Narrative:

For the past few yrs, I have flown my C182 (aircraft X) every week. Today I flew with a friend in his C182 (aircraft Y). Returning from smx at 5500 ft, I called sba approach, asked for VFR flight following and was given a squawk code. After a while, they told me to switch to ZLA. When I checked in, I must have reported 'cessna X with you level at 5 pt 5 instead of cessna Y. Center asked if this was my first call. I thought he meant my first call to him. I had been in contact with sba approach, but this was my first call to center. So I replied 'yes.' (I now realize he was asking because he had no strip for aircraft X.) he gave me a new squawk code, which I entered. After a while, he called aircraft Y and asked if we were on frequency and our altitude. We said we were. After a while I noticed he was calling aircraft X and realized I must have given the wrong call sign. I told center I had inadvertently given the wrong call sign and that there was no aircraft X on frequency. He acknowledged that and we got the confusion resolved. The navs and radios in aircraft Y are quite different from those in my airplane and while navigating, looking for traffic and trying to figure out the communications, I just responded by habit with the call sign I've used for many yrs. In future, I will put a card with the correct call sign near communications #1 where I will see it.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SINGLE PLT ON VFR FLT NEAR SBA INADVERTENTLY USES IDENT OF HIS OWN, REGULARLY FLOWN C182 VICE THAT OF THE FRIEND'S ACFT THAT HE WAS, IN FACT, PLTING ON THIS DAY. CAUSED A SHORT PERIOD OF CONFUSION ON ATC COMS.

Narrative: FOR THE PAST FEW YRS, I HAVE FLOWN MY C182 (ACFT X) EVERY WK. TODAY I FLEW WITH A FRIEND IN HIS C182 (ACFT Y). RETURNING FROM SMX AT 5500 FT, I CALLED SBA APCH, ASKED FOR VFR FLT FOLLOWING AND WAS GIVEN A SQUAWK CODE. AFTER A WHILE, THEY TOLD ME TO SWITCH TO ZLA. WHEN I CHKED IN, I MUST HAVE RPTED 'CESSNA X WITH YOU LEVEL AT 5 PT 5 INSTEAD OF CESSNA Y. CTR ASKED IF THIS WAS MY FIRST CALL. I THOUGHT HE MEANT MY FIRST CALL TO HIM. I HAD BEEN IN CONTACT WITH SBA APCH, BUT THIS WAS MY FIRST CALL TO CTR. SO I REPLIED 'YES.' (I NOW REALIZE HE WAS ASKING BECAUSE HE HAD NO STRIP FOR ACFT X.) HE GAVE ME A NEW SQUAWK CODE, WHICH I ENTERED. AFTER A WHILE, HE CALLED ACFT Y AND ASKED IF WE WERE ON FREQ AND OUR ALT. WE SAID WE WERE. AFTER A WHILE I NOTICED HE WAS CALLING ACFT X AND REALIZED I MUST HAVE GIVEN THE WRONG CALL SIGN. I TOLD CTR I HAD INADVERTENTLY GIVEN THE WRONG CALL SIGN AND THAT THERE WAS NO ACFT X ON FREQ. HE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT AND WE GOT THE CONFUSION RESOLVED. THE NAVS AND RADIOS IN ACFT Y ARE QUITE DIFFERENT FROM THOSE IN MY AIRPLANE AND WHILE NAVING, LOOKING FOR TFC AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THE COMS, I JUST RESPONDED BY HABIT WITH THE CALL SIGN I'VE USED FOR MANY YRS. IN FUTURE, I WILL PUT A CARD WITH THE CORRECT CALL SIGN NEAR COMS #1 WHERE I WILL SEE IT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.