LiveATC Discussion Forums
Air Traffic Monitoring => Listener Forum => Topic started by: Chananya Freedman on November 08, 2010, 02:36:08 PM
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Hi everyone,
I am using my topic as an example.
Here is my questions. Why do they have the centers labeled with the letter designation "Z" instead of "c" for center? Where does "Z" come from?
I have been meaning to ask this for a long time but haven't had the chance. Thanks
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Found this at Google: Los Angeles Air Route Traffic Control Center (ICAO: KZLA, FAA LID: ZLA) is an air traffic control center located in Palmdale, California, United States
Meaning FAA is responsible for this name and we better ask them about it . :roll:
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Excerpt from http://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/atpubs/LID/LIDHME.htm (http://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/atpubs/LID/LIDHME.htm)
"d. The Federal Communications Commission assigns blocks of identifiers beginning with K and W for broadcast radio and television stations. The block beginning with letter Q is under international telecommunications jurisdiction and is used by FAA Technical Operations to capture National Airspace equipment not published in this order. Identifiers beginning with the letter Z are assigned to air route traffic control centers."
So the FCC is the assignor for air traffice route control centers. The Z is used to designate it as such.
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This link has a pretty good history. Looks like "Z" was reserved for special use (along with "I", "K", "N", "Q", "W", and "Y") so it was available to designate all the ARTCCs.
Pretty interesting read
http://www.skygod.com/asstd/abc.html (http://www.skygod.com/asstd/abc.html)
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So for short, it's a callsign assigned by someone who learnt for it. Like car licenseplates registration...