Sat, Apr 23, 2005
Our Apologies To The Late (and Great) Johnny Cash....
Something of a tempest
in a teapot (or is that tee-pee?) has been settled with the FAA now
that the University of North Dakota may resume using the name
"Sioux" as its airborne call-sign.
Several days ago, the FAA put the kibosh on this call-sign for
reasons not fully-explained, requiring them instead to resort to
using the slightly more cumbersome "November-Delta." The
prohibition applied to operations outside of a 40 mile radius
of the University's flight operations area and was reportedly NOT
done in order to seek any sort of politically-correct agenda. Uh...
yeah. Sure.
The entire rationale behind the move is a bit fuzzy... Great
Lakes Region FAA Spokesperson, Elizabeth Cory, a spokeswoman with
the FAA's Great Lakes Region claimed that, "There was a question at
another FAA facility whether the (Sioux) call sign might be a bit
of a tongue twister... Somebody heard 'Sioux' and thought it was
'two.'" OK... that's somewhat more plausible.
This raised a few eyebrows, since the call-sign (especially in
regards to the word's use for athletic events) has been the source
for some occasional rancor from those who thought it
disrespectful of Native American interests... but about the time
the story was gaining some steam, the FAA changed it's mind and not
only re-authorized the use of the "Sioux" call-sign, but
recommended even wider adoption. This is a move welcomed by UND
officials, noting that it will be much easier to use, especially
now that the FAA is encouraging one call-sign for all ops.
UND has used the distinctive call-sign for nearly thirty years
as part of an increasingly busy flight training program that
is a cachet endeavor for the University, known world-wide for it's
aerospace programs. So... for now, UND will go back to using planes
named 'Sioux." We'll keep you informed as to how that works out...
who knows, it might even inspire a song or two. It's been known to
happen.
More News
“This recognition was evident during the TBMOPA Annual Convention, where owners and operators clearly expressed their satisfaction with our focus on customer service, and enc>[...]
Overhead Maneuver A series of predetermined maneuvers prescribed for aircraft (often in formation) for entry into the visual flight rules (VFR) traffic pattern and to proceed to a >[...]
Aero Linx: Glenn H. Curtiss Museum The Glenn H. Curtiss Museum, bearing the name of Hammondsport’s favorite son, is located on State Route 54, one half mile south of the vill>[...]
The Flight Instructor Noticed Some Engine Roughness And Diverted Toward Westwinds Airport On November 2, 2025, about 1630 mountain standard time, an experimental amateur-built Just>[...]
From 2014 (YouTube Edition) -- Disclaimer: No Matter What He Tells You, Tom Is Not A Certified Firefighting Pilot While at EAA AirVenture 2014, ANN News Editor, Tom Patton checked >[...]
Aero-News: Quote of the Day (11.20.25)
See All