...or not as the case may be. Pilots have reinvented the alphabet, because obviously the one we have all been using since the age of 3 isn’t good enough! It is called the ICAO phonetic alphabet and you all kind of know it already. It’s the Alpha Bravo Charlie Delta thingy.
As a pilot, you have to know it. You use it A LOT. Mostly when talking to ATC (and that’s a time you don’t want to get it wrong, you sound very stupid!). For example one of the planes I fly has the registration GSAR. Whenever I’m talking to ATC I identify myself as “(Golf) Sierra Alpha Romeo”. Some call signs are easier to say than others.
I thought I knew the phonetic alphabet but quickly realized that there appear to be holes in my knowledge. So I started practicing by spelling out words in my head. Waiting for the subway? I’m at Sierra Papa Alpha Delta India November Alpha station. Occasionally I still draw mental blanks on letters. M seems to be a particular bugbear. I don’t know why. This situation isn’t helped by a delightful friend who was messing around pretend to speak in “pilot talk” and decided M was for Mango. Now I can’t get it out of my head. Thanks A!!
Of course I’m just as capable of messing up on my own. One time when I was practicing random words on my own, I got stuck on “H”. The only thing I could come up with was Hedgehog! Thank God ATC weren’t around at the time!
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