Departure control radar instructor recommends airline company use a different procedures in assigning flight numbers since a developmental radar controller became confused by 2 same company flts departing only seconds apart with similar call signs.

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Attributes
ACN	488999
Time
Date	200010
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cvg.airport
State Reference	KY
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : cvg.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Regional Jet CL65, Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Route In Use	departure : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tracon : cvg.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Regional Jet CL65, Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Route In Use	departure : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 11 controller time certified in position1 : 7
ASRS Report	488999
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : developmental
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : separated traffic other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Company
Primary Problem	Company
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Air carrier #1 and air carrier #2 similar sounding call signs depart within 90 seconds of each other, same departure controller. Moderate to heavy workload. This time it was controller (trainee) who confused call signs, causing distraction from traffic. Solution: force air carrier to go to 3 number call signs and discontinue practice of even call signs on arrs and odd call signs on departures. This would also prevent pilot from using call sign of his last flight leg. This has been brought to air carrier's attention, and a solution was at hand then air carrier reneged and stayed with business as usual. I fear this will be like many things in the aviation industry, somebody is going to die before change is forced. This has been on going. Change to 3 number idents. Same identify to aircraft discontinue 'revolving' identify. Similar idents so as not to be in same arrival/departure pushes.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DEP CTL RADAR INSTRUCTOR RECOMMENDS AIRLINE COMPANY USE A DIFFERENT PROCS IN ASSIGNING FLT NUMBERS SINCE A DEVELOPMENTAL RADAR CTLR BECAME CONFUSED BY 2 SAME COMPANY FLTS DEPARTING ONLY SECONDS APART WITH SIMILAR CALL SIGNS.

Narrative: ACR #1 AND ACR #2 SIMILAR SOUNDING CALL SIGNS DEPART WITHIN 90 SECONDS OF EACH OTHER, SAME DEP CTLR. MODERATE TO HVY WORKLOAD. THIS TIME IT WAS CTLR (TRAINEE) WHO CONFUSED CALL SIGNS, CAUSING DISTR FROM TFC. SOLUTION: FORCE ACR TO GO TO 3 NUMBER CALL SIGNS AND DISCONTINUE PRACTICE OF EVEN CALL SIGNS ON ARRS AND ODD CALL SIGNS ON DEPS. THIS WOULD ALSO PREVENT PLT FROM USING CALL SIGN OF HIS LAST FLT LEG. THIS HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO ACR'S ATTN, AND A SOLUTION WAS AT HAND THEN ACR RENEGED AND STAYED WITH BUSINESS AS USUAL. I FEAR THIS WILL BE LIKE MANY THINGS IN THE AVIATION INDUSTRY, SOMEBODY IS GOING TO DIE BEFORE CHANGE IS FORCED. THIS HAS BEEN ON GOING. CHANGE TO 3 NUMBER IDENTS. SAME IDENT TO ACFT DISCONTINUE 'REVOLVING' IDENT. SIMILAR IDENTS SO AS NOT TO BE IN SAME ARR/DEP PUSHES.

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.