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Mateo

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A mildly interesting day - Andrews was landing south, while National was departing north, so Andrews arrivals coming from the west were handed from the usual 119.85 to 118.95 (Potomac departure west) to 125.65 (Potomac departure east) to get them across the DCA departure "cone." I was out today hunting for the Boeing YAL-1, which was in town showing off to all sorts of bigwigs. It would have been my best sighting ever, but was hidden behind a shower, and then in the clouds as it departed :((

1840: -118.95- LASER 1 Heavy (YAL-1 00-0001) departs, turns to 240, 330, and direct LDN.

Seen arriving were VENUS 41 (C-37 97-0401) on a 50-minute local, NAVY 102 (C-20), BULLY 1 (2xF-16), RAVAGE 1 (2xF-16), ARMY 01052 (UC-35), and TITUS 07 (unclear). Heard, but not seen were LASER, MARINE 374 (UC-35 166374), and NAVY 5E 036.
 

Mark

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Lost P-38 Squadron

Just an interesting article today...I See Jim Beasley all the time in this area doing airshows in his P-51 Mustangs.
P-38 was always favorite of mine as a kid and even now so great to see this one
back flying..

Mark

Posted on Thu, Jun. 21, 2007 “Lost Squadron” P-38 to Fly Again
By Edward Colimore

Philadelphia INQUIRER STAFF WRITER

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/breaking/20070621_Lost_Squadron_P-38_to_Fly_Again.html

From the time the squadron left the west coast of Greenland, the sky was filled with clouds, the water below was packed with ice floes and the temperature was below zero.
Pilot Brad McManus was flying one of six P-38 Lightnings that accompanied two B-17 bombers to England during World War II when insurmountable weather forced them back.

Eight hours later, they ran out of fuel and crash-landed on the east coast of Greenland; McManus went down first.

Today, 15 years after one of the P-38s was recovered from the ice, restored and dubbed "Glacier Girl," the plane is set to take off from Teterboro Aiport in New Jersey to complete its 1942 mission.

McManus, 89, a Phoenixville man who is the surviving member of the lost squadron, will fly for about 100 miles alongside the vintage aircraft in another plane piloted by Jim Beasley Jr., a Philadelphia lawyer and aviation enthusiast.

"This event has captured worldwide interest," said McManus, a retired real estate developer. "It's the result of many years of work. To get to the place where (the P-38) is recovered, repaired and ready to fly the same route again is a great thrill. I can't tell you."

Airplane and history buffs can follow the flight of Glacier Girl on AirShowBuzz.com, which was founded by Beasley and Ed Shipley, an aviation and air show performer. Shipley will fly along in a World War II-era P-51 Mustang.

Glacier Girl will be flown by Steve Hinton, president of the Air Museum Planes of Fame in Chino, Calif., and will touch down about June 27 in Duxford, England.

Using satellite technology, AirShowBuzz.com will allow people to e-mail the pilots while in flight and receive responses while tracking the flight on their computers in real time.

Beasley, 40, a West Chester resident who owns P-51 Mustangs, said he feels honored to fly McManus in a turbo-prop, seven-seater, Piper Cheyenne. "He can ride with his wife, sit back and drink sodas," he said.

When McManus lays his eyes on Glacier Girl today, memories of the past will come flooding back. He vividly recalls leaving an air strip on the west coast of Greenland for his July 15, 1942 flight to England.

Radios and weather reports at the time were primitive and unreliable by standards today. So when a weather window opened, the planes were ordered take off.

As a side note that web site has cool video of MD,CT,PA ANG A-10's working
Warren Grove range which will probably never re-open but we shall see.
Gives you a good idea what the MD ANG A-10's RAVENS do when they hit the ranges in PA and elsewhere.
Note the sound delay when nose guns fire...

http://airshowbuzz.com/videos/view.php?v=d1517dae
 
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TinEar

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Call it a tanker kind of day...

Late in the 0900 hour there was a ROCCO ?? (KC-135E, 58-0078, 108th ARW McGuire) up and away....followed shortly before 1000 by three KC-10A tankers from the 305th AMW out of McGuire also. They were OPEC 74/75/76 - 85-0032/83-0082/79-1711. Then, just after 1000, three KC-135R tankers from the 756th ARS at Andrews went airborne DC 51/52/53 - (only got two tails, 59-1469 and 57-1512).

Martin State based MD-ANG A-10s up also...RAVEN flight airborne at 0958, AXEMAN at 1005 and SPORT at 1010. RAVEN working 142.3 interflight and I didn't hear anything for the other two which might mean they're using low band.

At 1013, MERCURY 01 checked in at FL 230 with ZDC-Sea Isle on 281.45. I have nothing for that callsign other than helos and this wasn't a helo. (See next item)

For the best part of the last two hours, there has been an E-6B (164387) from VQ-4 at Tinker circling the area. First time I heard him, he was heading down to the Richmond area and then turned and came north and is currently off the coast of Delaware. He might just be the MERCURY 01 I'm hearing above....in fact, I'm now fairly sure it is. At 1028, he told ZDC-Sea Isle that he needs to orbit over the Dover area at FL 350 and mentioned doing another loop down into Virginia. Says he has to be in place (over Dover at FL 350) at 1700Z...281.45
1032: MERCURY 01 handed off to ZDC-Woodstown 125.45 or 363.0 and he picks 363.0...checks in there at FL 290. (I'm now positive this is the E-6B from VQ-4
1037: MERCURY 01 handed off to 134.325 (ZNY-Westminster 9 Sector). I don't have the ZNY VHF freqs programmed and by the time I set it up he had already checked in I presume. They turned him to the northwest and he's going through the northern tip of Delaware into Pennsylvania.
1047: MERCURY 01 handed off again and I missed the freq (sure wish he had stayed on the UHF freqs since I have all those programmed)...guess he's now lost unless I stumble on him again. (well, HE'S not lost, I'm lost)
Caught him again right at 1100 (in search and missed copying the freq). Anyway, he flew west across PA and is turning to the southwest. He mentioned doing a big orbit earlier and this is probably similar to what I saw earlier where he went down to roughly the Richmond area and then turned back north. Bottom line for him is that he's got to be over Dover at FL 350 at 1300 local and will waste away the time until then flying a very large orbit.
At 1106, MERCURY 01 came through western MD and is now into West Virginia (Hey Brian...a little help if you're reading...need to find him again and he should be overhead your house about now.)

1030: The DC trio of tankers is chatting on their old squadron freq - 351.2 - coordinating their altitudes and flight routes
1034: DC 51/52/53 now with ZDC-Montebello working out their flight plans...121.675

Did I mention there was a CADE flight of Willow Grove A-10s working down in R-4006? Guess I didn't. Anyway, they are now with ZDC-Kenton 354.15 heading home. Say they'll skirt the Philly Class B airspace on the way. Flight handed off to Philly TRACON 317.55 at 1058.
There is also an A-10 flight working the Bollen Range on 237.2 at 1050...no ID on them yet.

1053: U/I aircraft (suffix 41) on 303.0 telling the ground station he received his ACARS message but doesn't have an email account to be able to reply. Wants to know if they have an account he can use. Apparently not because he signed off right after asking.
1055: ROCCO 82 (probably 57-1507) calling TORCH Control...303.0 (since I was already on the freq)...says he has a problem with wing balance because of the passengers on board (I don't understand that)

1122: DRAGO 51 flight of two with ZDC-Hagerstown...climbing from 16,000 to FL 180,..then cleared to FL 200 at 1125...handed off at 1127, missed freq so they're outta here...134.15
Following aircraft on ARTCC VHF freqs is difficult with several radios running...VHF just produces constant transmissions from commercial aircraft in this area and the noise level gets unbearable.

1128: NAVY LL 03 (P-3C, VP-30 Jacksonville) with ZDC-Calvert 281.4...handed off to ZDC-Kenton 354.15 at 1130 and checks in at 13,000 feet.
1138: LL 03 descending to 11,000 feet...then told to stop the descent at 12,000, then cleared again to 11K...354.15
1140: LL 03 handed off to Philly TRACON and checks in at 11,000...cleared to 10K at 1145...269.25 (To Willow Grove?)

Meanwhile, there has been a constant flow of Langley F-22A aircraft into the offshore areas to work with Giant Killer. Mostly using 249.8
1133: Just found a new F-22A interflight freq...it's 262.025 (at least it's new for me - one I didn't have programmed but will). It's a flight of four F-22As. Callsign sounds like TBOLT which is an old VA-ANG callsign but these are definitely F-22A types.

1147: Found MERCURY 01 again...he's now caling ZDC-Salisbury on 257.7 at FL 330....finally makes contact at 1151.
1156: MERCURY 01 turned to 15 degree heading...257.7
1159: MERCURY 01 cleared to FL 350...257.7

1201: MERCURY 01 handed off to ZDC-Sea Isle and checks in and mentions his 1700Z mission again...133.125 (damn VHF again)
1204: BLUE ANGEL 09 shows up at FL 210 with ZDC-Sea Isle...133.125 (Where's their next show?)
1206: MERCURY 01 passing over ATR (Waterloo) at this time...at FL 350, course 30 degrees...133.125 (That should put him on a course directly for Sea Isle)
1208: MERCURY 01 handed off to ZDC-Woodstown and checks in there at FL 350...125.45 (and still more VHF...this guy is killing me)
Meanwhile, there are tranports of every type flying through the area - C-5, C-17, C-130 types along with all the lard butt VIP transports....and lots of fighters. But, since I got hung up on this Mercury 01 flight, I'm staying with him.
1216: MERCURY 01 handed off to ZNY-Westminster...134.325 yet again. He's still in NJ but has now turned northwest again to a heading of 310 degrees. If he stays on this course, he'll do the same thing he did on his last circle - head for the northern tip of Delaware around New Castle (ILG) and then into PA yet again. He's also slowed down to about 300 knots from the 360 he had been doing earlier...just killing time until the magic 1700Z hour...or perhaps he's in the middle of a mission that we have no way to know about.
1223: MERCURY 01 handed off to ZNY-Harrisburg 10 Sector on 133.475 and checks in at FL 350.
Okay, I'm convinced. I'm going to have to add the ZNY VHF freqs from the lower tier of Sectors nearest ZDC into my scan rotation. I'm in the middle of reworking all my freqs anyway.
I added the MERCURY callsign to my database as E-6B, VQ-4, Tinker AFB OK, however, this may be a one-time callsign that we'll never see again.
1234: MERCURY 01 handed off to ZDC-Potomac 133.975 or 307.025...checks in on 133.975 and then says he's switching to their UHF freq...he does and says he had interference on the VHF freq. He's turned to the southwest again on a course of 245 degrees and will soon cross into Maryland again...still at FL 350 and picked up the speed to 330 knots.
1250: Nothing heard from MERCURY 01 recently other than "MERCURY 01 okay" about 10 minutes ago on 307.025. Don't know if he's been handed off again or not. Lost once again?
1256: MERCURY 01 didn't go anywhere...still with ZDC-Potomac...says he's turning for ENO (Smyrna) now...307.025
1302: MERCURY 01 reports AGARD and then Smyrna (ENO)...307.025
1305: MERCURY 01 handed off to ZDC-Brooke...126.875 ...right now he's located just to the east of Gaithersburg at FL 350 on a 245 degree heading.
1307: MERCURY 01 says he can take direct Richmond after Smyrna...and he's cleared for that route...126.875...and he's turned to a course of 100 degrees..scooting along at 450 knots
1310: MERCURY 01 handed off to ZDC-Bay and checks in at FL 350...132.275
His course should have taken him about 5 miles south of my house...I should have waved. So, in his big circle route, this time he cut it off at about Gaithersburg, headed east and is rushing on a line that will take him toward Dover.
1314: MERCURY 01 crosses into Delaware heading directly to Smyrna....still w/ZDC-Bay...132.275
1317: MERCURY 01 is directly over Dover AFB DE. He's making a turn to the southwest since he was cleared directly to Richmond after that pass. Don't know if he'll go beyond Richmond and head for home or not.
1318: Not...MERCURY 01 says that after Richmond he'd like to be cleared directly to Patuxent and then maybe Smryna again...apologizes for all the moves due to his "testing up here"...132.275
And since we know his route for the next 20 minutes or so...it's time for a break. Hope someone follows him in case he changes freq yet again.
1415: Oops...it was too nice outside to come back in...anyway, just heard MERCURY 01 with ZDC-Bay on 132.275 say he was turning for Patuxent from the Richmond area. Earlier at 1338, he had reached the Richmond area, said he was going to turn for Smyrna yet again and then come back to Richmond. He's apparently done all that. He's now heading 225 degrees but still at FL 350 so I don't think he meant he'd land at Patuxent...but it's certainly possible. By the way, he's been up for five and a half hours now in this area. After all that time following this flight, I still have no idea of the nature of the testing that was done aboard MERCURY 01. I've been monitoring Patuxent in case he's really landing there but haven't heard anything to confirm that as of 1430. Not hearing him anywhere at this time. He seemed to sign off with ZDC-Bay when he said he was turning for Pax.
1442: MERCURY 01 found again...he's with ZDC-Woodstown on 363.0...says he's at FL 350 and will turn to Patuxent and land there...he's cleared down to FL 280
Right now he's out over the eastern shore of Maryland.
1444: MERCURY 01 cleared to 240 (not sure if that's heading or altitude)...then cleared down to 190...and that must be FL 190...currently at FL 290...363.0
He still hasn't made a turn yet toward Pax...still heading northeast and now crossing into Delaware....guess he's heading for Smyrna yet again before turning for Pax...cleared for right turn to Salsibury and then direct Patuxent - eventually...363.0
1449: MERCURY 01 handed off to a freq I didn't catch...363.0 (he's now at FL 190, crossed Smyrna, up into New Jersey and makes the turn to head southwest)
1455: Believe it was on ZDC-Coyle's 121.025 where I heard MERCURY 01 again...he's down to 17,000 feet and heading 240 degrees....continuing his descent, down to 13000 a couple of minutes later.
1500: MERCURY 01 back over the eastern shore of MD...descending through 11,000 feet and turning directly toward Pax...9000 feet at 1502.
1505: MERCURY 01 with Patuxent Approach...checks in at 8000 feet...cleared to 5000...wants runway 24 for a PAR...127.95
1507: MERCURY 01 cleared down to 2000 feet...127.95 (getting difficult to hear now - and that might have been the last heard)
1509: MERCURY 01...brrrzzzzttttt (too low and too noisy on freq to copy. I declare him done.)
Monitored 123.7 Pax Tower freq but nothing heard there.

1246: STEEL 61 (KC-135R, 171st ARW PA-ANG Pittsburgh) to BATON Ops at Harrisburg...20 minutes out, has PPR 0606, has 47 pax to offload so needs airstairs and a parking spot...395.1
1246: SNIPER flight of two Langley F-22As into w-386 with Giant Killer...249.8 (thought it was a new callsign for Langley but I see it's been used in the past after checking my lists...first I've had it for F-22A types though)

1323: JEDI 11 (Langley F-22A) flight checking into W-386 with Giant Killer...will work with VOODOO flight...249.8

1448: Have a NATO 016 aircraft through the area at FL 380. He's registered in Luxembourg as a CT-49A (which we call a T-50A trainer - based on the Boeing 707-320 airframe). His registration is LX-N20000.
1500: And a German Air Force C-160D, tail 50+38 arriving in this area...TRACON freqs.
1818: Spanish Air Force Falcon 900B, tail T.18-3 from the 451 Esquadra leaving the area (logged coming in yesterday)
 
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Waltz41

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TinEar said:
Did I mention there was a CADE flight of Willow Grove A-10s working down in R-4006? Guess I didn't. Anyway, they are now with ZDC-Kenton 354.15 heading home. Say they'll skirt the Philly Class B airspace on the way. Flight handed off to Philly TRACON 317.55 at 1058.
There is also an A-10 flight working the Bollen Range on 238.2 at 1050...no ID on them yet.

1128: NAVY LL 03 (P-3C, VP-30 Jacksonville) with ZDC-Calvert 281.4...handed off to ZDC-Kenton 354.15 at 1130 and checks in at 13,000 feet.
1138: LL 03 descending to 11,000 feet...then told to stop the descent at 12,000, then cleared again to 11K...354.15
1140: LL 03 handed off to Philly TRACON and checks in at 11,000...cleared to 10K at 1145...269.25 (To Willow Grove?)


There was also a FLYER flight up this morning, that might of been the other A-10 flight you heard.
NAVY LL 03 did land at Willow Grove.
Blue Angels are in RI this weekend.
 

TinEar

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Waltz41 said:
There was also a FLYER flight up this morning, that might of been the other A-10 flight you heard.
NAVY LL 03 did land at Willow Grove.
Blue Angels are in RI this weekend.

Thanks for the followups on those flights. Much appreciated.
 

DPD1

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Mateo said:
A mildly interesting day - Andrews was landing south, while National was departing north, so Andrews arrivals coming from the west were handed from the usual 119.85 to 118.95 (Potomac departure west) to 125.65 (Potomac departure east) to get them across the DCA departure "cone." I was out today hunting for the Boeing YAL-1, which was in town showing off to all sorts of bigwigs. It would have been my best sighting ever, but was hidden behind a shower, and then in the clouds as it departed :((

1840: -118.95- LASER 1 Heavy (YAL-1 00-0001) departs, turns to 240, 330, and direct LDN.

When they first started the program, they were using Boeing 01 up until a few months back.

Dave
www.DPDProductions.com
Makers of the "MilTenna" Monitoring Antenna
 

dparana

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FLYER was up in the DUKE working with STEEL 11 first and STEEL 12 who came in later. They wrapped up about 1040. STEEL 12 had a new boom they had to try out. Work was on 259.40 and the STEELs were air to air on 293.70.

Dave
 

Mark

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BOGEY 14 heard 2000 local Snow Hill 256.800>Sea Isle 285.400>Philly appch 269.250 down to 3k.
prob headed for Willow Grove NAS.
2014 local Philly appch 291.700 at 3k and confirms Willow Grove and req min speed at 320 knots.
2015 WG appch 266.800

Eyewitness from WG area told me that aircraft was F-5 from NAS Fallon and will depart Sunday.

Mark
 
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CitationJet

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06.22.2007 pm

A few from yesterday afternoon...

06.22.2007 pm

1741Z 249.800 Giant Killer Ops - DEVO 11 flight (F-22A 1st FW Langley) - req. RTB via HEELS.
1743Z 126.300 Davison AAF TWR - NAVY 7N 837 (UC-12B NAF Washington) - 7 nms. out for landing rwy 32.
1744Z 349.400 Dover AFB CP - REACH 2405 - 30 mins. out w/writeups including #1 V/UHF rx inop, crew transport for 10.
1754Z 139.900 121st FS DC ANG SOF - BULLY 1 - reports mission success, 15 mins. out w/BULLY 2.

1933Z 120.100 IAD TWR East - GERMAN AIR FORCE 288 (C-160 50+38) - lands rwy 1R.
 

TinEar

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CitationJet said:
A few from yesterday afternoon...
06.22.2007 pm
1933Z 120.100 IAD TWR East - GERMAN AIR FORCE 288 (C-160 50+38) - lands rwy 1R.

That C-160D (50+38) left yesterday around 1100 but no idea what direction he went.
There was another German Air Force C-160D in yesterday shortly after 1000 (tail 50+52)

Around 1000 yesterday, CANFORCE 3032 (CC-144 Challenger, tail 144614, 412 Squadron/8 Wing Ottawa) landed at Andrews. He left a couple of hours later shortly after 1200. I guess he left for home since he was later logged by an Ontario MilAir listener around 1400.

The highlight of the day though was a Brazilian Air Force KC-137 tanker (tail 2402) in the area last night around 2000. He was with ZDC and then I lost him so don't know if he landed at one of the area airports or just went through the area.

I didn't get much time for listening yesterday. While at the radios, I didn't hear much of anything other than the normal flights of transports into Andrews/Dover/McGuire along with the tax-dollar-wasting-VIP-special-flights (TDWVSF.)
[I need a better acronym than that for those flights.]

Almost forgot to mention this...that MERCURY 01 (E-6B from VQ-4) left Patuxent yesterday morning at 1000. He flew west for a bit through VA and then due north up through the WV panhandle and into PA and was gone.
************************************************************************
1209: VENUS 21 (C-20B, 86-0201, 99th AS Andrews) reports airborne time 1608Z...(flying the pattern around ADW doing approaches and shifting between 119.3 and 118.4)...378.1
1218: JOSA 211 (C-21A, 84-0118, 458th AS Scott AFB IL) landing at ADW w/Tower...118.4
1229: MARINE 374 (UC-35D, 166374, MAW-4) off from Andrews with TRACON and then to ZDC-Calvert...133.9
1221: ?PRIDE? 66 to Dover CP...25 minutes out, transient aircraft, needs parking and 20K fuel...believe he gave his tail as 1592...A-1...349.4 (sounded like PRIDE but could be PRIME)
1237: VENUS 94 (C-32A, 99-0004, 1st AS Andrews) to Griffin Command...estimated in the blocks on the hour, needs parking and crew trans for three....378.1
1245: VENUS 94 reports to ADW Tower for full stop landing and is cleared to land runway 1R...118.4

1303: VENUS 44 (C-37A, 99-0404, 99th AS Andrews) working with Dover Tower doing approaches...(left Andrews late in the 1100 hour)...126.35
1318: CODY 02 (C-130H, 92-3284, 328th AS) calling Andrews Dispatch...x2, no joy...372.2
1312: REACH 220T (C-17A, 04-4135, 6th AS McGuire) climbing out from McGuire...ZDC VHF freqs
1319: Coast Guard Helo 6581 (HH-65, 6581, Atlantic City) calling Potomac TRACON...x2, no joy...128.35
1321: CG Helo 6581 makes contact with DCA Helo Control and reports route...120.75
1322: CODY 02 to Andrews CP...reports airborne at 10 after the hour...."we do have the pallet from your location"...378.1
1325: NAVY LL 03 (P-3C, VP-30 Jacksonville) w/ZDC-Salisbury...asking for radio check and a UHF freq (but doesn't repeat it and I can't find him again)...257.7 (Heard him arriving Willow Grove a couple of days ago)
1328: Here he is...NAVY LL 03 with Norfolk TRACON at FL 220....370.925
1331: NAVY LL 03 handed off to ZDC-Franklin and checks in at FL 220...290.425
1336: EVAC 23287 (C-130H, 92-3287, 328th AS Niagara Falls) reports takeoff from Andrews at 1730Z, ETA 1840Z...378.1
1337: VENUS 44 (see 1303 for ID) w/arrival message to Andrews...378.1
1340: REACH 358 (C-17A, 92-3292, 437th AW Charleston) reports airborne from Andrews at 1740Z...378.1
1344: REACH 358 checks in w/ZDC-Calvert...climbing...133.9
1347: VENUS 44 w/TRACON approaching ADW...128.35
1354: VENUS 44 w/ADW Twr for landing...118.4
1355: NAVY 048 (C-9B, 160048, VR-52 Willow Grove) with Giant Killer reports 20 miles west of Sea Isle operating at 15,000 feet...255.0 (Unusual)
1358: Oops, he forgot to report takeoff time....JOSA 211 (see 1218 for ID) reports he was airborne at 1728Z...378.1

1401: REACH 4839 (KC-135R, 64-14839, 136th ARS NY-ANG) w/TRACON 128.35 and w/Andrews Command Post requesting parking 378.1...then w/TRACON 119.85 at 1403

End of log for now...time to play in the sun.
 
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TinEar

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red616 said:
That's a pretty neat video.

I'm not real clear re the F-22. Is it supposed to replace planes from all the service's or just the Air Force ?

The F-22A is an Air Force plane. The F-35 is the new one that is being produced in three versions for the Air Force, Navy and Marines.
*********************************************************************

1705: Just want to mention this one...HOBBY 92 (C-130J, 04-8153, 815th AS AFRC Keesler AFB MS) is in the landing pattern at Andrews. He's used 378.1/119.85/119.3 and just about to switch to ADW Tower's 118.4

And a few minutes earlier, I heard Coast Guard Helo 6584 (HH-65) give his position as 15 miles east of DCA, proceeding east at 800 feet on a discrete squawk...119.3
He, along with 6581 heard in the 1300 hour in the above log, must be the current duty holders of BLACKJACK 1 and 2 keeping the D.C. skies safe from predators.
 
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TinEar

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Midway through the 1000 hour, ROYAL 50 is on AR freq 228.0 setting up his refueling op. I can't hear the tanker and the C-17A is fairly weak too. I would assume that's our initial C-17A assigned to Dover (06-6165) but I'm getting indications there is a 06-6166 airborne at this time. Has anyone heard if a second aircraft has made its way to Dover's new C-17A squadron yet?

A BULLY flight of four F-16s from Andrews was up from in the 0900 hour and returned to Andrews with the last of the four touching down at 1040 w/ADW Tower on 349.0

And also at 1040, REACH 4134 (C-17A, 04-4134, 6th AS McGuire) reported airborne from Andrews...378.1

1106: TESTER 16 (T-38C, 70-1575, USN Test Pilot School, Pax NAS) reports completing a supersonic run in the Pax area...max speed 1.10 mach...270.8
1121: OPEC 76 (KC-10A, 79-1711, 305th AMW McGuire) with arrival message to McGuire CP...A-2, 12 pax no cargo, needs parking...319.4
1122: ROMAN 25 (F/A-18, VFA-106, NAS Oceana VA) calling Norfolk TRACON (East)...370.925
1127: VENUS 40 (C-37A, 97-0400, 99th AS Andrews) arriving back at ADW, 25 minutes out, A-2 for co-pilot getting bleedover on the radio, needs parking...141.55 (By 1145 he's w/Tower 118.4)
1132: SALTY DOG 324 (F/A-18B, 161723, VX-23 Pax) reports done with his work to Giant Killer and returning to Pax...249.8
1133-42: COBB 04 (C-130H, 700th AS, Dobbins ARB GA) calling SHORTSTOP at Willow Grove...several calls, no joy...351.75
1141: ARMY 1778 (C-37B, 04-1778) landing at ADW runway 19L...118.4
1143: COBB 04 changes to Willow Grove Base Ops and makes contact...15 minutes out...306.8
1150: JOSA 814 (C-21A, 84-0092, 457th AS Andrews) w/arrival msg to Andrews...needs trans to Building 1420 (Base Ops)...378.1 (then to TRACON 128.35)
1155: JOSA 095 (C-21A, 84-0134, 458th AS Scott) reports takeoff time from ADW at 1552Z...378.1

1205: Egyptian Air Force (C-130H, 1286/SU-BAS) in the area...ZDC VHF freqs (couldn't understand much of what he said)
1225: HOIST 98 (KC-10A, 87-0120, 305th AMW McGuire AFB) with ZDC-Salisbury at FL 340...120.975
1235: HOIST 98 handed off to ZDC-Hopewell and checks in at FL 340...134.025
1236: Interflight 143.6 active...not sure who it is yet.
1238: DRAGO 51 flight with TRACON...348.725
1239: DRAGO 51 flight heading for runway 19L at Andrews (or that's what I thought I heard)...same flight that's on 143.6 interflight...348.725
1242: DRAGO 51 is not landing...they are going to do a flyover at Arlington National Cemetery...TOT is 1705Z...currently w/TRACON 335.5 and heading for Nottingham where they'll hold while flying 10 mile legs
1245: DRAGO 51 flight handed off to the normal radar freq for the Arlington Flyby...279.575
1245: DRAGO 51 flight leader makes contact with DRAGO 02 (flyby coordinator on the ground) and wants confirmation the TOT is still 1705Z....279.575
Considering their use of 143.6 for interflight, this may just be a flight of Andrews F-16s.
1253: DRAGO 51 mentions that after the flyby, they'll ascend to 2000 feet and turn direct Patuxent...279.575 (flyby is normally at 1000 feet)
1255: I've got an E-6B from VQ-3 (162784) with HUNTRESS on 364.2 squawking 0566...suffix is 46...364.2 (callsign not heard...believe he said he was out of Patuxent...he flew over to the southern Delaware area and then headed offshore...he's currently at FL 230, course 110 degrees and going out to sea)
1256: DRAGO 51 gets confirmation TOT is 1305 local time...279.575

1301: DRAGO 51 asking for clearance to descend to 1000 feet...279.575
1304: DRAGO 51 at 1000 feet and 1 minute out...starting their run...279.575
1306: DRAGO 51 made the flyby and is ascending to 2000 feet...279.575
1307: GROUCHO 31 flight with ZDC-Cape Charles...256.8 (callsign not in my database)
1309: DRAGO 51 flight on interflight 143.6 mentions the landing runway is 24 (at Pax)
1309: Also have a four ship flight on interflight 139.15 from Andrews...not sure if it's the DRAGO flight that switched over to that freq and then back to 143.6 or if it's a different flight (all they did on this freq was give their fuel remainders and then nothing more heard)
1311: DRAGO 51 flight handed off to Patuxent Approach and check in at 5000 feet...they mention doing some approaches at Patuxent...305.2
1311: One of the DRAGO fighters mentions they should do some intercepts while down at Pax...flight leader agrees...143.6
1319: BOLAR 70 (C-5B, probably 87-0045, 436th AW Dover) to Dover CP...reports in local pattern, 30 minutes from landing, A-1, training complete...349.4
1322: U/I flight (yeah, too late on freq to catch callsign) w/Phil. TRACON 273.575 and then handed to 317.55...descending and going into Willow Grove I presume (sounds like an A-10)

FWIW Dept: Baltimore County is flying three police helicopters - County Air 1, 2 & 3 (N803CP, N804CP and N808CP are the registrations and all three are Eurocopters.) They also own two OH-58 Army surplus helos (N805CP and N807CP) but are not flying those two any longer and have put them up for sale.

This is one of those days that I'm sure everyone has copying MilAir...finding lots of aircraft during search but getting to each freq just after they've given their callsign. So, you listen and listen and maybe hear another few transmissions but never again get the callsign. Frustrating! Time for a break and maybe I'll change the cycle.
 
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BM82557

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Activity 06252007

1106 - ROMAN 25 (F-18 VFA-106 NAS Oceana, VA ) to Washington Center reporting flight of 2 at 28000' direct Oceana - 307.25
1110 - ROMAN 25 out of 23000' for 22000' - 307.25
1111 - ROMAN 25 switching to 360.7 - 307.25
 

TinEar

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Apr 10, 2003
Messages
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Glen Burnie, Maryland
1436: Italian Air Force 244 (Dassault Falcon 900EX, tail MM62244, 93 Gruppo) landing at Andrews w/Tower...118.4 (prior to this with TRACON on 119.85 and then 119.3 for approach)
1437: IAF 244, reports gear down for runway 19L...118.4

1528: F-16s on HUNTRESS freq...139.7 (doesn't sound like a scramble...just chat...appears to be a flight of two)
1530: BISON 87 (C-130H, 92-3287, 328th AS Niagara Falls NY) reports off from Andrews at 1925Z...ETA 2130Z...378.1
1533: Flight leader sends wingman go get the Andrews ATIS report....he does and reports it...landing runway 19L...139.7
1533: JOSA 814 (C-21A, 84-0092, 457th AS Andrews) landing at ADW...118.4
1536: Flight on 139.7 is indeed (or WAS) a scramble of BRAVE 61 and 62....62 is being sent home and 61 will stay up for another 20 minutes....139.7
1538: BRAVE 62 contacts HUNTRESS to inform him he's going to RTB....HUNTRESS responds...139.7
1540: BRAVE 62 tells HUNTRESS he received the RTB message...139.7
1541: HUNTRESS gives BRAVE 61 a TOI to check out...it's at 133/74 and 61 asks for "angels"...instead HUNTRESS gives him the track number to look for on his datalink (34546)...TOI at 2000 feet...139.7
1544: BRAVE 61 to CAPITOL (mission ops at Andrews) to say he's about 10 minutes out...139.7
1544: BRAVE 61 has radar contact with the TOI....TOI at 350 degrees at 3000 feet at 240 knots...asks HUNTRESS to confirm mission...139.7
1547: BRAVE 62 with Andrews Tower for landing...349.0
1547: BRAVE 61 says he's skipping track 34546 for the trailing aircraft..."tally one"...139.7
1548: BRAVE 61 giving target info but is too low and freq is too noisy to be able to hear his description/action...139.7
I was hearing HUNTRESS for a bit but he must have changed transmitting antenna location because I no longer hear him.
1548: Also listening to a SALTY DOG 205 (T-45A, 163635, VX-23 Patuxent NAS) on his way to Patuxent...descending for the past few minutes while with ZDC-Irons...360.85
1553: BRAVE 61 says he's dropping the TOI for fuel reasons and is going home....down to 2500 pounds of fuel...139.7
1553: BRAVE 61 to ADW Tower...5 miles out...349.0
1553: BRAVE 61 tells HUNTRESS he got a got text message from him....139.7
1554: BRAVE 61 tells ADW Twr he's taking the runway...349.0
1554: BRAVE 61 tells HUNTRESS he just got the RTB text message...lets HUNTRESS know that's how long it takes for him to get it...139.7
1555: BRAVE 61 tells Tower he's got a left side landing gear unsafe indication...will fly by tower so they can take a look...349.0
1555: BRAVE 61 repeats above message to CAPITOL on 139.7 and says he's switching to Victor 1 and comes up on 139.9 and repeats the message yet again.
1557: BRAVE 61 tells ADW Tower he's going downwind and will change the lightbulb (good thinking)...349.0
1558: BRAVE 61 changes bulb and tells SOF on 139.9 that tower tells him landing light is on...mentions various things he's tested and tried...139.9
1558: BRAVE 61 tells Tower he should see a light underneath his main gear...just one light...he's swapped bulbs with nose gear and it that didn't make the light illuminte...he's going back and forth between tower on 349.0 and SOF on 139.9 describing the problem....says he's coming back around now.

1600: BRAVE 61 coming around and will try to make a full stop landing this time....fuel is very low...mentioned down to 1500 pounds a minute or so ago...349.0
1601: BRAVE 61 tells tower he's going to hold at 2000 feet and make a couple of more circuits (I know he wants next to nothing in his fuel tanks when he either touches down smoothly or goes for a few bounces)....349.0 (Still discussing the problem with SOF on 139.9 also)
1603: BRAVE 61 says winds are calm enough that they can try an opposite end approach, south to north, rather than landing on runway 19...he's still checking everything he can in the cockpit......349.0
1604: BRAVE 61 says he's declaring an emergency at this time, one soul on board and does have live air-to-air missiles on board (remember, he was a scrambled aircraft)...349.0
1605: BRAVE 61 tells tower he's planning to come in on runway 1R...349.0...says he's going to do a 270 and get into a right hand pattern...349.0
1607: BRAVE 61 to SOF to tell him the procedures he's applied before trying to touch down...asks SOF if he missed anything....139.9
1608: BRAVE 61 says he's got the hook down, harness tightened, etc...says he'll go around if he misses the cable (and talking too fast to copy it all)....139.9
1609: BRAVE 61 says he went through the checklist, performed all the steps but is just confirming with SOF that he didn't miss anything...139.9
1610: BRAVE 61 says everything is safe except left landing gear light...reiterates changed bulbs, etc...SOF is giving him some last minute directions (which I can't hear)...139.9 (he's got to be on fumes by now)
1611: BRAVE 61 says "okay" many times as he's getting directions from SOF...getting ready to make the plunge...139.9
1611: BRAVE 61 to ADW Tower says he's going to do one more loop and then land on the next approach...349.0
1612: BRAVE 61 reports he's got 1100 pounds of fuel to SOF...139.9 (sitting here thinking...do it, do it, be safe, be safe)
1614: BRAVE 61 to Tower..."base, gear, stop, left"...and down he goes....349.0 (and I can't finish the story because I can't hear them when on the ground at Andrews)
1616: Have an aircraft on Andrews PTD 139.3 (FOX 117 is his ID) mentions the jet that was trying to land at Andrews...asks if the runway is closed...and then asks how long it takes (doesn't sound like there was a crash, thankfully.) (they would no doubt shut him down on the runway and tow it in from there which is why there'd be a temporary runway closure)
Monitoring the helo chat channel 123.025...no mention of anything at Andrews...you know if there was an incident every damn news helo in the area would be on that freq rushing toward Andrews. So....it appears good so far.
1629: I've got other aircraft now going into Andrews so it seems BRAVE 61 landed safely.
1630: BLACKJACK 1 is up with ADW Tower...requests to climb to 2500 feet and overfly the field for a maintenance check...118.4

Couple of foreign based aircraft in the area in the 1600 hour I'll mention before getting out of here....
Brazilian Air Force KC-137 (tail 2402) back through the area.
Canforce CC-130 Hercules (tail 130323) in the area.

The end.
 
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andy3315

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Hatboro Pa
BOGEY 14 Departed Willow Grove Today Other Aircraft At Willow Grove For The Weekend Was Hot Car 31 Flt Of 2 T-38 From Randolf. Ball 59 T-6 II Left Saturday. Today's Report Was Royal 13 Dover C-17 Working The GCA Box For About An Hour Cobb 05 Dobbins C-130 And Pat??? Citation, So It's Been A Busy Day For Transit Aircraft.
 

TinEar

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That E-6B from VQ-3 (162784) arrived back at Patuxent a few minutes before 2200 tonight. He came in on Pax Approach freq 127.95. I still couldn't catch his callsign. It was suffix 46. I logged him this afternoon at 1255 when he took off from Pax and went east out to sea off the coast of Delaware. No telling where he went. He came back ashore east of Sea Isle in New Jersey when I first caught him tonight and headed directly to Patuxent.

2201: PITT 15 (C-130H, 86-0415, 758th AS Pittsburgh) calling SCREAMER Ops with arrival message....30 minutes out, A-1, 24K on the fuel and needs parking....gets parking spot B-3...252.1
2217: REACH 4068 (C-17A, 94-0068, 437th AW Charleston AFB) calling McGuire Command...349.4
2219: REACH 4068 to McGuire Command on the correct freq this time...makes contact on third try...25 minutes out, A-2...writeups are ramp and comm 1 intermittent...needs crew bus...319.4
2234: REACH 4068 to McGuire CP..."We'll be able to land right after the other jet at 0300Z."...319.4
 
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