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I was listening to some [REAL ATC] MD-80 DELTA CRASH at LaGuardia Airport and noticed something just after 8:41. My question isn't about the accident, but actually about a request to the LaGuardia Tower from Tug1 (or Truck1, it's not clear, although the CC calls it Tug1 it sounds like Truck1) where the tug asks "Tug1 at company, we can cross Papa?"

I understand that the term company is used during ATC communications to tell one plane of a company (such as American Airlines) that they are talking about another airplane from the same company.

But how can a Tug/Truck be referring to a place as company?

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    $\begingroup$ Not sure how to interpret it, but I would say the comm is "Truck 1 and company ..." Perhaps it is a tug with a plane attached? $\endgroup$
    – BowlOfRed
    Oct 4, 2015 at 23:33
  • $\begingroup$ The other thing you'll hear often if you listen to large airports, there's Tugs and Super Tugs. Generally the tugs only work for the company that they are run by. They aren't just general Tugs. The latter of which can move larger planes neither of them really go fast as all of their gearing is set for torque and they are very heavy. $\endgroup$
    – Rowan Hawkins
    Apr 10, 2018 at 3:30

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I just saw BowlOfRed's comment, and listened to it again and I could make it out this time as "Tug 1 and Company". So, basically, when used with vehicles, using "and company" will often indicate that there's more than one vehicle in the group(or possibly aircraft in tow), and whoever's being addressed is in charge of talking for them. Just like when a flight of aircraft is flying or taxing, whoever's talking for the flight, that callsign is used for the whole group.

For other examples of "and company": During snowplow operations, usually you'll just have 1 driver in a group talking to Ground/Tower for that group, and they're also in charge of reporting when all their group is clear of runways or other movement areas. Other times, it's when airport operations is escorting(via vehicle) other vehicles on the airport, from survey crews to construction crews.

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  • $\begingroup$ OK, I hear it that way now as well. Good catch. $\endgroup$
    – CGCampbell
    Oct 5, 2015 at 2:26

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