Canadian air force investigating 'inappropriate and unapproved' call sign broadcast on U.K. flight
The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) is investigating an ‘inappropriate and unapproved’ call sign that was transmitted electronically from one of its aircraft on Monday.
RCAF identifiers, otherwise known as call signs, contain four letters and two numbers. They are assigned to pilots and usually remain unchanged, but on Monday it appeared one was tweaked when a CF-18 Hornet on a flight in the United Kingdom was broadcast globally as ‘D*CK69.’
- Download our app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
In a statement issued Monday a spokesperson for RCAF told CTV News Toronto they were “aware of an inappropriate and unapproved aircraft identifier that was transmitted electronically by one of our CF-18 Hornets currently deployed to the United Kingdom.”
The circumstances behind the change remain unclear. The RCAF said it could not provide further details as the incident remains under investigation.
The blunder drew attention online later Monday morning after being shared to X, formerly Twitter. The post garnered more than 10,000 views in about six hours.
“In a globally publicly viewable demonstration of poor judgment and lack of situational awareness, a Royal Canadian Air Force pilot of a CF-188 Hornet seems to have set the plane's Mode-S transponder to broadcast a callsign of #DICK69, rather than their assigned callsign of BLDE11,” user Steffan Watkins wrote in the tweet.
Within its statement, the force said it expects all its members to display the “highest standard of integrity and professionalism, and to exercise good judgment at all times.”
As of 4 p.m. Monday, the identifier was still displaying on at least two flight tracking websites.
In 2022, two senior RCAF officers were handed reprimands and minor suspensions after an offensive call sign was assigned to another pilot.
With files from The Canadian Press.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
TD penalties expected to be higher on alleged drug money laundering link: analyst
A banking analyst says TD Bank Group could be hit with more severe penalties than previously expected after a report that the investigation it faces in the U.S. is tied to laundering illicit fentanyl profits.
DEVELOPING Foreign interference inquiry to report today on alleged meddling in federal elections
A federal commission of inquiry into foreign interference is slated to release a report today on alleged meddling in the last two general elections.
Magnitude 4.8 earthquake recorded west of Vancouver Island
A 4.8-magnitude earthquake was reported west of Vancouver Island Thursday evening.
Biscuits with possible plastic pieces, metal found in ground pork: Here are the recalls for this week
Here are the latest recalls Canadians should watch out for, according to Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
How falling for a stranger she met on a beach led this woman to ditch the U.S. for the French Riviera
Niki Benjamin, from the U.S., had travelled to a paradise island to do some soul searching, and her life ended up going in a very different direction when her dog ran up to a stranger.
Britney Spears 'home and safe' after paramedics responded to an incident at the Chateau Marmont, source tells CNN
A source close to singer Britney Spears tells CNN that the pop star is 'home and safe' after she had a 'major fight' with her boyfriend on Wednesday night at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood.
Princess Anne to take part in B.C. ceremony bringing new ship into Pacific fleet
Western Canada's first Arctic and Offshore Patrol Vessel will officially be brought into the Pacific fleet today and Princess Anne, the sister of King Charles, is scheduled to take part in its commissioning ceremony.
BREAKING Winnipeg man accused of killing four women will be tried by jury
A Winnipeg man accused of killing four Indigenous women will have his case heard by a jury.
Wally, the emotional support alligator once denied entry to a baseball game, is missing
Emotional support animal registrations in the United States reached 115,832 last year, by an industry group’s count. But in the eyes of reptile rescuer Joie Henney, there’s only one: 'Wally Gator.'