ACR PLT USES NON STANDARD PHRASEOLOGY WHEN USING CALL SIGN RESULTING IN THE CTLR ASKING THE PLT 3 TIMES REPEAT ACFT CALL SIGN. THE ACR PLT CONTINUED USING THE CONFUSING CALL SIGN WHILE IN THE CTLR'S AIRSPACE.
Synopsis
ACR PLT USES NON STANDARD PHRASEOLOGY WHEN USING CALL SIGN RESULTING IN THE CTLR ASKING THE PLT 3 TIMES REPEAT ACFT CALL SIGN. THE ACR PLT CONTINUED USING THE CONFUSING CALL SIGN WHILE IN THE CTLR'S AIRSPACE.
Narrative
WHILE WORKING INTERMEDIATE ALT AIRSPACE N OF ATLANTA; I WAS MODERATELY BUSY WITH 7-9 ACFT. MOST OF THE ACFT WERE EITHER DEVIATING FOR WX OR TRANSITIONING TO HIGHER/LOWER ALT. ACR WWWW WAS NBOUND AT FL310 AND ABOUT TO ENTER THE AIRSPACE. I HEARD AN ACFT CALL TO CHK IN; BUT I DID NOT UNDERSTAND THE CALL SIGN AND ASKED THE PLT TO SAY AGAIN. AGAIN I ASKED THE PLT TO REPEAT; AND I THOUGHT I HEARD ACR XYZ. SINCE I WAS NOT EXPECTING ACR XYZ; I USED THE COMPUTER TO SEARCH FOR ACR XYZ WITHOUT SUCCESS. AFTER FAILING TO LOCATE THE ACFT; I ASKED THE PLT TO SAY AGAIN ONE MORE TIME. THIS TIME THE PLT ANSWERED WITH 'ACR WWWW' AND I ACKNOWLEDGED HIS XMISSION. LATER I FINALLY REALIZED THE PLT HAD BEEN CALLING HIMSELF 'ACR FFFF.' HE CONTINUED TO USE THIS CALL SIGN THROUGHOUT MY SECTOR AND AT LEAST THE NEXT SECTOR. OF COURSE; I'M WELL AWARE THAT PLTS ARE NOT REQUIRED TO USE STANDARD PHRASEOLOGY (AS CTLRS ARE) BUT THE CONFUSION; DELAY; AND EXTRA XMISSIONS NEEDED TO LOCATE AND IDENT THIS ACFT WERE MOST UNWELCOME.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.