← Back to Squawk list
  • 68

Unusual Names Of Waypoints Used For Airplanes' Navigation

Submitted
Aviation relies on so-called "waypoints" — geographic coordinates in the sky that help with navigation. And all the waypoints are named with five-letter designations, sometimes funny and odd. (www.npr.org) More...

dbaker
SuperstarOverachieverMonthly PickTrendsetterPaparazziJet setterWeekly PickNews junkieMaxed OutDeputyEnthusiastTrusted friendHonor RollDaily PickCaptainExplorerADS-B FeederCriticIndustry GuruGroupieSocialiteOutspokenAmateur PhotographerPromoterAltruistEnlightenedAnnouncerAutobiographer

Sort type: [Top] [Newest]


geroldn
geroldn 25
I fly in New England. Along Victor 3 airway into Boston you fly over waypoints SATAN, WITCH, and REVER. South out of Boston on Victor 141 you find CELTS, DUNKK, and BRUWN; just before Nantucket there is GROGG. On the runway 18 instrument approach into Lebanon, NH you fly over BURGR and FRYYS just before landing.
Reply ↓•Permalink•Report
LouKrieg
Lou Krieg 7
And the IF for that ILS 18 is HAMMM, so... HAMMM, BURGR and FRYYS
Reply ↓•Permalink•Parent•Report
Quirkyfrog
Robert Cowling 16
Way points around Perth Australia: FLEET, ANCOR, BRIGG, SAILS, KEELS, WAVES. In the Tazman Sea are WALTZ, INGMA, and TILDA. (Waltzing Matilda) In Germany is NIGEB, DENED, and IRBIR which is rough German for “Don’t ever give them [the pilots?] their beer". Near Sonoma County airport, named after Charles M. Schulz, is SNUPY. Near Kansas City is BARBQ, SPICY, SMOKE, RIBBS, BRSKT. Around DTW is: TPGUN, VYPRE, CUUGR, MAVVV, GGUCE, WLFMN, HLIWD, PISTN. Chicago: STERE, TACTT, SAILZ, KEEEL, JIBBB, YACHT, RW22L. Boston has CHWDH, LBSTA, CLAWW, and NIMOY. LAX has ADORE, BEKER, DOCKR, DTAIL, FUMBL, GUPPI, KOFAX, and LIMBO.

Fun with 5 letters...
Reply ↓•Permalink•Report
tyketto
Brad Littlejohn 12
Left out a few fun ones here, especially at KLAX, particularly the ANJLL4 arrival (even that one is one; The city of Angels):

(Peter) OTOOL, (Lauren) BCALL, (Jack) LEMMN, (Gene) HACKMN, (William) SHTNR, (Robert) DNIRO, (James) CGNEY, (Jackie) SLLRS (Florence Griffith-Joyner) FLOJO, SALYY (Sally Fields), (Jackie) GLESN, and (James) CAANN).

Plenty more of those out there.
Reply ↓•Permalink•Parent•Report
mbrews
mbrews 5
Many SFO departures use the TRUKN TWO departure procedure. Grateful Dead aficionados might pass TYDYE TRUKN GRTFL and of course, DEDHD
Reply ↓•Permalink•Parent•Report
Quirkyfrog
Robert Cowling -9
But I think those are departures, not way points. *shrug*
Reply ↓•Permalink•Parent•Report
tyketto
Brad Littlejohn 6
They are waypoints. TYDYE, TRUKN, GRTFUL, DEDHD, along with HYPEE, COSMC, and SYRAH (wine) are all on the TRUKN2.
Reply ↓•Permalink•Parent•Report
skydanley
Michael Danley 1
I had always assumed SLLRS is Peter, not Jackie.

I've never been able to figure out SMASH, though.

Anyone?
Reply ↓•Permalink•Parent•Report
PhoenixAF24
Brian Hankey 10
To this day, my favorite is Pease Tradeport... GPS RWY 16

ITAWT ITAWA PUDYE TTATT and then the missed approach - IDEED

Queue Tweety Bird...
Reply ↓•Permalink•Report
PhoenixAF24
Brian Hankey 2
Here is the link _ https://www.faa.gov/aero_docs/dtpp/2006/00678R16.PDF#nameddest=(PSM)
Reply ↓•Permalink•Parent•Report
bahalana
Keith Brown 10
Maybe a little insight into the process here. I was a career ATC at an ARTCC (Center) in the U.S. and lead an airspace redesign team. We were given a list of *potentially available*, "pronounceable" names but it wasn't comprehensive. So the team members would get creative, come up with names, trying to theme them with the name of the new procedure (SID or STAR) if possible and often tie them into local locations or culture. They were subject to review at the regional level and we had a few rejected because they might be considered inappropriate or confusing, but generally if they weren't already taken, they were published. So the naming of these fixes is hyper-local, not regional or national.

It's tougher than one might think to come up with names too. With 5 letters there are 26^5 (11,881,376) possible combinations, not counting numeric digits which are used in NRS waypoints. However, they still have to be reasonably pronounceable which eliminates quite a few, and there are thousands that are already taken.
Reply ↓•Permalink•Report
byoungblood
Bart Youngblood 2
I was surprised that the CHSNE arrival fixes made the cut. I asked our airspace rep when I was at ZME how we got away with those fix names, in that order, no less, and his response was pretty much the same as yours. They submitted them, and nobody said no.

Kenny Chesney's pilot thought it was pretty funny the first time he flew the procedure into BNA.
Reply ↓•Permalink•Parent•Report
bahalana
Keith Brown 2
Yes we had a few I was sure would be rejected, but got through. And there were others that were an irritant for other reasons. I was the Union co-lead (Art 41 at the time I think, it's changed now). Some of the SMEs named some waypoints after fellow controllers, some of them non-members, and my FACREP was ballistic, but I begged him not to push the issue because this was a period where labor-management collaboration was starting to work and we didn't need distractions like that, which he respected. Regardless, nowadays when delivering a clearance, you almost have to spell out each waypoint phonetically to avoid problems later. Years ago I remember an MD-80 series cruising at FL340 westbound as an eventual arrival and I was on the D-side. The radar controller cleared the pilot direct to a waypoint without spelling it out and somehow they typed in the wrong spelling into the FMS and all of a sudden the aircraft started making a 180 degree turn to the right. Could've been disastrous. With CPDLC coming on line gradually, I hope that will eliminate that potential.
Reply ↓•Permalink•Parent•Report
Quirkyfrog
Robert Cowling 1
HAH! I was in CT, with a 'NeverLost' equipped car. I punched in the address, and away we went. And we went... And went... I called and asked where the location was, 'West Hartford'. Oh, so I kept driving, and got way west of Hartford. Curious, I used my iPhone, and found out that I had driven by the address an hour ago. So I looked at the 'NeverLost', and hit the button to show how much time was left to get to the destination. over 70 hours! It, the 'NeverLost' system, picked the same address in California!!! Oops...

I nicknamed the system 'EverLost'. What a hot mess... Hertz dropped the system eventually. The only thing it was good for was finding out where to return the car. I don't need any help getting lost.

I can imagine their surprise when the plane turned around. Oops... But with so many way points, how can they keep them straight and organized.
Reply ↓•Permalink•Parent•Report
bahalana
Keith Brown 1
Well there are a lot of safeguards in place. I'm not an expert, I'm only a private pilot but through my time on actual airline simulators, the time on the team designing procedures with experts, and time on my own flight simulator I got pretty familiar with programming an FMS and utilizing the autopilot. It's actually pretty hard to execute an incorrect flight plan which is why I still don't know how this crew managed to do it, but it does still happen. I know of one other incident that was similar, it wasn't my sector but the one next to me so I watched it all happen. It was pretty dicey. But only 2 incidents that I can recall over a 27 year ATC career so I'd say it's very rare.
Reply ↓•Permalink•Parent•Report
willfibs
Will F 9
My favorites are on the FRDMM5 into DCA;

HONNR BRVRY COuRG PLDGE WEWIL NEVVR FORGT SEPII ALWYZ FRDMM

Landing 15,19,22: STAND TGTHR
Landing 1,4,33: LETZZ RLLLL VCTRY HEROO

Also the TRUPS4 into DCA;

USAAY WEEDU SUPRT OOURR TRUPS
Reply ↓•Permalink•Report
ipaisalman
ipaisalman 6
How about IVNKA One and BUFIT One both just outside KPBI.
Reply ↓•Permalink•Report
cme24
Chris Estupinan 1
IVNKA has been renamed and the fixes
Reply ↓•Permalink•Parent•Report
connerat
John Connerat 5
There are lots of sports references in Atlanta, too, some of which have gone away. On one STAR from the northeast, you would cross DIRTY at and maintain 12,000. That referred to the Falcons nicknames, "DIRTY birds." The first waypoint on westbound departures reminds you of tailgaiting: RNAV to FTBUL or RNAV to SLAWW. Flying east, there is RNAV to HRSHL, a throwback to Hershell Walker. From the northwest, you have STARs with CHPPR and GLAVN (Chipper Jones and Tom Glavine from 90s Braves era). There are some Game of Thrones references in the SW area (GNDLF, HOBTT, etc.) And just for the 10-year-olds out there, the downwind for 8L had a series of waypoints like SMELY GAASS KLOWD REAKS.
Reply ↓•Permalink•Report
cme24
Chris Estupinan 1
GNDLF and HOBTT I believe are Lord of the Rings references
Reply ↓•Permalink•Parent•Report
gsmith4151
harold smith 5
Worxs two arrival ... Greenville South Carolina
BESTT CNTLR EVRRR WORXS ANGRI TDAAY
Reply ↓•Permalink•Report
PSUAth
Supercool Marmol 1
IF that's into GSP, wonder how many times I've flown in on that
Reply ↓•Permalink•Parent•Report
rcellio
Robert Elliott 4
ILS RW17L @ KAUS (Austin Texas): JEDYE RRTOO DDTOO
Reply ↓•Permalink•Report
brwitte1
Barry Witte 1
There are a lot of Star Wars inspired names around Atlanta - including the famed JJEDI TWO rnav approach. There are several Lord of the Rings waypoints around Atlanta, too. Look at a low level IFR chart for your amusement.
Reply ↓•Permalink•Parent•Report
Phil1965
Phil1965 3
Here in Canada we have ALOHA & HWYYN; DUREX, BALLS, HOLES & HUSSI; COLTS & DOWNS; ERRTH & MARRS. These are fun.
But we also have a derogatory term, SQUAW, located near Schefferville, Labrador.
Reply ↓•Permalink•Report
Phil1965
Phil1965 2
My bad... Schefferville is in Quebec, not Labrador... CYKL
Reply ↓•Permalink•Parent•Report
jerryirwin99
Jerry Irwin 3
Rnav 33 Bowman Field, Louisville KY: IFALN ANDYE CAANT. GDUPP
Reply ↓•Permalink•Report
Peapop
Art Murray 2
Want to know some of the great Washington Redskins players? Check out the plates for Dulles International...
Reply ↓•Permalink•Report
charlesobrien
Charles OBrien 2
I was surprised by one in Wyoming named UFFDA.
Reply ↓•Permalink•Report
MXE
Charlie Gibbs 2
The RNAV RWY 01 approach at Langley, B.C. (CYNJ) apparently passes over a chicken farm; the FAF is labeled KLUCK.

Boeing Field in Seattle (KBFI) must have some Nirvana fans. I flew the CBAIN ONE departure, which has the waypoints GNEXX, KURRT, and CBAIN.
Reply ↓•Permalink•Report
oldmcdonald
John Carpenter 2
MCO in Orlando & the theme parks / beach have C0STR, MINEE, TINKR, ALADN, SEEDO, SERAY, FISHY, WAVIN, NAVAL, CWRLD, COZMO, ASTRO & RTROE from the Jetsons, TWETY, BURRD, GRNCH, BUGGZ, DAFIE, POPYE, TRAMP
Reply ↓•Permalink•Report
captrags80
Michael Ragsdale 2
I flew GA in the mid-70's. Approach procedure at MCW had 2 intersections named Commi and Pinko. Obviously, those are long gone. but it was good for a laugh at the time.
Reply ↓•Permalink•Report
RetiredCaptain
Jasper Buck 2
Commi isn't in the database but PINKO is. It's located in Texas at

SPS*C*236.00/55.00 33-36-34.7300N 099-35-46.2000W. That's an intersection off the WICHITA FALLS VORTAC.

Best
Reply ↓•Permalink•Parent•Report
runway18escanaba
runway18escanaba 2
If you look at Wisconsin WUMBO, FGHRN, CHDRR, GAYLE, and BOOTY are all great.

OREOS is over Illinois, but OREYO is over Michigan. Hope that hasn't confused anyone.
Reply ↓•Permalink•Report
RetiredCaptain
Jasper Buck 4
No, not confused. Nor is the GPS in my Cessna 182. The two fixes are a fair distance apart and my GPS is smart enough to know that if I'm headed Northbound to Mackinac Island from Florida that I really don't want to go to western Illinois. >;-)

Oreos 41-54-00.7600N 089-12-33.4300W

Oryeo 43-30-30.8000N 084-41-19.8500W

Best
Reply ↓•Permalink•Parent•Report
SpaceRanger
Michael McMurtrey 2
There's a waypoint virtually right over my house in Carrollton, Texas (a suburb of Dallas): MAVVS. Somebody at the FAA is obviously a Dallas Mavericks fan.
Reply ↓•Permalink•Report
cverbil
cverbil 2
The VKTRY arrival into DFW is (mostly) named for the Dallas Stars championship Stanley Cup year.

BTW...he was standing in the crease. Hockey loyalists will know what I mean.
Reply ↓•Permalink•Parent•Report
jkirk420
jkirk420 1
TPGUN arrival in DTW:

GGUCE VYPRE WLFMAN MAVVV TPGUN HLIWD CHZTR GOHST RYEDR

Why DTW though?? I could see SAN maybe...
Reply ↓•Permalink•Report
RetiredCaptain
Jasper Buck 1
More can be found here;

https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/flight_info/aeronav/aero_data/

https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/flight_info/aeronav/aero_data/loc_id_search/fixes_waypoints/

There is a FAA Order that describes the naming of waypoints and fixes also located on the FAA's website. Ditto ICAO.


Best
Reply ↓•Permalink•Report
lucaslsu
Lucas Hornsby 1
The VOR for BTR is LSU
Reply ↓•Permalink•Report
andyc852
Andy Cruickshank 1
So, what are the total possibilities (math majors here is your chance) and what would be the number deemed unacceptable for all sorts of reasons!. Intrigued about the two near Camp David particularly as they are 20+ years old.
Reply ↓•Permalink•Report
andyc852
Andy Cruickshank 1
Now wondering if there are any duplicates in other regions. I am sure there must be "Waypoint Police"
Reply ↓•Permalink•Parent•Report
Quirkyfrog
Robert Cowling 1
There are some that are the same, and some that are close. It's per location I believe.

There are 11,881,376 possible combinations, if duplicated letters are allowed (they are) so there are a whole bunch of names possible, but so many wouldn't be usable.

So anyway...
Reply ↓•Permalink•Parent•Report
mchutto
mchutto 1
VFR waypoints are designed to be not pronounceable. They could use some of the leftovers for those.
Reply ↓•Permalink•Parent•Report
blackhawkdrvr
Ailin Barron 1
Last two points on the ILS 23 into Morristown Municipal (KMMU) in New Jersey are BADDA and BINGG. Had a check airman that like to go there just for that.
Reply ↓•Permalink•Report
westfly
kyle estep 1
Back in the day there was a waypoint over Ann Arbor, MI BOSHM, after Bo Schembechler (former U of M football coach that became president of the Detroit Tigers baseball team) As Tiger president he for some reason decided to fire long time beloved hall of fame radio broadcaster Ernie Harwell. Well that went over like a turd in a punchbowl and he had to rehire him the next season. Someone in the FAA was just as displeased and changed the waypoint over the Big House from BOSHM to HARWL.

I'm now waiting for the Palm Beach waypoints to go from DONLD TRMMP to ORNGE CLOWN UFIRD.
Reply ↓•Permalink•Report
30west
30west 1
Then there is the CZI VOR in Wyoming, "Crazy Woman " VOR.
Reply ↓•Permalink•Report
RDLoven
Richard Loven 1
We live in an acrimonious world. It is impossible to know how to pronounce and know what all the acronyms mean that people throw at you. Do the best you can and hope you’re right. Make sure you always fly the airplane though.
Reply ↓•Permalink•Report
opigillmer
Stephen Gillmer 1
On some United flights, there was one channel on the headphones, where one could listen to air traffic. And I did so on a flight from Hawaii to the west coast. This 2500 mile stretch of nothing,suddenly became something because of the waypoints. Really cool.I am wondering if there is a book of waypoint maps?
Reply ↓•Permalink•Report
brwitte1
Barry Witte 1
You can see waypoints on VFR sectional charts, low level and high level IFR charts. You can also look them up on the internet, using this site (flightaware) or skyvector.
Reply ↓•Permalink•Parent•Report
opigillmer
Stephen Gillmer 1
Thanks! I will check them out.
Reply ↓•Permalink•Parent•Report
byoungblood
Bart Youngblood 0
CHSNE arrival into BNA

LOPPY HUGHE CHSNE BAWLS

One of the ILSs into Atlanta used to have:

YABBA DABBA DOOOO
Or something to that effect. Went away about a decade or so ago when they revamped most of the procedures there.
Reply ↓•Permalink•Report
Quirkyfrog
Robert Cowling 2
I found a note that DABBA was too close to Yabba, and the tower, and pilots were getting confused. DABBA was apparently just deleted, from what I can determine. But yabba dabba doo would be awesome! You have to have some fun...
Reply ↓•Permalink•Parent•Report
denelle
Denelle Keeler 0
Why not Just use the actual city name that a pilot is approaching?
Reply ↓•Permalink•Report
PSUAth
Supercool Marmol 3
Because these are waypoints, not just a "single highway" to fly. Sort of think of them like exits on a highway. I believe most interstate highways ahve an exit number that corresponds to the mile marker they are near. It'd be difficult if all of I95 had their exits marked as "Exit 1"
Reply ↓•Permalink•Parent•Report
denelle
Denelle Keeler 2
Thanks for the clarification :)
Reply ↓•Permalink•Parent•Report

Login

Forgot password?
Don't have an account? Register now (free) for customized features, flight alerts, and more!
Join FlightAware
Did you know that FlightAware flight tracking is supported by advertising?
You can help us keep FlightAware free by allowing ads from FlightAware.com. We work hard to keep our advertising relevant and unobtrusive to create a great experience. It's quick and easy to whitelist ads on FlightAware or please consider our premium accounts.
Dismiss