was at Vance AFB and after Christmas break I brought a bottle of “aguardente” which was produced by my grandfather. It is stronger than tequilla and almost all my class mates left the shot glasses untouched. That was not acceptable so I drank them all 😎
That event with the difficulty of spelling my last name ended up in “Cuervo” which is pretty cool.

Congrats on the podcast - it makes time go back and enjoy the good old times for a while. Cheers Mario “Cuervo” Coelho