Let’s Have Some Tail Number Fun

[Pinecone]

There are several ways to stop this practice.

That would be one way.  The $10 was enacted in 1966.  Change it to be the value (about $100) today.  Require the reserved N number to be associated with an aircraft serial number or an individual person (for scratch homebuilders).   And limit 1 number per person.

[Guest]

9 hours ago, 0TreeLemur said:

Gov. allows bots to reserve N numbers?  That's just crazy to me, and disservice to the public.  This is one example where government inefficiency could stop number squatters from doing their deed.   Don't allow bots.   Keep the search online.   Make the reservation system mail in.  That would create a lottery system using the US Mail as a randomizer.

Didn’t the last guy cancel the post office?

[RoundTwo]

44 minutes ago, M20Doc said:

Didn’t the last guy cancel the post office?

If we don’t believe the news we’re being fed, you probably shouldn’t either. Last time I checked, our Post Office is still open and we get mail 6 days a week. May be different in other places.

[Sue Bon]

On 2/18/2023 at 9:12 PM, RoundTwo said:

What are some of your “Wish I had a cool tail number like that” favorites?

I see you've got your J. Excellent choice! Where did you land with your registration?

 

[Ibra]

G-MUNI 

G-OONE 

[RoundTwo]

2 hours ago, Sue Bon said:

I see you've got your J. Excellent choice! Where did you land with your registration?

 

Just getting to enjoy it now. No number changes until it gets painted in the future.

[Sue Bon]

Do you like to go dancing? N201TF (easier to say than FT)

Are you an avid reader? N201RJ

Mooneys are sexy beasts... N2SEXY

Opera fans? N201BB

For some reason, this question sticks with me. I'll keep brainstorming until you tell me to stop.

[RoundTwo]

15 hours ago, Sue Bon said:

Do you like to go dancing? N201TF (easier to say than FT)

Are you an avid reader? N201RJ

Mooneys are sexy beasts... N2SEXY

Opera fans? N201BB

For some reason, this question sticks with me. I'll keep brainstorming until you tell me to stop.

I love the creativity of your ideas. 

[DXB]

Easiest to say = fewest syllables - Id pick N3GG , N1MM or similar 

[Hank]

5 hours ago, DXB said:

Easiest to say = fewest syllables - Id pick N3GG , N1MM or similar 

But the short N-numbers are hard to get.

[Pinecone]

Discussed earlier.  There is a guy that is using bots to suck up ALL the short numbers to sell to people.

But he might make you a deal now, as the FAA Reauthorization Act has language to stop that practice.

[Shadrach]

Class act…

[AndreiC]

My previous plane was N68V. I never realized these short numbers were so valuable, maybe I should have sold the number first, then the plane…

Though I have to say it was getting annoying having to constantly answer the question from controllers “Is that your full call sign?”

[Andy95W]

I used to own a Piper Aztec, N7HW.  Practically every time I checked in to ATC for a clearance they would respond with, “say full N number”.  It got annoying quickly.

[Sue Bon]

So we're back to long N numbers. Great!

Are you hikers or rock climbers? N201EE (Or a fan of Airplane, the movie? I have a funny story about this if anyone is interested)

Love to travel? N201HH

Lots of climbing or hiking holidays? N201HE

American history buffs? N201YY

[RoundTwo]

20 hours ago, DXB said:

Easiest to say = fewest syllables - Id pick N3GG , N1MM or similar 

I’ve got 205MM reserved. So far, that’s the best I’ve been able to secure. Another option is to find a “controller acceptable” substitute for SIERRA SIERRA. Some controllers are a bit more serious about it than others. I haven’t had the testicular fortitude yet to try out something like SUPER SEXY, SUPER STUD, SUPER SPEEDY on great tailwind days, or SUPER SLOW on bad headwind days.
 

Chuck 

[Sue Bon]

3 hours ago, RoundTwo said:

I’ve got 205MM reserved.

Wife's initials. Excellent choice.

[EricJ]

7 hours ago, Sue Bon said:

Love to travel? N201HH

A hangar neighbor had N201HH.   He'd owned it forever, even when he lived in Hawaii and had ferried it back and forth to the mainland.   It was funny because his airplane was a few serial numbers from mine and externally they were very similar, especially from a distance.   The first time I saw him taxiing I thought somebody was stealing my airplane.   Sadly, it had an engine failure several years ago and the airplane was totalled landing in the desert about a quarter mile short of the runway at our airport.

http://www.kathrynsreport.com/2020/05/mooney-m20j-201-n201hh-accident.html

Judd's airplane and my airplane:

[Nokomis449]

My '68 G was born with N6776N, a palindrome.  On most flights, at least ONE controller will call me 67N, or take two or three tries to say the full N number.  Had one controller in Mississippi that stumbled on a call when I was on short final and after a short pause asked "why in the world did you pick that number?".

Reminds me of when Arnold Schwartzenneger Schwartzineggar Schwartzenegger the former California governor first came to the US to break into acting, and his agent told him the first thing to do was change his name because it was too hard to remember.  His answer (and you have to read this in Arnolds voice) "If it's hard to remember, it'll be difficult to forget".

[A64Pilot]

Mine is N1141N, ATC always has trouble with that, so now I say November eleven, forty one November, that’s easier to get your head wrapped around.

I reserved my old Maule number as I had it changed to my initials when I recovered it and the other day found it available again, oddly when you search the FAA database according to them my Maule never existed.

So I reserved it in case I repaint the Mooney, unlikely but it is only $10 a year, what annoys me no end is if you look up that N number it shows my full name and address, why not post my Social Security number while we are at it?

 

 

[A64Pilot]

21 hours ago, EricJ said:

A hangar neighbor had N201HH.   He'd owned it forever, even when he lived in Hawaii and had ferried it back and forth to the mainland.   It was funny because his airplane was a few serial numbers from mine and externally they were very similar, especially from a distance.   The first time I saw him taxiing I thought somebody was stealing my airplane.   Sadly, it had an engine failure several years ago and the airplane was totalled landing in the desert about a quarter mile short of the runway at our airport.

http://www.kathrynsreport.com/2020/05/mooney-m20j-201-n201hh-accident.html

Judd's airplane and my airplane:

Just read the accident report you linked, what was the cause of the engine failure?

[LANCECASPER]

My first airplane was a Cesnna 172,  N52221.

Controllers would often add or subtract or stumble over all of the 2s.

I finally just started saying five-triple two-one on the first call with every controller and seldom had a problem again.

[Sue Bon]

I was in the air once with N8888. The French controllers never got it right once. Even the pilots stumbled a few times. I looked it up when I landed and it was a private jet. I was wondering why they didn't do something to make it easier like triple8-8.

[Pinecone]

On 12/31/2023 at 3:25 AM, Sue Bon said:

Lots of climbing or hiking holidays? N201HE

201 Happy Ending?????

[Skates97]

On 1/1/2024 at 6:00 AM, A64Pilot said:

Mine is N1141N, ATC always has trouble with that, so now I say November eleven, forty one November, that’s easier to get your head wrapped around.

My old one was N78878. When I bought it I thought it was a great number, rolls off the tongue easily, especially the 878 for subsequent check-ins. ATC struggled, even my home tower would mix up the 7's and 8's from time to time. I would slow it down, try seven double eight seven eight, ATC would still botch it. New number when I painted the plane is N1015E which works "most" of the time, except when they come back with one zero one sierra echo...