MEM CTLR VOICED CONCERN REGARDING SIMILAR SOUNDING CALL SIGNS; CITING REGIONAL FLT CREW'S AS EXPERIENCING THE MOST DIFFICULTY.
Synopsis
MEM CTLR VOICED CONCERN REGARDING SIMILAR SOUNDING CALL SIGNS; CITING REGIONAL FLT CREW'S AS EXPERIENCING THE MOST DIFFICULTY.
Narrative
I WAS WORKING BOTH E AND W ARRS COMBINED WITH ALL 3 FINALS. ACR X; A CRJ2; WAS INBOUND FROM THE NW TO LAND RWY 36L; AND ACR XY; A CRJ2; WAS INBOUND FROM THE SE TO LAND RWY 36R. WHEN ACR X TURNED DOWNWIND ON THE GQE ARR; I INSTRUCTED THEM TO DSND AND MAINTAIN 7000 FT. BOTH ACR X AND ACR XY RESPONDED TO THE CLRNC. AT THAT POINT I REITERATED THAT THE CLRNC WAS FOR ACR X AND THEN INFORMED BOTH ACFT THAT THERE WERE SIMILAR SOUNDING CALL SIGNS ON DIFFERENT FREQS THAT I WAS WORKING. A LITTLE WHILE LATER; I INSTRUCTED ACR X TO TURN TO A BASE LEG HDG OF 090 DEGS AND DSND AND MAINTAIN 2000 FT; AND AGAIN; BOTH ACFT REPLIED. AFTER VERIFYING THAT THE CLRNC WAS FOR ACR X I ASKED THAT ACR XY PAY MORE ATTN TO THE SITUATION WHILE A SIMILAR SOUNDING CALL SIGN WAS ON THE FREQ. THIS SEEMS TO BE HAPPENING MORE FREQUENTLY WHERE PLTS; ESPECIALLY REGIONAL JET PLTS; ARE NOT PAYING CLOSE ATTN TO THE CALL SIGN BEING CALLED DURING BUSY PERIODS OF TFC; AND THE CALL SIGNS DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO BE SIMILAR SOUNDING. IT DOES LEAD TO STEPPED ON XMISSIONS AND REPEATED CALLS AND INSTRUCTIONS THAT A CTLR DOES NOT NEED DURING BUSY PERIODS. IF I INFORM PLTS THAT THERE ARE SIMILAR SOUNDING CALL SIGNS ON THE FREQS THAT I AM WORKING; I EXPECT THEM TO PAY EVEN CLOSER ATTN THAN THEY NORMALLY WOULD.
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Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.