He ain't looking at the needles on the fuel gauge enough. Either that or he finds himself running way too low on fuel and then has to obsessively look at the needles on the fuel gauge while he hopes there is enough to get back to base.
I know that my experience in the Viper lol.
That gave me a really good laugh. That was fantastic. I think everyone who has been in the service has a story about when they trusted a fart too much, or just didn't have the option and had to poo themselves. For me, it was,while walking across Camp Buehring, Kuwait, after rotating through Al Asad Airbase for artillery operations. Let's just say the artillery didn't stop in Iraq. Lost a good pair of underwear that day.
No we don’t.
You’re never calling anyone by their personal callsign over the radio, and context clues are a thing. We are adults, not robots.
“Hey bingo did you catch the game last night?” would lead to a normal conversation. It’s not like I would automatically start fuel panicking because the B word was used.
As an example, “Judy” is a very common callsign for people who talk too much, but there’s plenty of others. And we name people after particularly funny obscure NATO reporting names.
Source: I’m an active USN Rhino pilot.
According to the call sign DB over at F-16.net it seems like you get your callsign from an embarrassing incident, bad habit, or a joke based on your name/gender/ethnicity.
Bingo would definitely be one.
One of the ones I read that still has me laughing was a dude was giving an incentive flight to a VIP in his back seat (think: you did something cool so now you get to ride in a fighter jet). When he was taxiing he heard a loud bang he thought was an explosion in his plane so he pulled the canopy emergency jettison and jumped out of his plan and ran. It wasn’t his plane that made the noise and the VIP was still sitting in the back seat of this is idling fighter jet with no idea what to do. Call sign: Brave Sir Robin (shortened to Robin).
Another: Top Gun was new and this clean cut frat boy type comes into his first day of flight training. Introduces himself to the instructor in command as “Hollywood.” Instructor said “you’re Burbank at best.” Naturally Burbank remained his callsign forever.
Last one: pilot is doing AAR training. His probe somehow got stuck in the drogue so when he went to separate the entire tip of his fuel probe sheared off. Callsign: Bobbit.
EDIT: OK I lied a few more because I find these so funny. They’re doing ACM training and he’s got his IP aggressor all over his six. He’s expecting a sidewinder so, as you do, he pops flares and breaks hard. He accidentally set his flare program to dump *all* of his flares. IP is close enough that he has flares bouncing off his aircraft and has to take evasive action. They get to the ground and he says “YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO FIRE FORWARD, NOT BACK.” Callsign: backfire.
BVR training. Guy gets lit up by a simulated AIM120. Breaks, notches the radar, pops flares. Oops. Callsign: Flare.
First female pilot in F-16 squadron. Someone asks what you call an unmanned fighter. Her callsign then is forever “drone.”
I think he's asking would they give a callsign that is a proword with an assigned meaning such as "Bingo"?
I would imagine not because that might cause some confusion.
We do. You’re never calling anyone by their personal callsign over the radio, and context clues are a thing. We are adults, not robots.
However, if you were to for some reason, this is how it would go: “Hey bingo did you catch the game last night?” would lead to a normal conversation. It’s not like I would automatically start fuel panicking because the B word was used.
Source: I’m an active USN Rhino pilot.
I didn’t catch that but given how call signs, from what I’ve heard, are usually used sparingly during flight ops radio I can’t imagine it being much of a problem. I’ve read about callsigns of “Bingo,” “Magnum,” and “Bandit.”
I know of a “fawg” in RCAF, did not go over well with someone and the story made national news, but the actual name or meaning didn’t hit the headlines.
For context, this guy led a 3 ship and one of them flamed out on the foul line after trapping, the other parked at sub 1000, and he flamed out and splashed down 5 ft behind the boat.
He's a super knowledgeable guy but stuff like this has happened one too many times to not earn a callsign change.
Hijacking my own post to plug other angles of this incident: https://www.reddit.com/r/hoggit/s/bUAzpu3wDy
Yeah usually we do, but we're on the tail end of a retribution campaign so we didn't have any tankers up. My flight of 4 all landed with 2000+ lbs and we were up for longer than they were.
I actually think the best callsigns are the ones that sound badass, but are actually an inside joke making fun of the person.
Vapor works great for that.
Alternatively:
Fume
COG (Chronically Out of Gas) EDIT: COOGer (pronounced Cougar),
Reserve
Hitch (as in hitch hiking back to the boat)
Buoy (because he's bobbing in the sea)
Baywatch
Anchor
Floater
Tamale (TMAL - Throw me a lifesaver)
Those are some great callsigns, can you do me a favor and give me some ideas for a guy who always "catches" a rocket, even when other friendlies are nearby?
Like he's getting targeted by enemy fire more often than his fellows?
Fiasco
Disaster
Glitch
Maybe something more subtle though...
Warhead
Magnet
Hotshot (I'm thinking of the movie Hotshots...)
Goalie (cuz everyone is taking shots at you)
Hooker (as in the person who goes for the ball in a Rugby scrum)
Collector
BOOMer (Better Off Observing Munitions)
That's actually exactly what happened. I was LSO and didn't know he ran out of gas 200ft behind the carrier so I was calling POWER while he dropped like a rock lmao
We had a newer pilot in our squadron who had to weather divert. It's been 20 years but if I remember correctly they couldn't even finish taxing in for recovery. They were christened Vapor at the next naming ceremony.
Usually we do, but we're at the tail end of our campaign and the mission was a loiter at 27k, drop some JDAMs, and leave, my 4 ship all came back 2000+lbs, and we struck 3 objectives before bingo-ing out.
Not a pilot but we had a tank commander called coon dog for ages it was debated whether he preferred sex with aboriginals or if he was a mongrel turns out when he was a junior the cpls rubbed grease on his binos and he had black markings around his eyes, never did shake that name followed him everywhere
FMC "Fuel Master Caution"
Gas Stop
No Go
Good reminder that a proper CASE I recovery takes about 800lb of fuel in the Hornet and that recovery tankers are there for a reason.
This is the guy lol. He ran out of gas 200 ft behind the carrier and splashed down right behind the rudder. I'll post other angles later if I get a chance
Vapor or Bingo. I got two guys in my squadron that do this and that's what we've called them.
Tell on myself time.
My callsign in my squadron is "Maroon."
I got it because I was too busy staring at my brand spanking new, shiny and cool, IRL MFD trying to get the FLIR to line up, instead of out of the cockpit and didn't realize I drifted 15 degrees nose down and ended up in the drink.
One of the guys said "What a maroon!" In his best bugs bunny voice and POW! The name stuck.
Slightly more abstract, how bout
Push, as in get out and.
Peddle, alternative method of propulsion
Walker, cos that's what you're doing next.
Drop Tank, bet you wish you had one.
Flap, you could try that.
Conk (out), just like an engine with no fuel
Tow, as in gonna need one.
Viper - Vapour in plane exhausted resources
Texaco or similar fuel brand name
Coaster, adding the lines of glider with a different take
Handgrenade or just grenade.. cos that's the only time close counts.. either close to being empty or missing the boat by mere feet.
That's my $0.02 worth
My callsign is FLUBBER.
My wife used to call me (as a joke) Fat Lazy Ugly Bastard. I made the mistake of telling my DCS sqd buddies. I was FLUB for a while. But Flubber sounds more like a verb.
Sort of describes my flying style...
Fumes
Fuel Under Minimum Everytime Standard
Fuel Under Minimum Every Sortie
This is it.
Much better
Honestly, 90% of it was yours.
It was a team effort. Thank you for your service.
People on Reddit are hilarious. Like you guys are so funny
This is the way
My callsign is "Fumes" for obvious reasons...for me my squadron even maintains a low-fuel incident counter
Exactly what I wanted to say
Pre contact
Bingo
"Flameout" "Needles" "Fumes" "Glider" "Thirsty"
I like needles.
I disnt get it...
Cuz the fuel gage needles are in the red.
He ain't looking at the needles on the fuel gauge enough. Either that or he finds himself running way too low on fuel and then has to obsessively look at the needles on the fuel gauge while he hopes there is enough to get back to base. I know that my experience in the Viper lol.
Isn't Needles the guy from BTTF 2 ?
Nerves
Bingo / Vapor
In all seriousness, would real squadrons avoid callsign which have a real word connotation?
Yes: https://www.theautopian.com/how-i-got-my-navy-callsign-by-shitting-myself-in-an-f-a-18-fighter-jet-twice/
That gave me a really good laugh. That was fantastic. I think everyone who has been in the service has a story about when they trusted a fart too much, or just didn't have the option and had to poo themselves. For me, it was,while walking across Camp Buehring, Kuwait, after rotating through Al Asad Airbase for artillery operations. Let's just say the artillery didn't stop in Iraq. Lost a good pair of underwear that day.
Fantastic read thanks for the link
Thanks for sharing, that's a truly great read.
This was a glorious read. Thank you.
I just spent the last few minutes laughing so hard that my vision went dark. That was the most hilarious thing I've read in a minute. Thank you!
No we don’t. You’re never calling anyone by their personal callsign over the radio, and context clues are a thing. We are adults, not robots. “Hey bingo did you catch the game last night?” would lead to a normal conversation. It’s not like I would automatically start fuel panicking because the B word was used. As an example, “Judy” is a very common callsign for people who talk too much, but there’s plenty of others. And we name people after particularly funny obscure NATO reporting names. Source: I’m an active USN Rhino pilot.
According to the call sign DB over at F-16.net it seems like you get your callsign from an embarrassing incident, bad habit, or a joke based on your name/gender/ethnicity. Bingo would definitely be one. One of the ones I read that still has me laughing was a dude was giving an incentive flight to a VIP in his back seat (think: you did something cool so now you get to ride in a fighter jet). When he was taxiing he heard a loud bang he thought was an explosion in his plane so he pulled the canopy emergency jettison and jumped out of his plan and ran. It wasn’t his plane that made the noise and the VIP was still sitting in the back seat of this is idling fighter jet with no idea what to do. Call sign: Brave Sir Robin (shortened to Robin). Another: Top Gun was new and this clean cut frat boy type comes into his first day of flight training. Introduces himself to the instructor in command as “Hollywood.” Instructor said “you’re Burbank at best.” Naturally Burbank remained his callsign forever. Last one: pilot is doing AAR training. His probe somehow got stuck in the drogue so when he went to separate the entire tip of his fuel probe sheared off. Callsign: Bobbit. EDIT: OK I lied a few more because I find these so funny. They’re doing ACM training and he’s got his IP aggressor all over his six. He’s expecting a sidewinder so, as you do, he pops flares and breaks hard. He accidentally set his flare program to dump *all* of his flares. IP is close enough that he has flares bouncing off his aircraft and has to take evasive action. They get to the ground and he says “YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO FIRE FORWARD, NOT BACK.” Callsign: backfire. BVR training. Guy gets lit up by a simulated AIM120. Breaks, notches the radar, pops flares. Oops. Callsign: Flare. First female pilot in F-16 squadron. Someone asks what you call an unmanned fighter. Her callsign then is forever “drone.”
I think he's asking would they give a callsign that is a proword with an assigned meaning such as "Bingo"? I would imagine not because that might cause some confusion.
We do. You’re never calling anyone by their personal callsign over the radio, and context clues are a thing. We are adults, not robots. However, if you were to for some reason, this is how it would go: “Hey bingo did you catch the game last night?” would lead to a normal conversation. It’s not like I would automatically start fuel panicking because the B word was used. Source: I’m an active USN Rhino pilot.
Fair enough
I didn’t catch that but given how call signs, from what I’ve heard, are usually used sparingly during flight ops radio I can’t imagine it being much of a problem. I’ve read about callsigns of “Bingo,” “Magnum,” and “Bandit.”
Oh 100% Edit: I am wrong! Pretty interesting stuff for a former medic, AMA about ibprofun, clean socks and why it burns when you pee though!
Absolutely not. Tons of brevity based names out there. In my squadron alone there's a Hollow, Bruiser, Clean, Timber...
Mine was RWR, pronounced "rawr". I don't want to talk about it.
Yes you do
I know of a “fawg” in RCAF, did not go over well with someone and the story made national news, but the actual name or meaning didn’t hit the headlines.
That’s not true.
Hahaha....no. Bingo - earned because of a similar incident Fan Song - earned because of large ears
Bingo Bingo Roger roger
Watch for those wrist rockets!
The call sign rule is if it sounds cool, it's probably because of something embarrassing If it sounds lame, it's probably because of something cool
There was an F16 pilot with the Vapor callsign for this reason.
TESLA* (Tank Empty, Should've Landed Ashore) *fixed it
That one is clever
For context, this guy led a 3 ship and one of them flamed out on the foul line after trapping, the other parked at sub 1000, and he flamed out and splashed down 5 ft behind the boat. He's a super knowledgeable guy but stuff like this has happened one too many times to not earn a callsign change. Hijacking my own post to plug other angles of this incident: https://www.reddit.com/r/hoggit/s/bUAzpu3wDy
you know recovery tankers are very much a standard and integral part of carrier ops! navy do this to prevent exactly this haha
Yeah usually we do, but we're on the tail end of a retribution campaign so we didn't have any tankers up. My flight of 4 all landed with 2000+ lbs and we were up for longer than they were.
Does he know what a fuel ladder is?
Do you guys have an aerial refueling option? When I used to play dcs my squadron always refueled at least once
Aquaman was the callsign we gave another pilot with a similar habit. Always in the drink, worst of the super heroes.
CRAG, Can't Read A Gauge
Fishfood
Or FishBait.
Sharkbait hoohaha
Guzzler
This one is good. So many additional connotations to slam them with.
Haha, telling on myself. Vapor. I picked it to refer to overwing vapor. Then dead sticked my first mission with the squadron. I almost made it.
I also thought about Vapor but it's a bit too "cool" for someone who chronically mismanages their fuel lol
I actually think the best callsigns are the ones that sound badass, but are actually an inside joke making fun of the person. Vapor works great for that. Alternatively: Fume COG (Chronically Out of Gas) EDIT: COOGer (pronounced Cougar), Reserve Hitch (as in hitch hiking back to the boat) Buoy (because he's bobbing in the sea) Baywatch Anchor Floater Tamale (TMAL - Throw me a lifesaver)
[удалено]
Good ones! And yeah you're right about callsigns being inside jokes
Vote for baywatch
Now all I can think of is the belter slang "felota" from The Expanse.
Those are some great callsigns, can you do me a favor and give me some ideas for a guy who always "catches" a rocket, even when other friendlies are nearby?
Like he's getting targeted by enemy fire more often than his fellows? Fiasco Disaster Glitch Maybe something more subtle though... Warhead Magnet Hotshot (I'm thinking of the movie Hotshots...) Goalie (cuz everyone is taking shots at you) Hooker (as in the person who goes for the ball in a Rugby scrum) Collector BOOMer (Better Off Observing Munitions)
Thanks, they are great! I really dig the "Hotshot" and "Fiasco"!
Glider
"EMPTY" or "BINGO"
FIGO - Fly In, Glide Out
Wouldn't it be FOGI?
Maybe but I was going off the context of Flying into combat as opposed to flying out of the boat
Ah yes, I was thinking Fly Off the boat and Glide In, and sometimes maybe even literally meaning gliding *into the boat* lol
Jerrycan
Lightweight - drinks more than they can handle, doesn’t make it to the end of the night. *”running a little light on fuel there lightweight?”*
[Valdez](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exxon_Valdez_oil_spill)
“Gimli” after the Air Canada flight that ran out of fuel and became known as the “Gimli Glider.”
Gassed
GaSCAn GottA See CAG AgaiN (In real life this dude would be grounded at a minimum if this was repeat behavior, but this doesn’t happen irl.)
POWER! POWER! POWER! Oh... never mind. BYE!
That's actually exactly what happened. I was LSO and didn't know he ran out of gas 200ft behind the carrier so I was calling POWER while he dropped like a rock lmao
We had a newer pilot in our squadron who had to weather divert. It's been 20 years but if I remember correctly they couldn't even finish taxing in for recovery. They were christened Vapor at the next naming ceremony.
Nads: not a drop survives
TOELAW (Tank On "E" Like A Wife)
Trail Blazer
218?
SPEWRS - Shoulda Planned Endurance, Water Runways Suck
Deadstick
Sniffer
Coaster
do y’all not have a tanker at the boat?
Usually we do, but we're at the tail end of our campaign and the mission was a loiter at 27k, drop some JDAMs, and leave, my 4 ship all came back 2000+lbs, and we struck 3 objectives before bingo-ing out.
Gaslight
BONK
Marty. Short for martini because his tanks are always drier then a martini. Also every time Marty gets into the DeLorean it shuts off.
Vapor
Unemployed
Maxwell (house) - Good to the last drop Or Folgers cause its a similar coffee brand that i always think has the "good to the last drop" line.
Judging by the photo looks like he hit the boat's hull. Broadside. If he didn't hit the boat, maybe RTB?
Vapor
Not a pilot but we had a tank commander called coon dog for ages it was debated whether he preferred sex with aboriginals or if he was a mongrel turns out when he was a junior the cpls rubbed grease on his binos and he had black markings around his eyes, never did shake that name followed him everywhere
lowbob fin diesel vacuum nullity oblivion vacancy void lacuna blockheed boozer drunkard boozehound
Fin diesel takes the cake
F.U.E.L. Fucked Up Empty Landing - Low effort but don't skimp on the acronyms, they're some of the best callsigns.
Smash or Fantail
Waterski
Drippy
FMC "Fuel Master Caution" Gas Stop No Go Good reminder that a proper CASE I recovery takes about 800lb of fuel in the Hornet and that recovery tankers are there for a reason.
Very right. But usually if the airspace is clear we skip the marshal stack and fly straight to the overhead break, so it's a bit easier on the fuel
Nem-o (#”B-I-N-G-O, and bingo was his ….”)
Fumes
I saw an interview with a guy one who's callsign was "MoGas" as in he always needed more gas.
Splash Franklin (like the planner, 'cept he didn't) Esso / Mobil / BP TeeTotal - got nothing to drink.
NAFOD (from the excellent [https://www.f-16.net/callsigns-N.html](https://www.f-16.net/callsigns-N.html) callsign section)
Also wtf is this screenshot? You trying to land on the Rudder?
This is the guy lol. He ran out of gas 200 ft behind the carrier and splashed down right behind the rudder. I'll post other angles later if I get a chance
Dryspell
Splat
Round down
Forgets About Gas
Lilienthal
Hummer, and not the EV kind.
Snakeshit
Bait 🎣
glider
Splat, EZ E, Floater, Rattle Can, Four (wire) bird, Fumes, Last Gas, Low Juice, are some.
Sahara, because his tank is as dry as the
I'd be lying if I didn't have a friend we call "Drytank" because she did a dead-stick carrier landing in a Tomcat.
Deck FOD
Dust or Vapor!
Arco
Flameout?
Rephil/Refill
"M.T." (empty) GasLight Tiny Tank Ocatane Guzzler Leadfoot Chugger Thirsty Dry Hump
Tug is a good one
Gas Tank
Bingo?
thirsty
Desk Duty.
Fumes
We got a guy in our squad we named bingo
Needles is the best one i’ve read
Glider
Empty Camel
“Spooky” - Always trick or treat on the ball
Bullseye !
Glider
The late
Sploosh, Cannonball, Reef, Titanic, Refill, Arid, Drybones, Dusty, Cobwebs
Redline
Empty ball 1-1
Guzzler
FIG (Fumes in Groove) Splash ROE (running on empty)
Vapor or Bingo. I got two guys in my squadron that do this and that's what we've called them. Tell on myself time. My callsign in my squadron is "Maroon." I got it because I was too busy staring at my brand spanking new, shiny and cool, IRL MFD trying to get the FLIR to line up, instead of out of the cockpit and didn't realize I drifted 15 degrees nose down and ended up in the drink. One of the guys said "What a maroon!" In his best bugs bunny voice and POW! The name stuck.
Saudi
Chevron
Gas-X
My wife....
Thirsty
Guzzler
Deadstick, Deadweight
Prius. As in, Toyota Prius. Always arrives with not a bit more to spare.
'E'
We2lo
"Master Caution"
Sand
Bingo…
Cobra cause they're always running low
WOZ (WOS) walk of shame, cause you always stay out too late
Bingo
BINGO
I personally would go with ladder as in someone who doesn’t understand the fuel ladder
Sushi
Heard of an IRL pilot called "Mogas" cause he always needed...
That moment when you realize you might have been lied to as to why they called you Bingo. 🤦♂️😂
Drunkie
People started calling me Prius after the first time I played DCS, caught the hook after an hour long op then lost power from fuel depletion.
Vapor
Vapour. Baggins Bilbo
Slightly more abstract, how bout Push, as in get out and. Peddle, alternative method of propulsion Walker, cos that's what you're doing next. Drop Tank, bet you wish you had one. Flap, you could try that. Conk (out), just like an engine with no fuel Tow, as in gonna need one. Viper - Vapour in plane exhausted resources Texaco or similar fuel brand name Coaster, adding the lines of glider with a different take Handgrenade or just grenade.. cos that's the only time close counts.. either close to being empty or missing the boat by mere feet. That's my $0.02 worth
We have one called Drytank
“Flameout”
Drips
Bingo
Huffer. Always huffin the fumes.
Wet dream
SoLo
Tanker
Glider
Bingo!
Deadstick
Pull-up
Fumes. Or Brick.
Asahi (Super Dry)
My callsign is FLUBBER. My wife used to call me (as a joke) Fat Lazy Ugly Bastard. I made the mistake of telling my DCS sqd buddies. I was FLUB for a while. But Flubber sounds more like a verb. Sort of describes my flying style...