Short Final: Phonetic Alphabet

Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • Similar-sounding aircraft callsigns (1JT and 1JL) led to confusion and miscommunication in air traffic control.
  • One pilot (1JL) incorrectly acknowledged an instruction intended for another (1JT), causing a communication error.
  • The air traffic controller resolved the ambiguity by using popular full names ("Justin Timberlake" and "Jennifer Lopez") to clearly distinguish between the aircraft.
See a mistake? Contact us.

I was cruising along one day when I heard the following:

Center: “1JT turn right heading 120.”

1JL: “120 1JL.”

1JT: “Center, I think another aircraft responded to the heading for 1JT.”

Center: “OK heading is 120 for 1JT only.”

Loud squealing

Center: “Alright 1 uh Justin Timberlake, you fly heading 120.”

1JT: “120 1 Justin Timberlake.”

Center: “And 1 Jennifer Lopez, you continue direct destination.”

1JL: “Direct destination, 1 Jennifer Lopez.”

Sometimes we need a better phonetic alphabet I guess?

Adam Nance

Greensboro, NC

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