a58r(at)verizon.net
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 Posted: Thu Sep 14, 2006 1:44 pm Post subject: N-number, another view |
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This from Flying tales of The Grey Baron:
Tail Numbers
Grandpa, tell us the story about how you got the lucky tail numbers for your airplane. All right, Timmy, but you have to sit quietly and not blow the foam off Grandpa’s beer.
It was back in nineteen and seventy––no, it was the spring of ‘71 when I was working for a major Think Tank on contract to the Friendly Airspace & Aggravation in the old Oklahoma Territory. The Friendlies had taken part in the land rush out there in preparation for grabbing all the future airspace, and had decided to make OKC their training capital, while keeping their technical puzzle palace right next to the casinos in Atlantic City. This was no accident, because the technical planners used the slots and wheels as simulators for advanced air traffic control. But I have digressed.
Once upon a time the Ceased-Now Aircraft Factory built a beautiful airplane they called a Skyhawk. A certain one, hatched in late “62 but called a ‘63 in the manner of automobiles (ugh), flew the coop and landed in California. After much hopping up and down the poor ‘Hawk was bent, and sold to Grandpa. With lots of hammering and many cases of Old Frothingsloss, she was able to fly gracefully to old Virginia. Both her years and the hammering had dulled her paint, so much so that a new coat of barn paint was needed. What better time to change the old factory numbers for something that was personally unique.
Wait, Timmy––I’m getting to the numbers now!
So Grandpa went out walking during his lunch break at OKC and wandered into the Aircraft Registration Branch,
pg5
or whatever it was called in those times. After being handed off several times, he arrived at The Numbers Tubs.
Yes, Timmy, this was way before computers, or at least before the Friendlies had heard of computers, although in the next building Grandpa was testing a big ATC computer. Number tubs? The Friendlies had written all the US registration numbers on cards that were affixed in huge rotary files like giant Rolodexes™. To find a number, or an unassigned number, you just rotated the cards until you found the number desired, or found an unassigned tail number.
The kind gentleman in charge of The Tubs inquired as to what new number I had in mind.. I really didn’t have a firm idea as this meeting was unplanned, but I knew I was where the magic numbers were assigned. Mr. Tub asked me a few questions about my flying, and I replied that I flew single engine, single radio, single pilot, night IFR. He thought for several seconds, then said: “Take 711 and I’ll throw in your initials for $10.”
That’s how Grandpa got N711RN. Another time I’ll tell you how Grandpa kept his number when he changed airplanes, in spite of overwhelming odds like the Airplane Operators’ Political Action assn., and other money sinks.
regards,
Bob N. FireFly 070 Old Kolb
http://www.angelfire.com/rpg/ronoy/
Do not archive
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