Pilot Callsigns

The Three Rules of Callsigns

1. If you don't already have one, you will be assigned one by your "buddies".
2. You probably won't like it.
3. If you complain and moan too much about 1. and 2., you'll get a new nickname you'll like even less!

So, how do you get a callsign?

Do something stupid or have it fit with your last name. Obvious examples, 'Crash' or LT 'Cheese' Kraft. Sometimes it's based on a physical appearance thing like 'Carrot'. After you've earned the respect of your buddies, you'll get a more 'heroic' callsign.

Add your callsign to the list

Most recent additions

Mangler

 (added: 18 Jan 2012)

While in Hawaii, I had a little bit of an accident involving alcohol, a hottub, various gorgeous women, and the zipper of my shorts. Apparently, the medical term for getting your coin purse stuck in your zipper is 'testicular mangling'.

Tarzan

 (added: 18 Jan 2012)

This new kid's a sport climber, first name starts with T, he likes camping outdoors more than hanging out at the bar. Go figure.

Fredders

 (added: 18 Jan 2012)

Freddy Krueger - he was frightning to fly with, as mad as box of frogs!

Panic

 (added: 13 Jan 2012)

A pilot in my EA-6B squadron could not make a good carrier landing to save his life. He routinely slammed the bird to the deck, catching the "one wire," hence panicking. "Panic" rhythms with his last name, so... Incidentally, CDR Willie McCool was a LCDR in our squadron when he was selected as an astronaut candidate. RIP, brother.

Shrubs

 (added: 13 Jan 2012)

Found with my boots sticking through the shrubs outside the O'Club after drinking too much Weed. Convinced that gravity had forsaken me, I was clinging to blades of grass...

Sweets

 (added: 13 Jan 2012)

His mom was the sh*t, and she worked for Hersheys chocolates.

Milky

 (added: 13 Jan 2012)

Last name is "Way"

Wedge

 (added: 13 Jan 2012)

Foreign Hornet Driver showing off for the ladies at an airshow party, cannot badmouth F-16's and viper drivers enough. One of the ladies present, call sign "Combat Pat", is a viper wife, WWII fighter pilot's daughter, and not to be trifled with. After all attempts to solicit some minimal hint of respect fail, Combat Pat, spotting a target of opportunity, grabs hold of his inconveniently displayed boxers and all 5 feet and 100 pounds of her delivers a world class wedgie. Said Foreign Hornet Driver squeals like a girl. The party (a well attended NATO affair) stops. With all eyes on the pair, Combat Pat, in her sweetest voice asks "Did I mention my husband flies F-16's?" and walks away. Haven't heard much from Wedge lately.

Grizzly

 (added: 13 Jan 2012)

Very unpublicized prank involving a tranquilized bear and the mess. You can figure it out for yourself.

Yukon

 (added: 13 Jan 2012)

Threw up in the back of a Yukon SUV on deployment in El Centro.

Jeeter

 (added: 15 Dec 2011)

Last name Bush. [Ed. note: check Urban Dictionary]

Bitch

 (added: 13 Dec 2011)

This poor guy had his ex-girlfriend around during his naming. When everybody was yelling names and trying to get their point across, she stood up and yelled: "You guys shut the F*%K up! That's my bitch!". Thanks for the help hon...

Kong

 (added: 13 Dec 2011)

Hairy!

Crunch

 (added: 13 Dec 2011)

During my private pilot days I had a knack for performing unusually hard landings. They just hadn't clicked for me yet. One day I was on proficiency check flight with an old Navy pilot when I pulled off one of my 'landings' and he said with a bit of excitement, "Son you ought to give this up and join the Navy, you drive it right to the deck!" He also used to say that "Flaring is like squatting to pee." Must be a Navy thing. =)

Moses

 (added: 13 Dec 2011)

My wife's a redhead... God came to Moses in the form of a burning bush... Nuff said

Chainsaw

 (added: 13 Dec 2011)

While pulling "ALERT" and attempting to catch some ZZZZzzz's and snoring loudly I could easily cut and stack a cord of wood a night. Hence, Chainsaw.

Skipper

 (added: 13 Dec 2011)

Deploying to Australia, lost my INS on the tanker and was sent back (my place was taken by the airborn spare), in turn the HSI tumbled and I ended up following the coast line back. By the time the 141 landed in Darwin the Squadron met me singing the Gillian's Island theme about my "three hour tour".

Turtle

 (added: 7 Dec 2011)

My buddy 1st Lt. M. "Turtle" Hidalgo got his name by always wearing this ugly green backpack and one day he was in a wrestling match at the base and got his nose broken. After it healed up he looked like a turtle.

Spoiler

 (added: 7 Dec 2011)

During my Fighter Training School, i would always leave my speed break up when doing BFM/ACM. I still manage to forget to close it from time to time, can't seem to get out of the habit of leaving it up. My instructor and a few others that were training me came up with that callsign. Granted its the speed brake on the F-16 that i leave up, but spoiler sounded better than "speed brake".

Doh

 (added: 7 Dec 2011)

Guy was celebrating with his buddies at the bar when he got his wings. He spilled his beer the first time he picked it up and someone shouted "DOH!"

Mango

 (added: 7 Dec 2011)

Short for last name. In 1968 flight instructor kept mispronouncing my last name and finally gave up and said you are now MANGO

BUFF

 (added: 7 Dec 2011)

Big Ugly Fat F**k... Ugly, fat fighter pilot.

Eight Ball

 (added: 7 Dec 2011)

Originally I was Eagle, since I'm bald and have a large beak (nose). It was then revised to Golden Eagle since I hadn't pinned on 1st LT at that point. Then I was playing pool and doing rather well. Being bald it was proposed that I be called Cue Ball. That lasted until it took me 6 or 7 tries to sink the 8 to win the game. I'm now officially known as 8-Ball.

RB

 (added: 7 Dec 2011)

"Ricky Bobby" An F-18 driver who landed with the parking brakes set. The jet almost skidded off the runway, brakes caught fire, and the tires blew out. Said pilot jumped out of the cockpit and ran from the aircraft like a bat out of hell, not even waiting for the ladder to be put down. [Ed Note: after NASCAR racer R Bobby]

Alien

 (added: 6 Dec 2011)

My Boss in the 35th Fighter Squadron at Kunsan AB, ROK was Capt Mike Buck, now Retired LTC. He was new to the fighter world from being an instructor pilot at UPT and he was getting a second degree in Physics so he could get a slot in Test Pilot School at Edwards. I guess his first degree was in like, French or something non scientific. Well, this guy liked space stuff, stories, airships, space ships, pretty much everything outer space oriented, so I figured he was really an Alien trying to get back to his mothership. During one of our fighter sweeps, where the entire squadron hits the local town to party it up, drink some drinks from every bar in the dive town, then catch some STD they haven't discovered a cure for yet...we had Capt Buck up on stage and the unit was throwing out names. So I started going around through the crowd telling people that we had to get him back to his spaceship soon because he was an Alien...and vola! If anyone know's Mike Buck, tell him to look me up. Don Juice Welch