Ex-Israeli Vipers Arrive in Mesa

[clover509]

Of interest to aviation and mil-air monitors: The First Contractor-Operated F-16 Aggressor Jets Are Heading To North America

An-124-100 of Antonov Airlines touched down at Mesa-Gateway at about 1:05 PM, registration UR-82029, carrying ex-Israeli Viper airframes for Top Aces. I'd say to keep ears out for new mil-air frequencies in use in the coming weeks and months once this operation gets going!

 

[n0doz]

No ****! Did they come in from the north? I'm almost under their flight path down here and didn't hear a thing.

 

[clover509]

Well, to be clear, the F-16s themselves didn't transit from Israel here. They were partially disassembled for transport on the Antonov Airlines An-124 heavy.

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[AzTac]

Via ADS-B, I noticed two Dassault Mirage fighters belonging to contractor aggressors (ATAC) playing around over the Barry Goldwater range yesterday afternoon. First time I've seen them.

 

[GlobalNorth]

Via ADS-B, I noticed two Dassault Mirage fighters belonging to contractor aggressors (ATAC) playing around over the Barry Goldwater range yesterday afternoon. First time I've seen them.

They've been working around the Bagdad airspace for around a month or so. They've been working out of LAFB. If it ever clears upon my day off, I'll try to get some photos of them to post.

 

[clover509]

And a little follow up on the airframes that showed up in Mesa: First Contractor-Owned F-16 Aggressors Include MiG Killers, Veteran Of Iraqi Reactor Raid (Updated)

 

[n0doz]

Well, to be clear, the F-16s themselves didn't transit from Israel here. They were partially disassembled for transport on the Antonov Airlines An-124 heavy.

Live Flight Tracker - FlightAware

Flight Tracker (en route flights, arrivals, departures, history) with live maps and aircraft photos

flightaware.com

I know what you said - I mean the Antonov! I used to work at DEN, where they periodically flew in/out. As an airside cop, I've been up close. I know what they sound like, and I didn't hear it come in.
......And using the data you linked to, they did a "shortcut" that turned them from southbound to northbound and into IWA a mile or two north of here. (I'm a smidge south of the "R" in Rittenhouse AHP on the aviation sectional. The "L" shaped line right there I'm pretty sure is Schnepf Rd. turning into Skyline.) Thanks, at least I didn't sleep through it.

 

[JDE100]

I know what you said - I mean the Antonov! I used to work at DEN, where they periodically flew in/out. As an airside cop, I've been up close. I know what they sound like, and I didn't hear it come in.
......And using the data you linked to, they did a "shortcut" that turned them from southbound to northbound and into IWA a mile or two north of here. (I'm a smidge south of the "R" in Rittenhouse AHP on the aviation sectional. The "L" shaped line right there I'm pretty sure is Schnepf Rd. turning into Skyline.) Thanks, at least I didn't sleep through it.

The company I used to work for chartered 2 AN-124s years back out of Salt Lake City. I spent 2 very cold nights helping to load them. 1 to Madagascar and 1 to Mongolia. It's incredible how much they can hold. Also the sound when they are warming the engines for 5 minutes before take off will rock your world. Got a chance to see flight deck and also the crew-passenger area.

The WorldÂs Largest Cargo Airplane is Coming to Salt Lake City

Salt Lake City, UT (PRWEB) November 3, 2003 -- The WorldÂs Largest Cargo Airplane is Coming to Salt Lake City! On November 5, 2003, a Russian Antonov

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