Callsign Orgins for PSA, TSA, and Air Tran??

[Snaab]

How did "Blue Streak," "Waterski," and "Citrus" come about? Thanks!

Snaab

 

[BoilerUP]

I think waterski was because TSA started out flying vacationers to Lake of the Ozarks...but not sure.

 

[SiuDude]

Psa

The same question was asked once by CLT approach. The pilot explained that it is because Jetstream International Airlines (PSA's predecessor) had a blue streak somewhere on their paint scheme.

 

[N tha jungle]

citrus

Just a stab in the dark- Citrus is another name for oranges and Airtran started in MCO and oranges grow in Florida. Kind of clever, isn't it?

 

[WhiteCloud]

I think waterski was because TSA started out flying vacationers to Lake of the Ozarks...but not sure.

That's right. I think the flow of name changes started with Ozark airlines and then Air Midwest, Trans World Express and then Trans States.

 

[erj-145mech]

(PSA's predecessor) had a blue streak somewhere on their paint scheme.

From a leaking lav holding tank?

 

[Propsync]

That's right. I think the flow of name changes started with Ozark airlines and then Air Midwest, Trans World Express and then Trans States.

Actually, I think the first name was Resort Air, then it became Trans States.

 

[WMUSIGPI]

The same question was asked once by CLT approach. The pilot explained that it is because Jetstream International Airlines (PSA's predecessor) had a blue streak somewhere on their paint scheme.

That's right. When US Air bought JIA they changed the company name to have "brand recognition" from the old Pacific Southwest Airline they bought out also but kept the callsign from JIA.

 

[EDUC8-or]

You guys have it all wrong. Bluestreak came to be from a drunken bet. The Blue Man group was hanging out in an airport bar in PHL and at some point clothes were shed and one of them gained access to the ramp. He was spotted by security and then he ran faster than Forrest Gump after 12 Dr. Peppers. Just as a PSA flight was cleared to land, the FO stated "Clear to land WOULD YOU LOOK AT THAT BLUE STREAK 27L"

The rest as we say my friends is history.

 

[mckpickle]

Just a stab in the dark- Citrus is another name for oranges and Airtran started in MCO and oranges grow in Florida. Kind of clever, isn't it?

Plus it was better than the previous "critter" callsign....AKA ValueJet

 

[SkyBoy1981]

The original AirTran Airways from the mid 90's operated 737-200's out of MCO. This was before the ValuJet merger and their callsign at the time was "Manatee". Their aircraft looked like this: http://www.airliners.net/open.file?id=322292

For about a year after the merger the 737-200's continued to fly with the "Manatee" callsign and the DC9's with the "Critter" callsign. Finally around the summer of 98 they created the "Citrus" callsign for the entire company to use. "Citrus" and "Manatee" are both counties in central Florida, so my guess is that this is where these callsigns originated.

 

[ArcticFlier]

I was in SGU the other day and overheard some flight ops guys talking about our (SKYW)callsign. They are thinking about changing it. Apparently, it's causing some problems back east ie being confused with the likes of Skyway, etc. One of the finalists is apparently 'Dixie' (The southern part of Utah is known as Dixie. The college in the area is also called Dixie College.)

AF

 

[Bluestreak]

Actually, I think the first name was Resort Air, then it became Trans States.

You're correct-they hauled folks to the bLake Of the Ozarks.Their code "LOF" stands for Lodge Of The Four Seasons.

 

[B-J-J Fighter]

Dixie would be a great callsign.

 

[Snaab]

Thanks a lot for the interesting backgrounds!

Snaab

 

[CptMurf]

AirTran History

Actually AirTran didn't start in MCO. AirTran (Corp.) was started as the ORIGINAL holding company for Mesaba Airlines in 1988. When they bought Conquest Sun Airlines in 1994 they became AirTran Airways and whalla MCO base. They split from Mesaba in 1995, floundered around for a couple of years until they were bought by what was ValueJet in 1997, but everything was transferred to the AirTran certificate. They had several names throughout all the changes, but after the last merger they started using the callsign "Citrus." Most likely due to the Florida bases.

 

[SkyBoy1981]

Actually AirTran didn't start in MCO. AirTran (Corp.) was started as the ORIGINAL holding company for Mesaba Airlines in 1988. When they bought Conquest Sun Airlines in 1994 they became AirTran Airways and whalla MCO base. They split from Mesaba in 1995, floundered around for a couple of years until they were bought by what was ValueJet in 1997, but everything was transferred to the AirTran certificate. They had several names throughout all the changes, but after the last merger they started using the callsign "Citrus." Most likely due to the Florida bases.

Ah okay. I wasn't old enough to know about the Mesaba part. Very interesting.

 

[flyer172r]

Dixie would be a great callsign.

Does Skywest fly into Atlanta? Because if they do now or if they do in the future, it would confuse the heck out of the controllers down there with that Dixie taxiway they're so proud of.

 

[Economy101]

Trans States originally was Resort Air. They flew vacationers in and out of the LAke of the Ozarks. They got bigger and bigger and started to negotiate a deal with TWA. Before that deal took place Resort Air bought Air Midwest and continued flying metros and j-32's. Negotiated a deal with TWA and changed its name to Trans States Airlines, flying Trans World Express (TWE), in conjuction with Trans World Airlines (TWA). Call sign stayed the course.

 

[Broke in CVG]

You're correct-they hauled folks to the bLake Of the Ozarks.Their code "LOF" stands for Lodge Of The Four Seasons.

Ted Kopler in St. Louis (KPLR TV) use to own Lodge of the Four Seasons and Resort Air to take his buddies from STL down to the lake. Sold it to Hulas, who I believe was his accountant at the time. And he renamed it Trans States, because Tandoori Airlines or Turban Turbines didn't sound so good when feeding TWA.