RDU Aircraft monitoring - your favorites

[BCasto]

Maybe like you, I occasionally am entertained by monitoring RDU aircraft and business frequencies. Beyond the published aircraft movement frequencies (approach, departure, tower, etc.) what are your favorites? Do you do ACARS decoding? Is there enough military traffic to justify monitoring?

 

[KB4MSZ]

Is there enough military traffic to justify monitoring?

There is here, that's for sure. I have Central Command about 8 miles south of me.

 

[KO4RJX]

I’m closer to Seymour Johnson however I keep all UHF ARTCC frequencies in the scan list to catch fighter jets and bomber movements.

Also for those that don’t know the USAF has a fairly active refuel track that starts directly over RDU airport. Fun to listen too as well.

 

[RaleighGuy]

Also for those that don’t know the USAF has a fairly active refuel track that starts directly over RDU airport. Fun to listen too as well.

Which track is that and will you share the freqs? I'd be interested in trying to hear them.

 

[RaleighGuy]

Actually there are numerous refueling tracks within 100 miles of RDU, AP/1B lists all of them along with track maps.

Dropbox - Manuals - Simplify your life

 

[KO4RJX]

AR207 Starts/Ends (depending on which direction they are going) over RDU, its fairly active during the week with mainly Charleston, SC based C-17's.

Primary: 324.6000
Back-up: 343.2500

From my house in Johnston County I can also hear AR202 which starts around Wilmington going south.

Primary: 327.6000
Back-up: 319.7000

 

[KO4RJX]

AR207 is active southbound with KC-135 from Pittsburgh and P8 most likely from NAS Jacksonville (Florida)

 

[BCasto]

Am hearing some air traffic using the term "2 Mike Mike". Does anyone know what that is?

 

[KO4RJX]

Am hearing some air traffic using the term "2 Mike Mike". Does anyone know what that is?

Frequency?

 

[BCasto]

It was on RDU Approach 124.95Mhz

 

[RaleighGuy]

Hearing refueling operations tonight on 324.600 operating southwest of Raleigh towards South Carolina state line.

58-0071	AE0654
United States Air Force	BOLT24
United States	Military
Boeing KC-135T

 

[KO4RJX]

Yep they made the U-Turn over Raleigh and are headed back south. BOLT24 is a KC-135R from MacDill AFB near Tampa, Florida.

You should be able to hear Seymour Johnson traffic as well, F15’s are up tonight running sorties in the Echo MOA.

 

[KO4RJX]

Hearing refueling operations tonight on 324.600 operating southwest of Raleigh towards South Carolina state line.

58-0071	AE0654
United States Air Force	BOLT24
United States	Military
Boeing KC-135T

For the record the “receiver” was EAGLE70 C-17 (89-1192) from Charleston AFB

 

[RaleighGuy]

Thanks only saw Bolt24 on ADS-B, also have not heard any of the Seymour Johnson traffic tonight.

 

[KO4RJX]

Thanks only saw Bolt24 on ADS-B, also have not heard any of the Seymour Johnson traffic tonight.

Yea typically only the tanker will have the transponder cut on during refuel however depending on where they start they will pass the receiver aircraft info over the radio. Usually it’s the registration number with a little effort is easy to figure out the aircraft type.

Haven’t heard the fighters over the house in about an hour but the Sampson ARTCC UHF Site is where the action is during the morning and afternoons for fighters checking in or out with Washington Center. They either get clearance into the ECHO MOA or head to the coast for training. Easiest way to know if they are at the coast is look for the tanker on ADS-B. They like the run racetracks over the Pamlico Sound.

 

[reconrider8]

wheres ECHO MOA located?

 

[KO4RJX]

wheres ECHO MOA located?

It’s over Johnston, Wayne, Sampson Counties

 

[RaleighGuy]

wheres ECHO MOA located?

You can order a free aeronautical chart for NC from the NCDOT, that shows thw different areas.

NCDOT: Aviation Guides and Charts Order Form

www.ncdot.gov

 

[BCasto]

Thank you N1GAW, I placed my order.

 

[GMB951]

Just caught intercept on #123.100 US Airforce fighter was telling aircraft to turn west for intercept that he had crossed into 10 mile PFR zone, Aircraft was intercepted told fighter he wanted to land at Lumberton,aircraft was informed by fighter not going to happen land at Florence