Military using actual aircraft model names as call signs.

Attributes
ACN	219551
Time
Date	199208
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : abq
State Reference	NM
Altitude	msl bound lower : 12000 msl bound upper : 12000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : abq
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	219551
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Had been listening to other aircraft radio traffic. We had been called as traffic for a 'pacer' aircraft, and he was then announced to us as traffic. Based on past call sign usage, I was looking for an light transport, but this time it really was an small aircraft. I'm getting tired of this. Military is using 'pacer' and 'swift' as call signs -- these are aircraft types and by aim information, are to be used by those types for descriptive purposes. As ex-military, I know how much fun it is to use shit-hot call signs, but tell them to knock it off before somebody gets hurt. A lot of difference in speed, small aircraft or light transport!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MIL USING ACTUAL ACFT MODEL NAMES AS CALL SIGNS.

Narrative: HAD BEEN LISTENING TO OTHER ACFT RADIO TFC. WE HAD BEEN CALLED AS TFC FOR A 'PACER' ACFT, AND HE WAS THEN ANNOUNCED TO US AS TFC. BASED ON PAST CALL SIGN USAGE, I WAS LOOKING FOR AN LTT, BUT THIS TIME IT REALLY WAS AN SMA. I'M GETTING TIRED OF THIS. MIL IS USING 'PACER' AND 'SWIFT' AS CALL SIGNS -- THESE ARE ACFT TYPES AND BY AIM INFO, ARE TO BE USED BY THOSE TYPES FOR DESCRIPTIVE PURPOSES. AS EX-MIL, I KNOW HOW MUCH FUN IT IS TO USE SHIT-HOT CALL SIGNS, BUT TELL THEM TO KNOCK IT OFF BEFORE SOMEBODY GETS HURT. A LOT OF DIFFERENCE IN SPD, SMA OR LTT!

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.