Why did you pick your N Number ?

[VETE76]

i like the john wayne movie where the indian goes around saying
"whiskey whiskey" so i think i will try something like that because they don't allow "beer beer" lol

[ZU-RVZ]

Mine (In South Africa) is ZU-RVZ

The ZU and tail of the Z is very feint.

If you stand more that 20ft from the plane, all you see is RV7

[rodrv6]

After trying various combinations of my birthday (7-27) and my birth year (1958) along with my initials (RS) and not getting any good results, I stumbled on the number "N164ME" (One Six For Me) as being available. So, as of last week, I've got it reserved! I was a little surprised it hadn't already been taken......

[Bigfig]

N317BF Bdate and 1st & Last initial of me.

[ctbecker]

As with others, the good (low) numbers are gone. N464CB - 464 Chemical Brigade - My former Army Reserve Unit and my initials.

[Bugsy]

N377KG

Similar to above.

AF Squadron I command and wifes initials, maybe this will encourage her to fly...fat chance

[Neal@F14]

Even the contrllers are tickled to say, " For Sex Bravo " when I am doing a high speed pass in Hawaii................

:D Hehe, that's as good as the number on my Cherokee (N4646R) :cool:

[jetdoc31]

I have reserved 315AF....march 1st 05' Ava Fleehearty My daughters birthday. Harmon Rocket wings/tail in assembly process...

[Jerry Cochran]

N18XP... I chose this because it easily rolls off the tongue, resulting in fewer repeat requests from ATC. Former aircraft was 254HL and "hotel lima" ran the two L's together, like hotelima. Also, fewer syllables, and my engine is an XP with 180 HP... ATC usually comes back with "Exray Pop", hard to miss amongst other transmissions.

Jerry

[Jim Lawrence]

My RV8's tail #, N626 JL, is actually pretty loaded up with a number of personal meanings. The "626" was the tail # of the last fighter/attack bird ( A10 WARTHOG) to have my name on it. Also, my b-day is June 2, 1946 ( 6-2-6 )AND LASTLY, I'm a "Gemini"( 6-the twin 2-6 ). I guess the "JL" is obvious-JIM LAWRENCE. There you have it!!

[steve murray]

62 is the year my wife was born (don't tell anyone) and KM are her initials

N62KM - I picked this before I started building, how could she say no to a plane named after her.

Steve

[naacster]

The 9A that I'll finish in about two months gets its number from our wedding anniversary date. I married a special woman who has encouraged me to build my dream plane.

[mikegraycmg]

My dad flew a P47 in Europe in the second world war. The serial number of his last plane was U9-Z, and I go by "Mike." N47ZM seems pretty easy to say, so I went with that.

[tmahoney]

I happened upon this discussion thread today. Nice work to all the posters for their creativity.

A few years ago, I began research into what aircraft owners want for a tail number and why certain tail numbers were chosen. After compiling the data, I came to the conclusion that I should take up reservation of certain valuable vanity n-numbers, including three elusive 1x1 N-numbers:

N2Q, N3U, N9U.

There are no plans in my future for the building of an aircraft, just that I try to pick the numbers that can be used for a specific make/model aircraft (like N55LJ for a Learjet 55) and try to get that N-number to the person who has the aircraft.

If I can help with your registration needs or if you are looking for that 'perfect number,' please look me up.

Thomas Mahoney Jr.
http://mahoney.aero

[Bubblehead]

Didn't pick it, but I love it. The builder had RV-8 plans number 80247. We call it "24/7" and TD and my son's initials. Also, it is easy to say and hear on the radio. "Tango Delta" is distinct and hard to confuse.

Sometimes I put so much thought and planning into something and never get it figured out. Sometimes I just fall into something good. 24/7 Tango Delta is one of the later.

[Red Voodoo]

What is it about that little sociopath that would make a couple of middle-aged engineers pick him for an avatar?

[Jim Lahey]

N11RV for a RV-12.

N12RV was already taken. This was the easiest and closest # I could find.

-Jim

[JerryG150]

My signature says it all. :)

Hope to finally write a check for the RV-12 at Sun 'n Fun on April 8, 2008 ... first day Van will offer the 12 for sale ... been a long wait. So far I've spent $10.00 to reserve N124JG and $15.00 for a VAF Data Plate. Lots more money to go ... what the heck, you only live once. :D

[Mel]

So far I've spent $10.00 to reserve N124JG and $15.00 for a VAF Data Plate. :D
Be sure not to engrave that data plate 'til you get your registration, They must match "exactly!"

[Michael Brown]

I was born on the 22 of July (7)...... Wanted it incorporate 7 as that is what I am building. The MB is my initials and my wifes.... Melissa Brown

[Newbie_Doo]

I got lucky...

A while ago, when I decided that I was going to build a -12 when it became available, I researched N-Numbers and 12-(for)-AW (My initials) was attached to a B737 in America West's stable. No luck. :mad:

I had also been doing the back-and-forth between a 7 and a 9 for a couple of years while I got life a little more organized, since I think I will ultimately want a speedster/cross country machine. But, when it became clear that the likelihood of my wife flying with me was remote (she hates to fly, even the airlines), I decided that I'd pop for the plane I really want to graduate to, the -8. I made that decision a few weeks ago and did an N-Number search and :eek: they were BOTH available!

So, I now have reserved N84AW and N124AW (with a BIG thank you America West!).

My RV-8 preview plans are in UPS's hands, and I am waiting for the kits to be announced for the -12.

[rph142]

N for number
3 for RV3
1 for my first homebuilt
4 for the projected number of years it will take to build
1 for my first homebuilt...
5 for $50,000 projected price tag

actually I guess im just a nerd...get it?

[Neal@F14]

N347RH

N = first letter of my first name
3 = a backwards upper case E
4 = looks like an upper case A
7 = an upside down L (also since I'm building a -7)
R = my middle initial
H = my last initial

So... in 'leetspeak' it spells NEALRH.

"Seven Romeo Hotel" will sound pretty cool over the radio too, eh?

[fliier]

If I had it to do again, I would have picked all numbers and no letters. Numbers are so much easier to key in at the self-serve pump!

J Allen

[lightning]

N857EF


August 5, 2007


anniversary

[John Foy]

This number makes for easy transmission in radio talk.

[dlloyd3]

Check the homeship first flight page. Wonder why he chose that number?:D

[wera710]

Just reserved 710PX. 710 was my race number when doing the WERA and CCS circuit (raced superbikes and was a track-day instructor) and PX for my shop, Sniper Country PX, which sells Law Enforcement and Tactical supplies as well as long range gear. Papa Xray just sounded better than Sierra Charle.

Something about motorcycles, aircracft, and shooting, lol. Seems like every pilot I run into does two out of three.

Actually wanted something different but they were all taken. Would have been really neat to get a consecutive number. My Luscombe is 71172...but 71171 and 73 are still active.

[N42AH]

My first N number was 43AH. The 43 was my callsign in Vietnam, Lancer 43 (Huey Driver in I Corps). The AH was the name of my company in St. Thomas, Antilles Helicopters. The next N number was 42AH. Both of these N numbers were on Bell 206 B III's. When I bought my Europa I wanted to get 43AH but it wasn't available. But 42AH was available because the aircraft was exported to New Zealand (it's now ZK-HQT)so I got 42AH for the Europa. I sold the Europa and part of the deal was I got my old N number back. Well that hasn't happened....Yet. So the 9A I purchased in July has 188MP and will soon be 42AH. Bet your sorry you asked how I got mine aren't you...

[Danny7]

621DS

6/21 is my birthday (not really, but thats a different story)

DS is my initials, and i like Delta Sierra. hope it doesn't mean something in armyspeak (like dumbstupid)

[Mike Ice]

I picked 491CE because I live in Alaska and it is the 49th state and my last name is ice.

get it: 491CE

Mike Ice

[pazmanyflyer]

N174PP

My son was two when I began this build and we called him "Papas" for a nickname. Mine of course is Papa. Roughly meaning fries or small fry in spanish. So according to me this plane is one (1) seven (7) for (4) Papa's Papa.

Last two letters also serve as initials for the planes name, Pretti Penni.

9.15.2009 Update
N537TC - 53 from the Wittman W8, N53CH, I helped dad built and the 7 because well it's a 7 and TC for Tango (tengo = "I have" in spanish) and Charlie = Carlos in spanish. So when I call out 7TC I'm thinking this "7 has Carlos"

[jetjok]

Mark,
I am right there with you! My wife is a really good sport about both our planes! It was her idea to go ahead and find an RV! Sooooo.....N506MM = 506 (Anniversary 5/06) M-Mark M-Melissa
In the eys of any judge here in CA she owns half the plane, so I intend to pile up the Brownie points whenever possible!
Our wedding date, month and year. 781
(You've gota do what you can to keep the wife interested)

C for Cindy, my wife.
M for me, Mark.

And I like the way "one charlie mike" sounds

[Greg Arehart]

79 = the year my wife and I both got our PPL (she before me, as I am constantly reminded!) and got married
65 = airport where we learned to fly (LXV: "we know density altitude")
A = for our surname, Arehart

cheers,
greg

[mike63]

my two daughters birth years and the plane will be "miss kimberly" after my wife of 27 years

[sjjonesnz]

ZK-NVS (reserved). I figure no explanation is required :-)

[Captain Sacto]

I'm building a 7A, and I wanted an N number that said something like N...7A, but I wasn't excluding anything.

The FAA n-number selection website is pretty good, but I still needed to fiddle with it a lot to evaluate all the possibilities.

I think that someone mentioned on an earlier post to this legacy thread that we can check the NTSB website to see if an N number was previously assigned, and involved in any unfortunate issues. In fact, there was one other number I liked, and sure enough...four fatalities. (I'm not superstitious, but I let that one go.)

So, I narrowed it down to two numbers...N555AA and N7877A. I mostly like the latter, but I asked others which they preferred, and most agreed.

I even tried saying the two numbers several times, to see which was easier to say, and had the least chance of errors in reception of transmission. (If you try speaking these numbers, you'll see a big reason why N7877A is my choice between the two.)

All told, I'm pretty happy with N7877A. I even got some mailbox numbers from the hardware store and stuck N7877A on the HS. (Over the blue plastic film that we all seem to leave on.)


.

[Webb]

I wanted double letters because I find it easier to pick up on ATC when you haven't been called in the last 15 minutes.

WW are my initials and I also wanted a low number since most the spam cans I rent have long numbers which get shortened anyway.

Hence.....N32WW

Now would that be 2 Double Whiskey or To Double Whiskey??

[cwreeves]

352... is my birth month and year... CR is my first and last name initials

I sure thought these would be a noal idea, but I guess airplane builder thing alot alike!

Charlie Reeves, Tucson AZ
RV-7, TMX360, fixed pitch Cato

[BrentHumphreys]

N411BE

4/11 - Our Aniversary
BE - Brent and Erica

Plus I like the sound of Bravo Echo

[mquam99]

N512MQ

5 = My daughter's birth month
12 = my son's birth month
MQ = My and my wife's initials

[pierre smith]

N411BE

4/11 - Our Aniversary
BE - Brent and Erica

Plus I like the sound of Bravo Echo

.....Brian also has BE for Brian and Eilleen, his fiance. I asked him what would happen if the relationship soured. "NO problem, then it's Brian's Experimental":D

Regards,

[Doug Eves]

I bought my RV6 from Aden Rich. The C-F was a given. The DNS stands for Doug's New Six.

[BlackRV7]

RV-7..............7

Black Magic.............BM

Liked the way 727 rolled "offa da tongue" on initial ATC contact, shorted to 7 Bravo Mike after initial to 7 Black Magic......every once and a while:p

[calake]

Totally a graphics choice. The last four are all the same shape, just turned. My wife had the idea.

C A Mansfield
Bellevue, WA

[Webb]

RV-7..............7

Black Magic.............BM

Liked the way 727 rolled "offa da tongue" on initial ATC contact, shorted to 7 Bravo Mike after initial to 7 Black Magic......every once and a while:p

Dana - One of these days, the controller is gonna call Black Magic a "heavy" with 727 in your call sign. Report back when it happens!!!

[Mike S]

Dana - One of these days, the controller is gonna call Black Magic a "heavy" with 727 in your call sign. Report back when it happens!!!

Reminds me of a guy with a Stearman who was a regular at local flyins.

This particular Stearman was a war era production from Boeing-------

His N number was----you guessed it, 707.

Said he had a lot of fun calling in to towers at small airports with "Boeing 707" inbound for landing:D

[Rodoc]

N4VY

Booked from Japan via mail while on deployment. Then I lost it due to a computer glitch, then got somehow managed to get it back. (thanks Ed Perry)

Cool call sign to to go with my F6F Hellcat paint job.

[DEWATSON]

Mine is N806DW

8 - for RV 8
06 - for the year I started building it
DW - my initials (David Watson)

What surprised me was the number of choices I had that had already been taken.

Tailwinds..........

[C-FAH Q]

C-FAHQ

ummmm, to put it politely............FAH........... Q
It was begging to go on the side of my 7

[rbibb]

N144KT

One Four (as in RV-4) For Katie - my daughters name.....

[Veetail88]

Everything that had meaning to me was taken, so I just took something that sounded good and rolled off the tounge easily.

N229Z

Two Niner Zulu just sounds cool.

Sort of juvenile, but I'm sure most on this site can relate.:D

Same reason my Harley has a great sounding pipe. Can't help but goose it under overpasses!!

[Chino Tom]

N531PK
5/31 is my wife's birthday (this way I'll never forget :p)
PK (the initials) is her nickname for me.

[lufthans.nl]

PH-MGA

I used a lot of parts from an old, abandoned Jodel when building mine. This one started out in France (F-BMGA), then moved to Belgium (OO-MGA), and so I decided to stick with that when I built it in Holland (PH-MGA).

http://www.jodel.com/images/mga/mga_nearEHLE.jpg

Hans

[TCONROY]

N781TD
My birth month 7, my fathers birth month 8,its our 1st airplane, and the first letter of our first names; Trevor Dewey

A father/son adventure!

[flion]

156PK was chosen because I was fishing around for numbers with my initials and I realized I could paint the 5 to resemble an 'S' and it then becomes 'is 6', which it is (-A model).

When Mom passed away and I decided to build a -10 in her memory, I chose 14MX because 14MAX was not available. It stands for 'one for Maxine', which will be part of the nose art I'm going to have done for the project.

[L.Adamson]

Same reason my Harley has a great sounding pipe. Can't help but goose it under overpasses!!

Since my Honda doesn't sound as good as a Harley, I had to install an air horn for under the overpasses! :D

Other than that, 328SL --- Eight Sierra Lima rolls off the tongue well... too.

L.Adamson --- RV6A

[drill_and_buck]

Fell in love with the 4

Started building a 6

Realized I really wanted an 8

Getting to the point where I can say it is almost finished.

Mike Draper
N468RV
RV-8 TMX 0360 CS
Bridgewater, MA

[jsharkey]

Born in (1)959 plus my initials seemed good at the time - although I should have realized that introducing myself on the radio as Julliet Sierra sounds wimpy - especially in a broad Scottish male accent! I should have gone with the more butch sounding Romeo Victor :D
Jim Sharkey
RV6 - Phase 1

[jsharkey]

C-FAHQ

ummmm, to put it politely............FAH........... Q
It was begging to go on the side of my 7

...and you got away with it?

[akschu]

N907BH.

Pretty simple really, 907 is the area code for Alaska and is pretty synonymous with Alaska since you see 907 racing, 907 bumper stickers and everything else. And BH is for Bearhawk.

So when I'm flying into Merrill, and I say bearhawk 907BH they will know that I'm the Alaska bearhawk.

schu

[C-FAH Q]

...and you got away with it?

I did ! I was browsing through the list of available marks and it jumped off the page begging to be taken.

[k5wiv]

522JS, myr birth month, day, and my initials.;)

[Daver]

the last 3 digits of my engineer license (meaningful to me because it was so
damned hard to get) and 'R' for my last name.

Dave R.
-9A finish kit

[jsharkey]

I did ! I was browsing through the list of available marks and it jumped off the page begging to be taken.

...getting one over on the man :)

[Paul B]

423PB. 4/23 is my wife's birthday (year is need-to-know only). PB - my initials. I like the way it sounds when I say it out loud. I know it's a small thing, but reserving the number really made me feel good!

[pjaffray]

Got my letter back from the FAA today. N124SW. My wife and I were married on the 124th day of the year and I proposed at the Snow White wishing well at Disneyland.

[turbo]

the builders name LEE RAY for 3,000 hrs, and a bit of a tung twister , i picked out 26ED. short and sweet, RV26ED. my name AND initials. pure genius.:D

[gciampa]

N269MC

1. serial number was NOT available
2. my initials, GC did NOT roll off the tongue very well
3. my wife's initials, did NOT roll off the tongue very well

MC - my son's initials

TWO SIX NINE - all single syllables

TWO SIX NINE'R MIKE CHARLIE sounds pretty cool,

R V Nine'r Mike Charlie

:-)

[apkp777]

My son's birthday 5/24, our initials AP. And I just bought the temporary numbers/letters to install on the fuselage.

N524AP

[Jordan17]

I chose to reserve 214TL for my tail number. My Papa passed away on February 14 which is the 214 part. He built a Pietenpol Aircamper and the tail number was 58TL so I took the TL from his plane. He was the most important man in my life and he taught me how to fly. Every time I make a radio call it will be in remembrance of him.

[chief_523]

While on Active Duty in the U.S. Air Force I had the privilege to serve as the Maintenance Chief for the 523rd Fighter Squadron Crusaders flying and fixing F-16s at Cannon AFB, NM. My radio call sign was Crusader Chief. CC also happens to be the Fin Flash on the Vertical Stab of aircraft stationed at Cannon. So there you have it - 523CC.

[rsipp]

N110DV = One 10 for Dick & Vicki

Dick Sipp
RV10 N110DV 240 hours

[pierre smith]

Pierre and Larry, after my buddy, Larry, who stayed faithfully by my side while my wife left, helping finish the build.

Best,

[Jerry Cochran]

18XP Because it rolls off the tongue easily unlike former RV 254HL . Got quite a few "say agains" from that one.

[jetjok]

About 7.5 years ago, met the best lady a guy could ask for. Learned to work the Garmin, read a sectional, and is bummed when she can't help with annual and condition inspections. Married her on the beach on Maui on May 6, 2004. Hence the N# of our RV was changed to 506MM (506 <anniversary> MM <Mark & Melissa>) shortly after we got it.
Sappy? Yep, but well worth it!

[longranger]

About 7.5 years ago, met the best lady a guy could ask for. Learned to work the Garmin, read a sectional, and is bummed when she can't help with annual and condition inspections. Married her on the beach on Maui on May 6, 2004. Hence the N# of our RV was changed to 506MM (506 <anniversary> MM <Mark & Melissa>) shortly after we got it.
Sappy? Yep, but well worth it!

Better make that Melissa & Mark, as it doesn't hurt to give her top billing.;) I met a similar lady (Karen) in December '01 and married her Sept. 4, 2004, thus N904KM resesrved.

[Brantel]

N159SB

No more babies for us
1st Daughter born in 2001
2nd Daughter born in 2005
3rd Daughter born in 2009
Wife's first name is Shantel
Brian is my middle name

[Skint]

N704RT

Got browny points here

7=day of month
04 =month of year
R= Ruth
T= Tim
Our wedding day!;)

[Beatcellar]

What I came up with was not my first (or second, or third, etc.,) choice but still worked for me - N397V

39 for my birth year - 1939
7 for - hey, it's an RV-7
V-my grandfather's middle name was Victor and I always liked that name and its positive meaning, also - hey, it's an RV

So, RV N397V and I'm in Phase I.

Jack Buschmann
RV-7A, N37V
DenverFTG

[DCat22]

We basically looked up every available four digit sequence that was available and had doubled letters. This one rolled off tongue well, I like saying "niner" and the VV will make it hard to resist saying "Vector Victor" all the time. So 95VV was perfect.

There is a three letter number from a plane that will never fly again, I'm still trying to find a way to get though. :)

(I hope I didn't already post here. Didn't see it. :rolleyes:)

[Jeff Vaughan]

I was born May of 1961. My fathers initials, EV. (Elliott Vaughan) = N561EV
I bought my kit the year after my father died of colon cancer (You have all had a colonoscopy right??) He and I had talked about building a plane after he reitred. He never did get the chance to retire. I wanted to make sure I built a plane period. My father introduced me to flying when I was eight years old.

[aarvig]

Well, November because it has to be.

Then
5 -Our daughter Margaret was born in 2005.
6- Our son Levi was born in 2006.
8- Our son Chase was born in 2008.
A- Aaron (thats me, the chump behind the stick)
K- Kari. My beautiful, sweet very understanding wife who let me indulge in
this crazy hobby!

[gasman]

I wanted a short number to fit on the tail of my Warrior back in 83. I was able to get 17WM. Selling the Warrior, I was able to get the original number back, and was able to reserve the 17WM for use later.

Last year I was searching numbers and found 5WM so now it is reserved also. My 6A has as the n number.... N1601 and it works quite well. I can call in as... RV601 ---:D

[jbDC9]

...saying "Vector Victor" all the time.

Roger, Roger.

[dacrunk]

Since I live south of Atlanta Georgia I thought it would be nice to have a 'southern' number, hence N1ZN, which is 'Nice one' in southernese.
Jim Crunkleton
Senoia, GA
RV-8 QB N802JD
(Sold due to divorce)
RV-8 QB N1ZN
(First flight 3-5-2010)

[wrongway john]

Last year, in my hometown, I went to look at a very nice RV-4 that had the N number of: N420F. I think many know what 420 means without being involved in the drug culture world, but I was curious as to why he picked it. Surely anyone running drugs or was a user would not go with this number! He was a nice elderly gentleman, and I just had to ask. He said it stood for him and his good buddy: For-4 to-2- old-0 fools-F. I thought that was quite clever, but still couldn’t help but smile. I suppose the 0 was actually the letter instead of the number, but I couldn’t tell. I was surprised the DEA hadn’t took notice, or others that didn’t know him, think he might be up to something else besides recreational flying. Definitely not the # you would want to pick if you were smuggling drugs or was a user. Just glad he didn't also add MJ to the end of 420. :)

[Bavafa]

N825SM

8/25 is my anniversary (saves me once a year for remembering it) and SM is my wife and my own initials.

[Snowflake]

Roger, Roger.
Surely you can't be serious...

[Stogie 6]

I decided to reserve my number after the company Day Jet dropped several from their records. So, N359DJ is related to my birth month and year, then my first and last initial. I know, very creative but it will do til I can get the 6A built and the numbers on the fuse!

[jtrusso]

Just reserved it today - N411WH

I wanted 411SB - for 411 W Ortega, Santa Barbara CA. This is a house my friends lived in while in college and we all had a lot of fun there. We still call ourselves "The 411" to this day. The SB, for Santa Barbara.

But that is taken by an Extra 300 in New Hampshire I think it was.

Then tried for 411SR - again the homage to The 411 and SR is my daughter's initials. But that was taken.

Then tried a whole bunch of 411 variants and 411WH was available. No real meaning to WH, I just like the sound of "411 Whiskey Hotel cleared for takeoff runway 21".

Can't wait to hear those words....someday.

[hobby_rv6]

Had flown quite a few different airplanes prior to reserving N41HS for my RV6. Decided that certain numbers (multi-syllable like sev-en, nin-er, ze-ro, and FAA mandated "tree") and number combinations (one one, six six) weren't for me. And of course, the shorter, the better.
So I researched the available numbers, and there were none available with a single digit and two that contained only two digits and the letters HS (for my initials). That's how I ended up with N41HS.
Everybody has a different story.

[sheepdog]

N851S WAS EASY FOR ME, MY BADGE NUMBER IS 5 S1 WAS MY CALL SIGN WHEN I WAS ASSIGNED TO A REGIONAL TASK FORCE SPECIAL OPS GROUP
THE 8 WELL ACCORDING TO THE FEDS I COULD NOT JUST GET A 51S.

[snoop9erdog]

5 little runts running around for (or as a result of) two Avila's :D

Luckily I'm only 37:eek:

That's also my excuse for it taking so long to complete the 9.

Well worth it though....wouldn't change a thing.

[N200PF]

N200PF

I had to grab it to match my 200hp engine and hopefully my 200mph speed! :-)

- Peter Fruehling

[SHORTRV7]

I picked the year I was born, a very long time ago and my 3 grand children call me PAPA therefor N1948P

[Berchmans]

N113DU
Anyone who is building an RV is single or has the wifes permission...I have the wifes permission...we met at a Ducks Unlimited Banquet on November 3rd...hence the choice...she has also turned out to be a pretty good riveter...

[hydroguy2]

Reserved a new N number last week. Years ago I had a different number reserved, N74XC, but decided to let it lapse. Getting my paperwork in order I figured I better get a number reserved. 74XC is still available, but thoughts changed.

So I picked out N155BK.
B for Brian
K for Kris
155 because the first plane I helped build was 155MT. 155MT gave me the experience and confidence to build my own.

"Five Bravo Kilo" rolls off the tongue ok also.

[ChiefPilot]

Not a terribly original idea, but N164BL = "One -6(a) for Brad & Lynn". It helped to sell the project to she-who-must-be-obeyed :).

[Pbr47906]

N277PM
Married Feb 1977, Paul & Mary

Paul
LAF
7A Fuselage
Looking for IO360

[Redwagon]

one RV8 for Tim & Denise!

we both have been smiling lately while flying it. Heck even the dog on her lap smiles.....well sort of, hard to tell with the mutt muffs etc.

Tim

[Kevin Taylor]

8- RV8
4- For
KT- Me ;)

[jay.pearlman]

N3FP
My wife's initials. Always helps

[JDanno]

N616JJ daughter Julie's birthday (June 16) and her initials (JuJu) :D

[TomRV8]

RV-4 flying for 21+ years now...

1- First airplane
53- Last two numbers of my birth year
T- My first name, Tom
K- My (now ex) wife and both my kids thought it was for their first names (Karen, Kevin, Kristen) and I never told them any different. In reality, it was always for my own middle name, Kevin!

This has allowed me to use the same basic outline for my next two kit built planes (without having to think about that ex-wife person!)

N353TK, Rans S-7S Courier, hoping to fly this fall (253TK wasn't available)

N553TK, RV-7A, messing with it on and off...struggling with the tip up canopy right now...

As for my forum name...TomRV-8? Well that kit is sitting in the corner my hangar waiting for me to finish the other two planes!

[pierre smith]

....is a friend of mines number....Brian and Eilleen. I asked him what would happen if they split....they did....now it's Brian's Experimental:) Gotta have a "Plan B",


Best,

[dmcewen]

Month and day of my first solo flight & initials.
Dick M.

[dmcewen]

Correction: Month and year.
Dick
RV-7A

[oldie wan kenobe]

As Pierre noted, a Plan B is sometimes needed. I'm a great believer in honoring someone special in your life, so reserved a number for the -4 that included my girl friend's initials and birth year. When she left I reserved a new number which I will transfer soon: N1926C, my mom's birth year and her nickname's initial. I plan to name the airplane "Cookie," in her honor. Since she got her nickname in WWII by being likened to Cookie Bumstead in the "Blondie" comic strip, I plan to use Cookie Bumstead's image for nose or tail art. Besides, "26 Charlie" sounds a whole lot better than "44 November Juliet," doesn't it?! Significant Others come and go, but Moms are forever. Happy Mother's Day!

[pierre smith]

Since she got her nickname in WWII by being likened to Cookie Bumstead in the "Blondie" comic strip, I plan to use Cookie Bumstead's image for nose or tail art.

....cute:
http://i663.photobucket.com/albums/uu353/pierresmith/p_blondie.jpg

Best,

[gclark]

Boy, this is a really popular thread. Guess almost everyone has some
N number story.
We have two: First N905RG for our 1997 RV-6 was devised from the date my wife, Rachel and I met, September (9) fourth (04), plus our two initials, ladies first of course. Next was real easy for our 2007 RV7-A, Just add one number, N906RG:D Keeps it simple.
Giles and Rachel Clark

[David Richardson]

N434DR

I was in the 434th TFS at George AFB in the 70's

[dlloyd3]

After 5500 hours in 114PL, by rote 4PL will be easy to say. 2nd in the PL series. P is for Penny of course.:D

[burgundyja]

It is a 8 for mike.

[Greg Reese]

Had an RV6. Sold it' Bought an 8. Plus my initials N628GR.

[B Cunningham]

It's a "7" and the first buno of a series (I hope) VF is familiar to the Navy & Marines out there... also Vans Air "F"orce. I'd like to think its also "very fast".:rolleyes:

[Bullseye]

N999ZA. At first, I wanted something that was going to be short and sweet on the radio, but the more I thought about it, I want something recognizable on the radio. "November-niner-niner-niner-zulu-alpha" is long, but very recognizable. ATC will undoubtedly shorten it to "niner-zulu-alpha."

Also, I like ?november triple-niner zulu alpha.? I would never suggest to any of my students that they use unapproved pronunciations of callsigns, but c?mon, it just sounds cool.

As an aside, I got my commercial and CFI-A tickets in N9991B. I always pronounced every character individually, until the controllers in the area started calling me ?triple-niner.?

Is that permission for me to do it, too? No. Am I going to? Yes.

N74ZA. <sigh> I reserved this one because everyone seems to like their model number, followed by a 4, and then their initials (or wife?s initials, or kids initials, etc.). N74ZA was available, so I might as well reserve it while I can. I like the shorter number, but I am still leaning towards triple-niner-zulu-alpha.

[dhall_polo]

More importantly, happy birthday to my daughter.
Today - May 17.
My N-number: N517DG.

I chose my n-number primarily because May 17 is my daughter's birthday. I started taking flying lessons shortly after she was born, so both she and my pilot log book are now 9 years old. Half of her life before age 8 was spent watching me build an airplane. Happy Birthday Abby! I learned after my second daughter was born on the 17th of November that 17 must be my lucky number. Never had a lucky anything before that.

D is for me. G is for my wife. The whole family gets a piece of this n-number.

I'm happy to report success so far in programming my kids to share the joy of aviation and rv-ing. Here's a pic of me flying with the 517 kid in the 517 airplane.

http://gallery.me.com/dhall_polo/100214/DSCN1460/web.jpg

Here's a pic of my 3 girls and the mistress. Abby and I flew into Osh together last year. Paul - notice that nice looking -8 in the background?

http://gallery.me.com/dhall_polo/100214/IMG_1668/web.jpg

[prporter]

...does anyone know who Bob Nichols is at the SBS Program Office? He has many, many of the cool N numbers reserved for him/or whomever. Does he work for the FAA? What is the SBS? His purge dates are 99/99/9999, and the type of registration says, "no fee". Does he just scoop them up so nobody else can have them? for example, go to the registry and type in N290KT. This is one was reserved 09/11/2003, going on seven years. This is one of the many he has reserved.

[SHIPCHIEF]

Pretty slow around here...
So I'll pitch in:
I'm building an "8", the wife is building a "9" and sort of petered out, waiting for me to finish it. SE are my initials.
I really wanted a 2 digit, 2 letter N number, shorter would even be better, but 8SE is already taken. :(

[PH-SCP]

Pretty obvious, I would say..

PH-SCP (Not an N-number but please believe me, there is life outside the US :):):))

[stevemcgirr]

for my older son. I asked my younger son, Doug, who is the pilot in training in my house, if he wanted to reserve an "N" number. He thought about it and came up with his older brother's birth year and name, hence N1991M for now twenty year old Mike.

[Av8torTom]

N677AT
677 = June, 1977 - wedding anniversary
Alpha Tango = wife and my first initials

Hey, don't laugh... it worked!

[L'Avion]

For dancing in the sky!

N-2-3-4-Foxtrot-Tango

Barney in Memphis
RV-3,N234FT rebuilt & flying
RV-4, N44LR, flying

[jbagley]

Finally registered! First flight "real soon now".

N3545D was Grandad's airplane. I just replaced the Delta with Bravo for my last name. It's easy to remember and easy to say. I like it.

[DonFromTX]

This has been very helpful to me, looking at N124DG, as in RV12 for Don and Geneda(my wife).
I had not realized how hard it was to find one you want that was not already used. Maybe this re registration will free up a batch of them.

[David Z]

Because it was available and completely awesome C-FEAR.

[java]

You got a good one David :D.

For mine, I was looking for something easy to say (try saying Juliet, Foxtrot, Foxtrot, Xray ten times fast, for an illustration).

As pointed out by another RV flyer when he first saw it, it also "goes ok" ;).

[pmccoy]

N35PM

Only two digit N number that matched my initials.

[chipf]

N207LT.

2007 is the year my daughter graduated from Lake Travis High School west of Austin. It's also the year the Cav's took their first 4A state football title. They just took #4.

Also, Charlie Foxtrot is too hard to say, so anything with my initials didn't appeal to me. Seven Lima Tango rolls off the tongue.

[johntuck]

So.....
2 4 (for) JT mine and my wife's initials
short easy to say

also the 24th day happens to be her birthday and our anniversary

Hope it works out to a pleasant surprise!

[don.olandese]

my partner built a Pitts years ago with N Number 61RM...rm being his initials. that number is taken, so his (our) second product is the second 61RM, hence, 261RM.

[ExtraKatana]

155 are the first numbers of the Cherokee I flew for 600 hrs, and ED are the 1st letters of last names of us co-owners. We put the partner first so we could say "Erectile Dysfunction."

[BuckWynd]

I grew up as a total airplane geek and a huge fan of the USAF Test Pilot School, X-planes, Edwards AFB, NASA Dryden, Mojave, etc. After spending some time around there while flying in the Air Force, plus many other visits over the years, I was delighted to recently reserve a distinct N-number with a historic past.

I was able to get the exact N-number of NASA's M2-F1 unpowered lifting body aircraft, which paved the way for follow-on lifting-bodies (http://www.nasa.gov/centers/dryden/news/FactSheets/FS-011-DFRC.html) such as the M2-F2, M2-F3, HL-10, X-24A, and X-24B, each of which provided valuable research data in the development of the Space Shuttle. The M2-F1 was, I believe, the only one of them to be assigned an N-number, so I feel very lucky to "own" the number N86652.

Here's the Flying Bathtub, in all her glory:

http://www.warbirdalley.com/images/misc/M2-F1-N86652.jpg
(Photo courtesy NASA Image Archive (http://www.dfrc.nasa.gov/Gallery/Photo/M2-F1/HTML/ECN-225.html).)

I have not decided whether to use this N-number on my present RV-8 project, or my inevitable follow-on one. Maybe a sailplane would be a more suitable vehicle... Hmmm. Any ideas?

[DanWright]

Year we got married (1976) and our last initial "W"

[az_gila]

.....

I have not decided whether to use this N-number on my present RV-8 project, or my inevitable follow-on one. Maybe a sailplane would be a more suitable vehicle... Hmmm. Any ideas?

A sailplane may actually be more applicable since the M2-F1 was constructed by Gus Briegleb at El Mirage, CA.
Gus was the designer of the BG-12 homebuilt sailplane.

[n504tw]

My grandfather's crew was shot down on B-17 #504 named Times A-Wastin'. Figured N504TW would be a good tribute to the crew and the plane.

[DonFromTX]

Well those low numbers are hard to find. I finally settled on N461DG, 461 is my RV12 serial number and of course the DG for my wife and my names. Rolls easily off your tongue as well, works for me. I am contemplating an Air Force One paint job, so "One Delta Golf" will be cool for that purpose as well (or if I know the tower or locals on the CTAF, "One Don Geneda".
This has been very helpful to me, looking at N124DG, as in RV12 for Don and Geneda(my wife).
I had not realized how hard it was to find one you want that was not already used. Maybe this re registration will free up a batch of them.

[woodmanrog]

Finished in 2005, the 100th anniversary of flight.Builder- Norm Taylor
When we bought the plane I wanted to honor Norm and not change the number so the acronym now reads N 100 New Toys. And still adding.
Woodman
http://i51.tinypic.com/1z2g41l.jpg

[drill_and_buck]

I was first introduced to RVs back in the 80s when a flaming Red RV-4 showed up at our local airfield. It was love at first sight.

I built an RV-6 empennage in the early 90s and mothballed the project after the empennage was completed.

The passion for RVs and building never faded. After flying tandem aircraft for 10 years, I started building an RV-8.

As a tribute to Vans amazing aircraft I thought it only appropriate to use N468RV.

Mike
Getting ready to move the 8 to the airport....

[N546RV]

It's pertinent for me to point out that I just got my private cert last year. This was something like a full decade later than I "thought" I'd get it. Truth be told, I hit enough roadblocks in my life during that decade that by the time I turned 30, I was starting to wonder if it was ever going to happen. Then I had a big change in my life that enabled me to finally go and do it.

The point is that that certificate in my wallet is a very special piece of plastic to me. Even though I was nowhere near building last fall, I decided to reserve an N-number as a sort of personal motivational tool. The airplane I soloed in was 391JA... I wanted 391RV, but alas, that was taken. So instead I went with the plane I flew for 95% of my private hours, 546DC... and thus 546RV was born.

Now I just need to finish another big life goal and put that number on the side.

[java]

...He was a wonderful dog ...but Hawkeye will always have a special place in my heart.

Transporting rescued Greyhounds in the future will be my little way of giving back for a breed that gives so much.

I understand so much about your post. Thanks for sharing.

[pierre smith]

I now have two more Greyhounds but Hawkeye will always have a special place in my heart.

Transporting rescued Greyhounds in the future will be my little way of giving back for a breed that gives so much.

....Are you trying to see how many of us you can make tear up?

Very touching story..

Thanks,

[bird]

3rd month 28th day of Tim(me) and Carolyn's(wife) wedding of 32yrs. An interesting note: this number was first used on a rans s-7 that we built and flew for about 500hrs. Sold it to a person that was in Canada. Plane ended up in an episode of "The Border" mini-series episode #6. The registration was de-regulated because its in Canada now, so I got my numbers back for my rv8! Wish I would have had a note in the bill of sale for the s-7 about movie royalties!! bummer....ha ha

bird

[649PF]

649PF

My business (a cigar bar) is located at 649 Main St., PF for Puff.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Building-Of-Puff-II-An-Rv-10-Builders-Log/177351025622322

[db8]

I have three boys plus boys (grown ones) like their toys (planes, bikes, motorcycles, cars, boats, trucks, etc etc). So, slide the 1 and 3 a little closer (1/2" min as per regs) and it looks like a B......hence...BOYS & TOYS.

It took the better part of a day of looking through numerous combo possibilities till I found one I liked. Dave

[JustRich44]

Here's mine...

Couldn't find a single digit "7" so I took "77". The "X" is experimental. The "V" should be obvious...Vans.

[Ken]

6 is my birth month 2 is my birth day and echo....echo amuses me.

Ken

[jchang10]

I'm surprised more people dont use their serial number. I wish I had thought to use it before someone reserved it with my initials a few weeks before i thought of it.

[Tram]

Because that was the number already assigned to it. ;)

[Tom Schad]

My first homebuilt was a Marquart MA-5 Charger N52TX My age when it first flew. Second homebuilt RV-8 N558TX It was completed in 2005 and I was 58 Third homebuilt RV-6 N986TX My son Paul's birthdate since it was his project. L-19 N 194TX ((L) 19 for Texas) If you are having problems figuring that one out... LOL! tom

[Don]

Far from my first choice but the only one I could find and sort of liked. My kit number followed by my initials.

[pilottangocharlie]

8/25 was the date I passed my private check ride followed by my initials. I like to think it was a right of passage and worthy of being plastered on the plane.

[rdoerr01]

I picked mine based on the Area Code of where I grew up. My tail number is N519RV.

Thanks

Ray

[Caummisar]

Year of birth, RV-7A and initials. (Evidently, ITS ALL ABOUT ME!!)

[gyoung]

Good 3 digit numbers are hard to come by. I got lucky with N6GY for RV-6, Greg Young. Easy to say as well with only 4 syllables.

[scottyv]

I bet I'm the one with the earliest reserved N number. I'm probably still two years to the start of my project which is really a dream for now. The first three numbers are my anniversary and the first letter of my and my wife's first name, Scot and Lisa, 804sl. Anyone else have a reservation with no project? Am I crazy??

[N546RV]

I bet I'm the one with the earliest reserved N number. I'm probably still two years to the start of my project which is really a dream for now. The first three numbers are my anniversary and the first letter of my and my wife's first name, Scot and Lisa, 804sl. Anyone else have a reservation with no project? Am I crazy??

I reserved my number over a year ago, when my build was nowhere closer than "I'm going to do that some day." Now I've upgraded to "probably in the spring."

I figure it's only what, $10 a year? I'm never going to miss that, plus it's a reminder of my goal.

[longranger]

... plus it's a reminder of my goal.

I like that! Me too...:)

[gerrychuck]

Put one in here for us Canadians:) All Canadian registrations start with a C-, followed by 4 letters, the first of which is either F or G. Considering my name (Gerry), I searched the available combinations, and the one my sons voted for was GERZ (read it as Ger's). I like it; it's my toy and I'm proud to own and fly it, so why not let everyone know who it belongs to?:)

[6 Gun]

Ill have to say I was inspired by J Pratt when I met him this year at a fly-in at Johnson Creek Id.and he was telling me about his personal planes and called them by there nick names so when i picked up my project in Aug I started thinking about what i would call my plane an RV-6 which I call 6-GUN so my quest for a N# started and as close to it I could get was N66UN which I reserved so now just need to get to work so I wont have to pay $10 next year.
Bob

[panhandler1956]

Mine was part of the theme of the aircraft. Mine being 'inspired by' a P-51D from the 78th Fighter Group/84th Fighter Wing in Duxford, England - hence my N number is N784DE.

http://www.kitlog.com/photos/project_236/full/FP25032011A0001V.jpg

http://www.kitlog.com/photos/project_236/full/FP30072011A0002C.jpg

[Mark12A]

Wife's birthday...6/5/65. She's the model for some Victory Girl nose art.
The "S" for our last name, plus "Sierra" just sounds cool.

[panhandler1956]

The "S" for our last name, plus "Sierra" just sounds cool.

This is an important part - it's definately gotta sound cool! ;)

[k5wiv]

My birthday (Month, Day) and my initials. Been reserved for several years yet, and probably won't be on the airplane for another 3 or 4.:)

[rjt194]

Both for my wife:

N146ML - Her birthday, 14th June, plus her initials

N816ML - the day we got engaged, August 16th, plus her initials

I guess I'm just going to have to build two :D

[mvidalr]

Even though it's only reserved, N911MV will be the callsign I'll register my -8 once it's finished.
The 911 stands for the emergency response number in my city, as in Rescue 911 but copyrighted to our facility in Monterrey, Mexico.

As for MV, are simply the initials in Miguel Vidal

Cheers!

[jbagley]

"B" for my last name.

Numbers from granddads 170. N3545D

[Neal@F14]

Well, I never built the RV-7 that I had dreamed of and probably never will, and bought a flying RV-6 instead. The builder picked a pretty good tail number for it too.

Since it's a -6 built for two, and is a Texas airplane, the number is N642TX.

[BobTurner]

N48HT
Born 1948
Wife's maiden name Hairston
My last name Turner

[Wesael]

N45678

No particular reason. Just WANTED that one.:eek::eek:

[2bolts]

Date we were married 8/86
My wifes initials

[Ironflight]

Louise found "13PL" in a routine search of the FAA database - we already had a couple of other usable numbers reserved when this came up. "P" and "L" for Paul and Louise (obviously), and we couldn't pass up a two-digit number that ended in "3"...the "1" was a nice unique touch. And getting to paint on the "X" just makes it cool!

[Veetail88]

Because saying "two niner Zulu" just sounds cool!:D

Juvenile? Sure, but so what. Gotta make your own fun!:p

[polishpilot]

I have reserved N96LV - which is the year (1996) that I fell in love (LV) with my wife Susan. Kind of a sneaky way to get her involved with the project. :)

[larrynew]

Reserved N82EW. Last name N EW. Married 19(82). Also reserved as backup N11RV. Liked the small number (11) with RV trailing characters because...well, you know.

[RV7AV8R]

"5EY" because it is short. :)

[CESSNA180FL]

I have reserved N422EL. It is the month and day of my daughter Emily's birth and her initials.

[PCWebb]

N337CW, 337 is my son Lee's name seen upside down, a carry over from a boat he and I built when he was learning to sail. CW are my daughters initials, and getting to say Charley Whiskey on the radio just sounds cool!

[Taz]

N9823W

98 is the year my wife and I were married

23 is for 23rd Fighter Squadron - my first operational F-16 Sqdn and the Sqdn I was in when I met my wife

"W" for...well...err...Whiskey! Did I mention we were married in Lynchburg TN after touring the Jack Daniel's Distillery? I was on leave from Korea at the time - True story.

Brian

RV-7, N9823W
90/90...on its gear, canopy done!

[chazking]

In Excess. 'Nuf said!

[nineninefour]

It's all numbers, it's short, it's easy to say. Depending on where you are... Nine nine four, or niner niner four, or ninah ninah fah
The number from the plane in which I learned to fly is open, so I thought about picking it up, but why say 9 syllables when you can say 3-5.

[JakeLewis22]

I took my kids name's and birthday's and combined them.
Nicholas 4/23
Jaclyn 2/22
N223J

[PaulRomano]

N449TR (F1 Rocket)

449--449th Bomb Group, 15th Air Force, Grottaglie, Italy
TR---Tony Romano

[southtarnation]

All this talk... So I reserved a new today.
N144U
One four for you (me). Pluss I liked all single syllable numbers and a single letter.

I guess N2626C is no more soon. Kinda sad for some reason. I guess cause it was "my" first n number.

[Indy]

my initials (and my brother's...who likes to borrow the plane) are MZ. I graduated from the Air Force Academy in 2001. Wanted 1MZ (taken), 201MZ (taken), and 01MZ isn't allowed. The 8 was my concession to my brother, who graduated USAFA in '98.

The number that came with the plane had personal history for the previous owner, and respect it, but it was not a good radio callsign...7 syllables to say 3 characters and the phoentics just weren't good.

[FlyArmy]

N58XP - my RV-8 (formerly N484JT, jon thockers...): 58 - because I fly OH-58Ds in the army, XP, because I become 8XP when shortened.

[md9680]

The first three numbers are my anniversary and the first letter of my and my wife's first name, Scot and Lisa, 804sl.

I'll bet we're not alone with the rationale of using our anniversaries and first letters of our names, Karen and Mike: N618KM (reserved). I also tried to consider the ease with which it could roll off the tongue when speaking with ATC, though I imagine you'd get used to anything over time.

[Bob'sRV6A]

For HMM-364, the Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron I flew with in VietNam and BT for Bob and Toni (wife of 44 years--we have been through thick and thin and look forward to sharing awesome adventures in our "dream machine").

[330Jock]

Easy! The month and year my wife and I were married. My wife's name: Donna D., because I could not believe how quickly she said yes to this project. Also going to name the airplane the "Donna Dee" with appropriate nose art. Will also like saying 776 double d's!;)

[tmbg]

We basically looked up every available four digit sequence that was available and had doubled letters. This one rolled off tongue well, I like saying "niner" and the VV will make it hard to resist saying "Vector Victor" all the time. So 95VV was perfect.

There is a three letter number from a plane that will never fly again, I'm still trying to find a way to get though. :)

(I hope I didn't already post here. Didn't see it. :rolleyes:)

it's amazing how often you and I think alike :)


I wrote a perl script that scraped the available numbers database looking for interesting patterns such as doubled letters and numbers, and then spit out a report of them so I could pick the ones that sounded good.

I ended up with N773WW. Three Whiskey Whiskey, "Make mine a double!" :D

[Franz]

See if you can figure out my Canadian version of a tail number: C-FUXI

[cln1owner]

608MA

The grand daughter of my build partner passed away from a brain tumor at the age of 6, in 2008. Her name was Mara Adams and to my knowledge never got to fly with her grandpa. I picked the number for him and her.

[PerfTech]

....I chose the numbers as they were easy to say, as in rolls off your tongue. The letters are my initials. .:D

[Bad Sheila]

1) Wanted minimum numbers.
2) Had to end in AU. (I'm an Aussie)
3) 6 related to my RV6
4) N6AU was taken so settled for N66AU.
When I call ATC I say "RV6 N66AU" on the first call and 6AU from then on... works good for me.
BTW The "Nose Art" and name will be "Bad Sheila"... that works for me too. LOL :D

[humptybump]

It's an RV-8 so I just stuck "8" in front of my other N number.

[SHIPCHIEF]

In January of 2011 I posted:

"Pretty slow around here...
So I'll pitch in:
I'm building an "8", the wife is building a "9" and sort of petered out, waiting for me to finish it. SE are my initials.
I really wanted a 2 digit, 2 letter N number, shorter would even be better, but 8SE is already taken."

Later I reserved 98SE for the RV-9.
That'll confuse 'em!
"N89SE & N98SE flight of two, inbound for landing!"

[e4evrybdy]

I just reserved mine today, 742EL which is a slight copy of the first post. An RV-7 for two with my first initial and my wife's first initial. So, does that make it better or worse than getting a tattoo of her name if things go sour? :D

[SkyFlorida]

Lucky for me the International Radiotelephony Spelling Alphabet contains "Mike" , my name. I'll get the personal touch from ATC.

... I really wanted "Alpha Mike", but my wife didn't want to constantly hear my ego stroked on the radio.

[C-FAH Q]

See if you can figure out my Canadian version of a tail number: C-FUXI
Ya...here's mine. C-FAHQ

[Freightdawg]

My wife and I met when we were on active duty in the Air Force. She got an incentive ride on a KC-135 and I was the copilot. The tail number on the tanker? 313, of course. :D

[TRAllen]

Now you all know that you have to keep the wife happy and involved in the project or it will be ugly. So N627LT is our anniversary and the letters of our first names. Now if I forget my anniversary I'm in big trouble.

Tom Allen
RV-6
Flying it for almost 10 years and loving it!

[Taildrgr]

My first RV-4 used my birthday and initials.
When I sold it, the new owner changed the registration, so my number became available again.
So my new RV-7 will have the same N number as my RV-4 did.

[Strike69]

It is the 2nd marriage for both of us ... we have 5 kids between us ... and we are 1 big happy family ... Wendy and Mike.

[Dundee Downunder]

On the Aussie register, apart from the previously mentioned VH-VAF, as of last year we have a VH-VAN.
After months of searching I reserved VH-MRV, hoping to surreptitiously
(unofficially, of course) superimpose a small "y" between the M and R .... VH-MyRV.
Without a doubt the best is in Albany, Western Australia ... an
RV-6 ....... VH-JOY .......

[g zero]

Just reserved N 666 TA

Tom A

[airguy]

N16GN - I wanted a low number with my initials, and I wanted something that rolls off the tongue easily. After having about 35%-40% of the controllers I talk to screw up 2451N on initial callup, I wanted something easy.

[Skykingbob]

Pretty simple code:

212 = our month and day of anniversary
KB = Kathryn & Bob

[ifixf15]

My avatar should make it pretty obvious. I was in the 318th when the unit was deactivated. The squadron colors were sheathed on 7 Dec 1989. I was one of the 25-30 present when we literally shut off the lights and locked the hangar door. It will be good to see that tail flash fly again, and besides IMHO it was the neatest tail in all of ADTAC.

Semper Felix

(The 318th was known as the Green Dragons and the Dragon's name was Felix)

[ao.frog]

My first -7 was bought partly finished by a US Builder, so it's named after him and his wife: B - Bill, A - Ann and Bill's middle name: W- William.

("LN" is the mandatory national country-code for Norway)


My second -7 is named after the three persons who had to say OK when I asked them wether or not they would approve my plans to build an airplane:

A- Alf (when I asked my self, the answer was an easy one... hehe...)
K- Kjell (a friend of mine who where absolutely necessary to have with me on the project)
C- Cecilia (my wife)

[N804RV]

I wanted N80566 (my plans/builder number). But, somebody beat me to it. So, I decided to go with the N8XXRV format. And, the first number available was 804.

I kinda wonder if, since there's already a N803RV and a N805RV, did someone else have 804 reserved but gave it up?

[ron sterba]

First # 246HJ was a contender but my wife said no, we got 421HJ which is the next one after the new Honda Jet N420HJ. Maybe not as fast but a whole lot more fun and cheaper to operate!

[Maxrate]

442MM Been waiting for this one to open up for two years! Now I can get my favorite classic 1969 Olds 442 hurst to match the N number......:D

[Toobuilder]

First priority is that it is easy for me to say over the radio without sounding like I have a mouth full of marbles. Only then do I start looking for some personal significance. So I found and have reserved 268DM which rolls easily off the tounge and is also the initials of my and my wife's first names as well as the year of our birth for the both of us (both in 68).

Now all I have to do is find an airplane to stick it on.

[lpeeds]

I married my wife, Kitty, in 1956.

[Bill_H]

N412BR RV12 It was kit number 412 and some other numbers of personal significance have been taken. BRH are my initials, but "Bravo Romeo" sounds better over the radio and is more fun to say than Bravo Hotel, to me anyway. Interestingly enough, the aircraft's first flight was 4-12-12!

[Jaypratt]

Bill started this thread June 2005.
Fun reading all the post about the number choices. And how you decided on # choices.

I have up dated my aircraft TTs a few times over the years.

Still haven't decided what to do with my reserved N6YH. Tempted to paint the Sky Wagon and change it to N6YH.

I can not find another plane better suited to how I fly. Mission, Mission Mission...So building another is not practical.

Maybe another thread about what is the 'prefect' second airplane to complement your RV?? I know several that have built a RV12 as a second

[bruceh]

Basically the name "HILLS" upside down and backwards. Not that I will ever be flying upside down in my -9A. :D

Years ago, when everyone was looking for personal domain names to register, my wife suggested "overthehills.com", so this N-number sort of fits with our internet domain -- the Hill's, just turned over.

[PerfTech]

....The "ninety one", is how old I feel in the morning when I get up! The "A/N" is my initials to help me remember who I am of course! Happy New Year guys, Allan...:D
.
http://i550.photobucket.com/albums/ii419/allannimmo/photo_zps870e5390.jpg (http://s550.photobucket.com/user/allannimmo/media/photo_zps870e5390.jpg.html)
.
http://i550.photobucket.com/albums/ii419/allannimmo/photo1_zpsfa3de8d9.jpg (http://s550.photobucket.com/user/allannimmo/media/photo1_zpsfa3de8d9.jpg.html)

[ron sterba]

I felt that building my RV9A (N421HJ) was the best all around plane. Considering field choices, TOP end speed and fuel economy. I elected to stand next to the new Honda Jet. N 420 HJ.
There's a special ring to ONE HOTEL JULIET! My wife says you are always out there (hangar) you might as well LIVE there. My thoughts of N246 HJ were short lived.
Happy New year 2014
Ron in Oregon

[Steve Melton]

my dad's bday and initials.

[N62XS]

My Mooney was a M20D S#193 retrofitted to a retract so N193DR. My RV-8 was a 1st for me(Robby Knox) so 184RK. My RV-6A was a challenge from a friend that died with his son in his 6A before I completed the challenge and I while I wanted to honor his memory, his brother asked me not to paint it yellow, so I decided not to use the N number as a reminder as well. I did something a little different in playing with the number. I planned to deck this plane out or to excess so I chose N62XS, an RV-6 to excess(X S).

[wjb]

My better half's (9/10ths) B-day and my initials ... and the "Whiskey" doesn't hurt, either! Bravo!

[Canadian_JOY]

I didn't choose this registration as I'm not the builder of this airplane. The original builder named it after his wife, Joy. For several years I've been the steward of this fine aircraft and have had the pleasure of giving many people their first light aircraft flight. When I see all the smiles this aircraft has brought, both to me and her passengers, I can't help but think she's very well named indeed. C-GJOY

The registration is reserved for our next airplane, C-GVLF - with VLF representing the first initial of each of our kids names.

[Smilin' Jack]

N507H
N is for being American
5 is for May
07 is for 2007
H is for Hunt
Now for the rest of the story
It is our wedding Anniversary and now I have no excuse to forget it!!!

Less I'd spend the rest of my life living in the Hanger.

Smilin' Jack

[AcroSmoke]

Could not make any combination of my wife's or my initials work with any birthday or anniversary.
So we picked 505RV.
505 is my home town area code. ;)

[Gary Baker]

I chose my N number based on our anniversary, Sept. 27, (28 yrs coming up) and our initials (Mary and Gary). It's the least I could do to recognize my wife who has always encouraged me thru this odyssey of many years!

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/150x100q90/545/iuce.jpg (https://imageshack.com/i/f5iucej)

[DeltaFox]

Wow Gary, that is a gorgeous paint job! Did you do it yourself?

Mine is N921DF. 9 'cause it's an RV-9. 21 because all the other good numbers were taken, and DF for my initials.

Dale

[sandpiper]

N7878H. 7-8-78. Wedding date plus last name initial.

[Scott Hersha]

It's for:
One RV8 for Scott(me) and Blair(my wife).

[bret]

N4RT no birthdays or anniversary dates, just the shortest combo I could find! And thinking of a short ATC call back. Well my anniversary is 9-10-11......

[yankeetango]

I reserved N69YT because N69WT was taken.

I just started my PPL training after years and years of built up ambition. The tail numbers on the trainer goofed me up a few times on the radio, so I punched in the FAA search tool, found I could reserve the number for my future RV, and found one that was funny and rolled off the tongue. After not seeing it published, I didn't think it would go through. 2 months after submitting the request, they finally processed it and here we are.

Now I need to place the order for the emp kit soon! decisions decisions, 10 or 7...

[Gary Baker]

Thanks, Dale!

A friend of mine, Walt Halloran (who has painted everything), painted it. It is his third airplane. Now I am putting everything back together!

Check my Kitlog site for more photos. I am slowly bringing it up to date.

[RV8iator]

The "8" is obviously for my RV8 and the JL is my first and middle name..

They wouldn't give me N "Widget"

The only thing wrong with single digit N-Numbers is 90 percent of the time ATC calls me back with "say full call sign"

[DarylT]

7 model
5 Started in May
4 the year 2004
R because when the you call atc with experimental
V they expect performance if its an RV


I was shooting for 757 for completion date.... boy would I have screwed that up eh!:eek:

[wirejock]

My wife's birthday. I won't show it cuz we just never tell a woman's age.
Sweetie has put up with me for 28 years. She's supported me in everything including our RV7a (Lucy)
Basically her birthday is all "1" and "5".
So 511RV was the closest we could find.

[cfiidon]

My initials preceded by my age at projected completion and the minimum syllables I could come up with. Should have been 60DG.

Wish I had 181DG... Cuz that's how fast she goes.... True.

Don

[donwmack]

N708CM

My dad and brother helped to build my 6A. My dad passed before it was done. My brother thought of it. My day was born July (7) 08th. His name was Charlie Mack. Sometimes when I am calling on the radio I will use Charlie Mack versus Charlie Mike

[DaveO]

N1243A

I picked because: 12= birthday day
43 = year I was born
A= first RV airplane

Not original but true

[flywithme623]

N65ZV

65 the year my wife and I was born

ZV made by Zimmermann's and Van's

[Tailpilot]

Mine is for my wife/build partner/money maker ;) N143KW

1- one letter in "I"
4- four letters in "love"
3- three letters in "you"
K- her first name
W- last name

Plus I wanted something with whiskey in it :)
And N7W was taken

[Jeff Hagg]

N548JH
N=N
Lycoming 540 engine= 54
In a RV8= 8
Jeff = J
Hagg = H
Hope that helps.

[krueger44]

Home street number with letters consistent with first name/last name of my son (builing partner)and I. Has a good ring.

N353EK (RV7A)

[Mark Dickens]

N678MT

(M)ark and (T)erri married in June (6), 19(78)

She hasn't really helped me on the project, but she hasn't complained either and that says a lot!

[DonFromTX]

Actually not complaining is a BIG help:D

[bobby]

My grandpa let me "help" him build and fix stuff when I was little. I doubt I'd have the confidence to take on a project like this without that experience. He died a long time ago, long before I started my project. We always called him Grandpa C. I'm building the RV-8 so my N number is "one eight for Grandpa C" - N184GC. I even have some of his old tools and tools he gave me when I was a kid that I use regularly on my RV-8.

[Bavafa]

825SM
Our anniversary date and first initials. Should also help not forget our anniversary date.

[Homie]

My RV9A is N911WH. My kit was shipped from Vans on Sept 11, 2001, the very day the airliners took down the buildings in New York City. WH for its builders, Watson and Homsley.

Homie

[PCHunt]

My RV9A is N911WH. My kit was shipped from Vans on Sept 11, 2001, the very day the airliners took down the buildings in New York City. WH for its builders, Watson and Homsley.

Homie

Very Impressive! I like the idea that you are remembering the date.

May I suggest that it wasn't the airliners that took down the towers, rather it was the radical terrorists that took over the airliners that did so.

Soft language that minimizes what actually happened, and why it happened, will only encourage repeat events. Soft language is a result of our PC world.

Don't be afraid to speak the truth.

I fully expect that this post won't last the day.

RV relevancy: Our flying freedom has been curtailed as a direct result of the 9-11 attack.

[lsissom]

I had read that family support or lack thereof was critical to the success of the project. I wanted (needed) to draw the wife into the project early ...
so ...
7/30 is the wife's birthday :-)
The 'RV' in the tail number was a must for me .