I think the Hornets are still here. Check out the SUA website the MOA's and VR routes are still opened early.
Here is day one. I need to take a break.
08-13-25
Second trip to Alpena for 2 days. Departed for Alpena @ 5am. 8 Mile & I-75, 05:10am. I-69 @ 05:51am. Standish Exit 188, US23 @ 06:46am. Stopped @ Micky D's in Standish, 06:51am. Departed 07:11am. Heard EMPIRE flight on 237.800 A/A, while driving @ 08:27am. Crossed 45th parallel @ 08:54am. Ripley St, @ 08:59am. M-32 @ 09:01am. At the viewing area, 09:10am. 251 miles total, in 4 hours & 10 minutes.
They were flying both types of Super Hornets, the E single seat & F two seat.
EMPIRE 13 F/A-18E/F (VFA-106 Alfa Delta Tail Code, Gladiators)
275.800 APN ground, taxi to runway 01, 09:24am.
EMPIRE 21 F/A-18 Blah blah blah.
256.600 ABSOLUTE, RTB APN, 09:28am.
379.300 APN app, 09:29am.
STEEL 66 (PA KC-135 58-0045)
125.475 MN.C. 09:33am.
EMBER 40 (E-3B AWACS)
364.200 HUNTRESS, talking to BANDSAW (E-3B backend), 10:00am.
256,600 ABSOLUTE, BANDSAW checking in, 10:02am.
MUDDY 41 x 2 (TOL CAP F-16's)
264.400 with ABSOLUTE, 10:11am.
132.200 ABSOLUTE answering MUDDY 41, 10:??am.
EMPIRE 61 (FA/18)
318.100 APN twr, cleared for take off, contact ABSOLUTE, 10:23am.
256,600 ABSOLUTE, EMPIRE 61 checking in, 10:24am.
STING 11 x 4 (TOL F-16's)
248.650 A/A, Ops check, 10:26am.
228.900 HUNTRESS, ACM, 10:27am.
EMPIRE 41 x 2 (FA/18)
275.800 APN ground, 10:25am.
318.100 APN twr, 10:29am.
256.600 ABSOLUTE, 10:35am.
275.700 A/A, 10:37am.
MN.C. & EMPIRE ??
296.675 MN.C. I can hear center talking to HAMMER, (One of the EMPIRE flights), 10:26am.
EMPIRE 51 (F/A-18)
234.900 BLACK TALON, 10:31am.
EMPIRE 61 x 2 (F/A-18)
275.800 APN ground,
318.100 APN twr, cleared for take off, contact ABSOLUTE, 10:58am.
256.600 ABSOLUTE, 11:02am.
299.350 A/A, 10:48am.
266.600 STEELGATE R-4201 Air to Ground Range, JTAC freq BTN 11,
BUCKI 31 x 2 (TOL F-16's)
264.400 ACM, 11:00am.
DARKWING 11 x 2 (EMB 312F TUCANO's) N474VK & N458VK DWG58 on ADSB.
326.500 TAC, BLADE? calling ABSOLUTE, 11:05am.
256.600 ABSOLUTE, DARKWING 11 x 2 RTB, 11:08am.
234.900 BLACK TALON, RTB to Gaylord, 11:09am.
These next 3 EMPIRE flights may not be in the right order? I had trouble keeping track of who was on first, & what's on second? I don't know? Also they were asking for Carrier breaks & got permission to do a Carrier break, & then they didn't do a Carrier break! AAARRG!!
EMPIRE 41 x 2 (F/A-18's)
379.300 APN app, RTB, 12:02pm.
318.100 APN twr, 12:04pm.
EMPIRE 51 x 2 (F/A-18's)
318.100 APN twr, RTB, 12:09pm.
EMPIRE 61 x 2 (F/A-18's)
318.100 APN twr, RTB, 12:11pm.
256.750 F/A-18 Ops, 12:21pm.
EMBER 40 (E-3B AWACS)
132.425 MN.C. 02:08pm.
256.600 ABSOLUTE, 02:10pm.
282.600 ABSOLUTE, 02:13pm.
376.025 a single loud tone, 02:19pm.
PIONER 25 (P-8 167956)
379.300 APN dep, 02:15pm.
125.475 MN.C. 02:17pm.
DEMON 41 x 2 or 4?
256.600 ABSOLUTE, 02:22pm.
273.250 A/A, 02:44pm.
261.200 STEELGATE, 02:56pm.
EMPIRE 81 (F/A-18)
379.300 APN app, RTB, 02:27pm.
318.100 APN twr, RTB, 02:28pm.
EMPIRE 71 (F/A-18)
379.300 APN app, 02:31pm.
318.100 APN twr, RTB, 02:34pm.
256. 750 F/A-18 Ops, 02:39pm.
EMPIRE 82 (F/A-18)
318.100 APN twr, cleared to land, 02:44pm.
256.750 F/A-18 Ops, 02:47pm.
GNAT x 4 SWISS EXCELLENCE RISEN N19KX, N77KX, N43KX, N16KX.
121.350 APN twr, cleared for take off, 02:51pm.
130.300 A/A, 02:52pm.
EMPIRE 15 x 2 (F/A-18's)
234.900 BLACK TALON, getting airspace brief while on the ground, 03:59pm.
275.800 APN ground, 04:17pm.
318.100 APN twr, cleared for take off, 04:20pm.
256.600 ABSOLUTE, 04:27pm.
266.600 GAURDIAN AIR, 04:32pm.
237.800 A/A, 04:34pm.
261.200 STEELGATE R-4201 Secondary, HAMMER F/A-18, 04:35pm.
BATTLE 11 (ND MQ-9 REAPER)
121.350 APN twr, 04:08pm.
128.425 APN dep, 04:10pm.
256.600 ABSOLUTE, 04:39pm.
EMPIRE 35 (F/A-18)
234.900 BLACK TALON, airspace brief while on the ground, 04:04pm.
318.100 APN twr, cleared for take off, contact departure, 04:43pm.
379.300 APN dep, 04:47pm.
256.600 ABSOLUTE, checking in, 04:51pm.
EMPIRE 26 (F/A-18)
234.900 BLACK TALON, airspace brief while on the ground, 04:16pm.
318.100 APN twr, cleared for take off contact departure, 04:29pm.
379.300 APN dep, 04:30pm.
2 AH-1Z's VIPER landing from the west, 04:50pm. I think they were COYOTE flight. They were at R-4201 Range.
Found this on Facebook Grayling range.
Profile for Grayling Air Gunnery Range.
EMPIRE 26 EMERGENCY (F/A-18)
379.300 APN app, EMERGENCY, 04:52pm.
318.100 APN twr, EMERGENCY, 04:56pm. Landed 04:58pm.
275.800 APN ground,
EMPIRE 91 (F/A-18)
379.300 APN app, 04:54pm.
318.100 APN twr, holding for runway sweep, 05:00pm. Landed 05:16pm.
256.750 F/A-18 Ops, calling Ops to find out how long the runway would be closed? Ops didn't even know the runway was closed! DOH!! 05:11pm.
EMPIRE 35 x 2 (F/A-18's)
234.900 BLACK TALON, RTB APN, 05:08pm.
256.600 ABSOLUTE, RTB APN, 05:09pm.
379.300 APN app, 05:14pm.
318.100 APN twr, 05:14pm.
273.700 A/A, 05:13pm.
COYOTE 88 x 2 (UH-1Y VENOM)
234.900 BLACK TALON, RTB APN, 07:13pm.
BATTLE 11 (ND MQ-9 REAPER)
234.900 BLACK TALON, 07:26pm.
EMPIRE 13 (F/A-18)
128.425 APN app, 07:39pm.
121.350 APN twr, 07:42pm.
Ok that's day one! We're half way through this. I went online earlier & reserved a room for myself down the street from the airport. I had trouble sleeping there. No fire or police cars screaming up & down Van Dyke. No gunfire either. How's a guy supposed to get some sleep around here?
Chuck in Detroit / NODAK 1
MISC freqs.
165.1375 FM, APN ground vehicles,
173.5875 FM, APN ground vehicles,
300.650 APN ATIS,
323.075 MN.C. Order 441, sounded like, 10:19am.
291.700 APN twr? 11:20am.
327.050 APN ATIS,