Aircraft registrations?
Discussion
Hi All,
Just a quick question, and something that a spot of googling hasn't given me a conclusive answer for.
Why do some aircraft have a 2 letter registration prefix such as HB or ZS, whilst UK registered aircraft have G hyphen as their registration?
Dumb question I know... but one that's been bugging me.
Just a quick question, and something that a spot of googling hasn't given me a conclusive answer for.
Why do some aircraft have a 2 letter registration prefix such as HB or ZS, whilst UK registered aircraft have G hyphen as their registration?
Dumb question I know... but one that's been bugging me.
Historical.
National letters were first allocated by the ICAO in the early 1920s. Initially, many countries had only one letter - mainly those that were early large players in the aviation scene (Britain - G, USA - N, Italy - I, France - F, Germany - D).
When more and more countries began to require national letters, it was felt a two letter code yould be better as it allowed more flexibility.
There have been changes along the way. Holland used to be H, but was later changed to PH.
Even the British letterings have changed. Originally G was not just the UK but the entire Empire and Commonwealth
G-E... was for UK heavier than air
G-F... was for UK lighter than air
G-AU.. was for Australia
G-C... was for Canada
Later, Australia was allocated VH and Canada was allocated CF. In the 1970s, Canada switched to just C.
The UK dropped the differentiation between heavier and lighter than air aircraft and started again with G-AAAA. The UK sequence has continued in reasonable alphabetic order but from the early 1970s, the issuing of special letters for a fee has become commonplace. So these days about half new registrations are special markings. The only rule is that the special letters are limited to four letters, they must not be used on another current UK registered aiercraft and they must not be rude.
National letters were first allocated by the ICAO in the early 1920s. Initially, many countries had only one letter - mainly those that were early large players in the aviation scene (Britain - G, USA - N, Italy - I, France - F, Germany - D).
When more and more countries began to require national letters, it was felt a two letter code yould be better as it allowed more flexibility.
There have been changes along the way. Holland used to be H, but was later changed to PH.
Even the British letterings have changed. Originally G was not just the UK but the entire Empire and Commonwealth
G-E... was for UK heavier than air
G-F... was for UK lighter than air
G-AU.. was for Australia
G-C... was for Canada
Later, Australia was allocated VH and Canada was allocated CF. In the 1970s, Canada switched to just C.
The UK dropped the differentiation between heavier and lighter than air aircraft and started again with G-AAAA. The UK sequence has continued in reasonable alphabetic order but from the early 1970s, the issuing of special letters for a fee has become commonplace. So these days about half new registrations are special markings. The only rule is that the special letters are limited to four letters, they must not be used on another current UK registered aiercraft and they must not be rude.
Edited by Eric Mc on Wednesday 20th April 19:09
Eric Mc said:
The only rule is that the special letters are limited to four letters, they must not be used on another current UK registered aiercraft and they must not be rude.
I think they agonised over G-f
k, but let it through.However, the current position is that once a G-registration has been issued, it cannot then be re-issued for a different airframe...ever. It doesn't matter if the aircraft is de-registered, the registration remains unavailable (apart from once occasion when they *did* allow a re-use, and it caused no end of confusion).
Eric Mc said:
Historical.
Indeed; there are only 26 letters in the alphabet and many more countries.So Britain and the other leading nations of a century ago (Britain was a leading nation then and not a trivial indebted backwater of the European Superstate) grabbed the single letters and so when Congobongoland got airplanes in 1960 they had to use two letters
Eric Mc said:
I think there have been a couple of re-issues over the years - but the general rule was as you say, once released for use - never released again.
Bang goes my chance of using G-ERIC.
At least it's on an aeroplane - you just have to buy that Rockwell Commander, strap a Merlin onto the front of it, saw off everything behind the firewall, bolt on a Spitfire fuselage, and you're sorted.Bang goes my chance of using G-ERIC.
G-PIES - my registration of choice - is on a sodding balloon, dammit.
Simpo Two said:
Eric Mc said:
Historical.
Indeed; there are only 26 letters in the alphabet and many more countries.So Britain and the other leading nations of a century ago (Britain was a leading nation then and not a trivial indebted backwater of the European Superstate) grabbed the single letters and so when Congobongoland got airplanes in 1960 they had to use two letters
By the 1960 and 70s, even the two letter codes were running out so a letter/number system was brought in.
For instance, A40 was allocated to Oman and A6 to the Emirates.
Eric Mc said:
Even the British letterings have changed. Originally G was not just the UK but the entire Empire and Commonwealth
G-E... was for UK heavier than air
G-F... was for UK lighter than air
G-AU.. was for Australia
G-C... was for Canada
The first official UK registration was in fact a K- prefix, but those registrations were eventually replaced by the G- prefix. K-registrations were also issued by the Air Ministry, K-5054 (the prototype Spitfire) probably being the most famous example.G-E... was for UK heavier than air
G-F... was for UK lighter than air
G-AU.. was for Australia
G-C... was for Canada
Edited by Eric Mc on Wednesday 20th April 19:09
Was the K used by the Spitfire part of that civil "K" batch? I always thought that it was part of the normal military system in use at the time (a version of which is still used today).
The civil K system came in just after WW1 but was replaced by the G system in the early 20s.
UK military serials started life in 1914 with simple numbers. By 1915 they were prefixed with a letter - starting with A. As WW1 progressed, the letters A to H had been used up. The letter S was allocated to the RNAS and later the Fleet Air Arm of the RAF.
By the 1930s, these letter prefixes had reached K. And that would have included K5054. The protoype Wellington was K4049.
With military aircraft production so high in WW2, it wasn't long before the simple "single letter/four number" system had been used up so the system changed to "two letters/three numbers" - which is still in use.
The civil K system came in just after WW1 but was replaced by the G system in the early 20s.
UK military serials started life in 1914 with simple numbers. By 1915 they were prefixed with a letter - starting with A. As WW1 progressed, the letters A to H had been used up. The letter S was allocated to the RNAS and later the Fleet Air Arm of the RAF.
By the 1930s, these letter prefixes had reached K. And that would have included K5054. The protoype Wellington was K4049.
With military aircraft production so high in WW2, it wasn't long before the simple "single letter/four number" system had been used up so the system changed to "two letters/three numbers" - which is still in use.
Eric Mc said:
Was the K used by the Spitfire part of that civil "K" batch? I always thought that it was part of the normal military system in use at the time (a version of which is still used today).
The civil K system came in just after WW1 but was replaced by the G system in the early 20s.
UK military serials started life in 1914 with simple numbers. By 1915 they were prefixed with a letter - starting with A. As WW1 progressed, the letters A to H had been used up. The letter S was allocated to the RNAS and later the Fleet Air Arm of the RAF.
By the 1930s, these letter prefixes had reached K. And that would have included K5054. The protoype Wellington was K4049.
With military aircraft production so high in WW2, it wasn't long before the simple "single letter/four number" system had been used up so the system changed to "two letters/three numbers" - which is still in use.
I don't think it was part of the civil register - it was issued by the Air Ministry.The civil K system came in just after WW1 but was replaced by the G system in the early 20s.
UK military serials started life in 1914 with simple numbers. By 1915 they were prefixed with a letter - starting with A. As WW1 progressed, the letters A to H had been used up. The letter S was allocated to the RNAS and later the Fleet Air Arm of the RAF.
By the 1930s, these letter prefixes had reached K. And that would have included K5054. The protoype Wellington was K4049.
With military aircraft production so high in WW2, it wasn't long before the simple "single letter/four number" system had been used up so the system changed to "two letters/three numbers" - which is still in use.
ccr32 said:
So, if the "G-" registrations cannot be reissued ever, how have we not run out of them by now?
There are 456,976 possible combinations by my reckoning - shirley there must have been more aircraft than that registered since the '20's?
Obviously not in the UK. I think they are issuing regitrations in the G-D... blocks now (ignoring those aircraft which apply for and receive special markings).There are 456,976 possible combinations by my reckoning - shirley there must have been more aircraft than that registered since the '20's?
Here's a good review of the history of the UK civil aircraft registration system.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom_aircra...
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