Sticky Thread for MilAir II

[TinEar]

1 IL-62 went to Andrews. 2 IL-62s and the IL-96 are headed for Guatemala City. Musta been quite a sight at Portsmouth!

I guess I must have missed one of the IL-62s if there were three of them to go along with the IL-96. And I'd bet its tail was RA-86561. Oh well, finding three out of four wasn't so bad.

BOBCAT-45 with ZDC-Montebello 284.7, not getting an answer.
2007- Using a second radio he gets an answer and thinks that was the problem. Nope, sounds the same to me.
2014- Handed off to Brooke 327.0. And I heard a controller respond this time.
2017-Requests VHF freq so 126.875.
2019- Descending 270 to 240. Will be direct to Nottingham, then Sea Isle and some other stuff.
2023- Now to Swann 134.5 and down to 200
2030- Descending some more and that will be the end of him.

2057: ROMAN 85 (F/A-18 VFA-106, NAS Oceana VA) w/Patuxent Approach...281.8
2058: ROMAN 85 to runway 5 at Pax...281.8

From FL 200 with ZDC-Swann on 134.5, he was cleared to 15,000 at 2029.
2033: BOBCAT 45 handed off to ZDC-Casino and checks in at 15,000, cleared to 11,000...127.7
2037: BOBCAT 45 reports over Sea Isle at 8,000 feet...127.7
And I guess that's the end of him here also. I thought I heard direct Delmarva at the end of that flight route mentioned above as Nottingham, Sea Isle, etc. But that does not compute for me.
2057: ROMAN 85 (F/A-18 VFA-106 NAS Oceana) w/Pax Approach...281.8
2058: ROMAN 85 to runway 5 at Pax...281.8
2059: BACKY 12 (KC-135R, 60-0349, 77th ARS Seymour Johnson AFB SC) on his way home apparently...ZDC VHF (missed the freq)
Believe he was up in New England on an AR mission per a listener up that way.

2108: BLACKJACK 1 on Marine Channel 21A...157.05
2109: REACH 9012 [female] (C-5A, 69-0012, 105th AW NY-ANG) w/ZDC-Norfolk...133.825
2111: REACH 9012 handed off to ZDC-Salisbury....120.975 (didn't listen to the check in)
2121: REACH 9012 calling Dover CP...25 minutes out, will RON, A-2 for HF radio, 21 pax to offload, need pax bus, crew bus, etc....gets spot Tango for parking...349.4
2121:JOSA 674 (C-21A, 84-0098, 457th AS Andrews) to Griffin Command at Andrews...w/arrival message...has an R-4 and 1 Space A pax to dump off...378.1
Reminds me of something unusual this afternoon...had a JOSA 674 outbound from Andrews and a JOSA 674 inbound to Andrews within about 20 minutes of each other. Not the same aircraft. One was tail 84-0098 and I forget the other one...maybe 84-0100.
2135: REACH 3116 (C-17A, 03-3116, 183rd AS MS-ANG Jackson) w/TRACON ADW Approach...119.3
2145: REACH 972 (C-17A, 89-1192, 437th AW Charleston) w/ZDC-Salisbury at FL 320...120.975
2150: The often seen MD-11 (N271WA) contract REACH 0514 aircraft flying to the northeast through our area yet again. Seems like I hear him a couple of times a week and it's always at this time of night. He zips along at about 500 knots on a course of 40 degrees every time. On the ZDC VHF freqs. Wish I knew where he goes.
2157: REACH 972 over to ZDC-Norfolk and checks in at FL 320...133.825

2203: U/I aircraft...all I heard for an ID was "640" landing at Andrews w/Tower...also heard him when he was about 30 minutes out ID the same way and talked to tower about where he was going to park...mentioned White House personnel and was told to park under the tower. I have nothing else for him and heard him nowhere else...118.4
2214: E-6B from VQ-4 (164386) at 16,000 feet in southern New Jersey and then crossing the Delaware Bay heading in the direction of Patuxent...ZDC VHF (couldn't catch callsign again, just suffix 08 this time...this is getting to be a habit)
2220: E-6B into Delaware crossing over Waterloo...continuing his descent, down to 14,000 feet....by 2226 he's crossed Delaware and entering Maryland near Vienna at 11,000 feet...little doubt he's going into Pax. Anyone closer to Pax? I have trouble at low levels when they get near the field.
2229: The E-6B is suffix 08 and is with Pax Approach on 127.95 and seemingly talking to his unit on 310.15. He sounds pretty good on 310.15 but isn't using his callsign there. He absolutely sucks on 127.95 because of the noise level on VHF.
The 310.15 freq is the E-6B TACAMO Detachment Ops freq otherwise known as SHADOW Ops.
2233: ____ 08, the E-6B is about to land at Pax...127.95
2234: REACH 255T (C-5B, 86-0017, 436th AW Dover) to Dover CP with arrival msg...20 minutes out, tail 86-0017, no pax or cargo, just 10 crew and need bus...A-2 for minor writeups - MMR #2 intermittent...co-pilot's hand mic is broken...349.4
2246: Another contract aircraft...REACH 501, an L-1011, tail N164AT...FL 370 on ZDC VHF freqs through the area.

One from the 1600 hour I forgot to log....Monaco government Dassault Falcon 2000 (tail 3A-MGA) came into the area. That plane is about large enough to carry the entire population of Monaco, isn't it?

 

[Mark]

Speaking of Pax River NAS it is NASA's Earth image photo of the day...
Popular with ISS crews for photo targeting,imaging etc..

http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/highlights/index.html
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=17694

Mark

 

[CitationJet]

Re: BCD396T display

Hi guys,

I get around this limitation on mine by using a combo tag like this:

"PT DEP 118.95"

or

"ADW CP 378.1"

Works wonders!

)

Tony

For a trunked system both are displayed. For conventional you have to press Func then 5 to toggle between frequencies and alpha tags.
Brian

 

[CitationJet]

07.03.2007 am

1102Z 118.950 Potomac DEP - ARMY 18242 (C-12R) - deps DAA 1200' for 2000' then cleared to 5000' QSY 134.700.

 

[TinEar]

It was a very busy morning in the MilAir world today. Lots of fighters up...SCARY flight of four F-16s from Andrews....RAVEN and COLT A-10 flights from Martin State with some of them working at Bollen Range. (Just had another A-10 flight take off from MTN while typing this at 1355....think they're headed for Bollen Range. They are. At 1412 they switch to the "forward" radio on 140.025 after having trouble with the "back" radio on low band FM. Correction -- this is a second MTN A-10 flight, not the one going to Bollen.) There were also F-16 flights from Atlantic City in ACM activity on the usual 138.425/138.875 interflight freqs.)

Lots of tankers this morning which always indicates a busy day. Had TOPCAT 2 and 3 along with ROCCO 61 KC-135s from the 108th ARW at McGuire, a couple of TEAM K-10s from the 305th AMW at McGuire, a KC-135 from 756th ARS at Andrews, one from the 99th ARS at Robins, one from the 121st ARW in Ohio and one from the 326th ARS at March....all working in this area. At some point there has to be other aircraft attached to their booms and drogues.

There was the usual array of big belly transports (C-17/C-5) types around the area and the whole standard daily glut of LBE (Lard Butt Express) so-called VIP flights hauling fat asses all over the country at tremendous expense to you and me.

Off the wall stuff...heard an FBI Cessna 206, a Customs Eurocopter and a CAP Cessna 182 buzzing around the area.


AT 1406 there's an ELT signal broadcasting on guard freq 243.0.

And now it's back at it for an afternoon shift to see what I can turn up.

1418: Very weak fighter activity on 138.3 but out of listening range from here.
1419: Another Customs OMAHA helo buzzing the area at 1200 feet...registration N4048L
1419: PAT 160 calling McGuire Command Post...319.4
1420: NAVY 700 (C-37B, 166378, VR-1 Andrews) local with DC area TRACON control....then preparing for landing at Andrews w/Tower at 1426...and does on runway 19L at 1429...118.4
1422: Another A-10 flight from MTN checking into Patuxent with BayWatch...when RTB time comes, they want to return to MTN at 3000 feet...callsign RAVEN...354.8
1430: ?BARD? 73 (poss. C-130 from Little Rock) landing ADW...118.4
1435: RIDER 75 (C-17A, 06-6165, 3rd AS/436th AW Dover) to Dover CP...in the blocks at 1915Z, A-1, training 100% complete upon landing, have 3 crew members, need parking...reports flight time was 16.0 hours, landing fuel will be 35K...349.4 (lots of flying time...could that be correct? I know he's been in Europe but came home yesterday.)
1445: EVAC 33113 (C-17A, 03-3113, 183rd Airlift Squadron MS-ANG Jackson) to Griffin Command with arrival message....30 minutes out, needs fuel...among his pax are 16 litter and 14 ambulatory patients (I'm suddenly saddened)
1446: PACER 38 (C-21A, 84-0092, 457th AS Andrews) reports 10 minutes out, home station C-21, no pax, is A-1 and needs crew bus for 2...378.1
1448: REACH 3604 (C-17A, 93-0604, 437th AW Charleston) through the area at FL 340...ZDC VHF freqs
1452: NASA Gulfstream II flight (N949NA) with TRACON departing from DC area airport and climbing (didn't hear which one)

1504: That Russian Ilyushin 62 (IL-62M, RA-86540) that came in yesterday is in the air again with DC area TRACON controllers.
1514: TITUS 26 (C-130T, 165159, VR-54) with TRACON on approach to Andrews...119.3
1515: An E-6B off from Patuxent (VQ-4, 164410) and heading south on a course of 220 degrees and climbing (on one of the Pax freqs that I missed..might have been 250.7 but that's not an E-6 freq)
1518: AVALON 50 (C-40C, 05-0730, 73rd AS Scott AFB IL) arrival message to Andrews...in the blocks at 1940Z, one Space A pax, needs 40K fuel...378.1
1522: DC 21 (KC-135R, 62-3556, 756th ARS Andrews) to LIBERATOR...20 minutes out, A-1, landing with 25K fuel...says "we picked up the package"...378.1
1523: SUNNY 99 (RC-12N, 88-0325, 224th Aviation Savannah GA)) with ZDC-Calvert...heading to Richmond, then direct destination of Savannah...133.9
1525: REACH 4837 (KC-135R, 64-14837, 22nd ARW McConnell AFB KS) to Andrews w/arrival message....378.1
1537: TITUS 26 with Andrews Tower...tells ground his radio is bad...118.4 (also called himself TITUS 01 while w/Tower)
Over the past few minutes there were two C-21A aircraft in the area - 84-0119 and 84-0134 - but I heard them from the next room and couldn't note freqs.
1540: DC 21 with Andrews Tower...10 miles out...cleared to land...gear down...118.4

Gotta run...back later.

 

[BM82557]

Activity 07032007

1505 - MUSSEL 03 calling BLUEGRASS (Mount Weather), reporting 8 miles out, landing - 241.0

 

[BM82557]

Thurmont area

NOTAM Number : FDC 7/6974
Issue Date : July 03, 2007 at 1733 UTC
Location : Hagerstown/Thurmont, Maryland near MARTINSBURG VORTAC (MRB)
Beginning Date and Time : July 06, 2007 at 1405 UTC
Ending Date and Time : July 08, 2007 at 1700 UTC
Reason for NOTAM : Temporary flight restrictions for VIP (Very Important Person) Movement
Type : VIP
Replaced NOTAM(s) : 7/6809: due to change in times.

Jump To: Affected Areas
Operating Restrictions and Requirements
Other Information


Affected Area(s) Top

Airspace Definition:
Center: 23.7 nautical miles from MARTINSBURG VORTAC(MRB) on the 055 radial (Latitude: 39º38'53"N, Longitude: 77º28'00"W)
Radius: 10 nautical miles
Altitude: From the surface up to but not including FL(180)
Effective Date(s):
From July 06, 2007 at 1405 UTC (July 06, 2007 at 1005 EDT)
To July 08, 2007 at 1700 UTC (July 08, 2007 at 1300 EDT)



Will it be F-15's, F-16's or F-22's for this weekend? We'll find out.

 

[CitationJet]

07.03.2007 pm

A few from the drive home earlier this afternoon:

1834Z 126.300 Davison AAF TWR - ARMY 18242 (C-12R) - on the ILS rwy 32.
1846Z 378.100 GRIFFIN CP Andrews - PACER 38 - home st. C-21 #40092, 10 mins. out, A1, crew bus for two.
1847Z 126.300 Davison AAF TWR - ARMY 18242 (C-12R) - back out again, deps rwy 32 QSY 118.950 to 7000'.
1855Z 118.950 Potomac DEP - NASA 3 - deps DCA to 15000' then cleared to FL210.
1858Z 119.850 Potomac APP - TITUS 26 - suspect this one is now with VR-53 - @ 7000' req. dir RATTA for holding on the TACAN 19L @ ADW, option radar. QSY 119.300 @ 4000' for 3000' proceeding to hold as published @ RATTA.
1903Z 125.650 Potomac DEP - SDM 9005 (IL-62) - deps ADW 5000' init. alt.
1909Z 140.025 RAVEN IF - RAVEN 1 flight up here.

 

[Mark]

I know this is cheating but couldn't resist... From today's Flightaware of our recent Russian guests.

SDM9035 IL62 depart Tue 05:01PM EDT Portsmouth Intl At Pease (KPSM)
arrive Wed 06:09AM GMT 09:02 Vnukovo (UUWW)

SDM9005 IL62 Depart Tue 03:03PM EDT Andrews Afb (KADW) arrive Vnukovo (UUWW) Wed 04:48AM GMT 10:06

ICAO log shows UUWW=Moscow / Vnukovo, Russia

Mark

 

[TinEar]

First half of the 1800 hour there are a couple of KC-10A tankers from the 305th AMW at McGuire doing some intra-unit AR training. They are on interplane 139.875 and also heard with ZDC-Salisbury on 120.975 setting up in the 250-260 altitude block for their work. Callsigns are TEAM 26 (85-0030) and ADOBE 01 (87-0124). I have noted the ADOBE callsign used by these guys several times in the past week. I'm not sure if it indicates anything of significance or if it's just one more callsign they've added. That callsign has been noted in the past being used by various KC-135 tankers from other units. ADOBE 01 later began IDing himself as TEAM 01 Heavy.

At 1750, I had yet another E-6B from the VQ-4 Shadows (164386) take off from Patuxent. I caught the end of a transmission on the Detachment Ops freq 310.15, then a missed ZDC VHF freq and finally with ZDC-Brooke 126.875 when he got handed off. From there, he was handed off again but didn't repeat the freq and I lost him. He did the same thing the other one did this afternoon - took off to the south on a course of 220 degrees and then turned west to 270 degrees and flew out of range. Callsign was MERCURY 13. Perhaps they always use MERCURY for a callsign even though I've been having trouble hearing it at times. Nothing magical about that callsign - the aircraft is known as an E-6B Mercury. http://force.navair.navy.mil/e6.htm

I know this is cheating but couldn't resist... From today's Flightaware of our recent Russian guests.

SDM9035 IL62 depart Tue 05:01PM EDT Portsmouth Intl At Pease (KPSM)
arrive Wed 06:09AM GMT 09:02 Vnukovo (UUWW)

SDM9005 IL62 Depart Tue 03:03PM EDT Andrews Afb (KADW) arrive Vnukovo (UUWW) Wed 04:48AM GMT 10:06

ICAO log shows UUWW=Moscow / Vnukovo, Russia

Nahhh...that's not cheating Mark. That's just one more tool available to us. Vnukovo indicates there are VIPs on board. General riff-raff land at Sheremetevo Airport in Moscow.

 

[freqhopping]

AR preparation on 341.75 now. Earlier there were AR comms on 324.6 and 238.9. No callsigns heard.

 

[TinEar]

One of those two E-6B Mercury aircraft came back to Pax last night - BuNo 164386. He came back into the area shortly after 2300 and finally landed at Pax a couple of minutes after midnight. The only comms heard from him were at 2344 when he contacted Pax Tower on 123.7 to inquire about runway conditions and state that he wanted runway 24 when he eventually would land. In those transmissions, he IDed as MERCURY 13. A few minutes later he called Pax Maintenance on his Detachment Ops freq 310.15. There he identified himself only by the last three numbers of his BuNo - 386. He mentioned something about circling above Pax and "confusion up here" - and then said he'd be down in 5-10 minutes. When he came into the area, he was at FL 240 and stayed at that altitude while he made about a half dozen 360 degree oval orbits over the Pax area for almost an hour before landing.

Nothing much at all flying today of course. A FLYER flight of A-10s from Willow Grove was up for a flyby or two at parades up in that area. Other than that, there were a couple of REACH flights and a couple of SAM flights out of Andrews.

 

[BM82557]

Thurmont notam reissued 7/5

NOTAM Number : FDC 7/6974
Issue Date : July 03, 2007 at 1733 UTC
Location : Hagerstown/Thurmont, Maryland near MARTINSBURG VORTAC (MRB)
Beginning Date and Time : July 06, 2007 at 1405 UTC
Ending Date and Time : July 08, 2007 at 1700 UTC
Reason for NOTAM : Temporary flight restrictions for VIP (Very Important Person) Movement
Type : VIP
Replaced NOTAM(s) : 7/6809: due to change in times.

Jump To: Affected Areas
Operating Restrictions and Requirements
Other Information


Affected Area(s) Top

Airspace Definition:
Center: 23.7 nautical miles from MARTINSBURG VORTAC(MRB) on the 055 radial (Latitude: 39º38'53"N, Longitude: 77º28'00"W)
Radius: 10 nautical miles
Altitude: From the surface up to but not including FL(180)
Effective Date(s):
From July 06, 2007 at 1405 UTC (July 06, 2007 at 1005 EDT)
To July 08, 2007 at 1700 UTC (July 08, 2007 at 1300 EDT)



Will it be F-15's, F-16's or F-22's for this weekend? We'll find out.

7/7276 isssued this morning with a time change:

From July 06, 2007 at 1315 UTC (July 06, 2007 at 0915 EDT)
To July 08, 2007 at 1700 UTC (July 08, 2007 at 1300 EDT)

 

[TinEar]

Wow! What a quiet day today. Very few transports and tankers in the skies in this area today. Even the LBE flights are quiet. The only bright spots were a couple of A-10 flights from Martin State and a whole bunch of F-22A flights from Langley going offshore to W-386 for work and refueling. I've noted GINZU, SPAD, MARLIN, RATS and NACHO F-22 flights working Giant Killer (and there were others) - mostly on 249.8 to enter/exit the area.

1300-ish: DC 41 (which must mean it's Thursday) is back in the area after a four hour flight. He left Andrews around 0900 (KC-135R, 57-1512, 756th ARS). ROYAL 50 (the newest C-17A at Dover's 3rd Airlift Squadron, 06-6166) is also back in the area after a 2+ hour flight. There are even a couple of LBE flights currently up although I think most of the LBs are making it a five-day weekend and not around, accounting for the paucity of LBE activity today.

By the way, all those Russian flights that came through the area the other day (and that Mateo confirmed were headed for Guatemala City) were headed there for the IOC (International Olympic Committee) meeting. It paid off - the Russians were selected to be the hosts for the Winter Olympic Games in the city of Sochi on the Black Sea for the year 2014. News stories said there was a large contingent of Russians there celebrating their selection. We know how they got there.

Who is HARRIER 01 that flies the CAP?
This is HARRIER 01 posing triumphantly after forcing down an errant aircraft...
(Picture from Foster's Online of Dover, New Hampshire 6/30/07 during the recent CAP over Kennebunkport)

 

[CitationJet]

07.06.2007 pm

1829Z 344.600 Andrews Metro - QUID 99 (KC-135R 351st ARS USAFE) - clg Andrews Metro here no joy
1830Z 239.800 McGuire Metro - QUID 99 (KC-135R 351st ARS USAFE) - req. KWRB wx @ 2000Z then gives PIREP KC135R @ FL340 position 3901N 7703W. Ahh, nice that this one is headed to Robins, I'm going to be there next week!
1839Z 118.675 Potomac DEP - MARINE 206 - 11000' for 16000' QSY ZDC-Azalea 135.400.
1848Z 349.400 Dover AFB CP - wkg REACH 8219 (C-5A 68-0219 445th AMW AFRC) here.
1852Z 119.850 Potomac APP - ARMY 1778 (C-37B 04-1778 OSACOM/PAT) - req. vects. for the ILS rwy 19L @ ADW QSY 119.300.
1859Z 119.300 Potomac APP - ARMY 1778 (C-37B 04-1778 OSACOM/PAT) - 6000' for 3000' heading for the intercept and cleared for the ILS rwy 19L.

 

[TinEar]

1829Z 344.600 Andrews Metro - QUID 99 (KC-135R 351st ARS USAFE) - clg Andrews Metro here no joy
1830Z 239.800 McGuire Metro - QUID 99 (KC-135R 351st ARS USAFE) - req. KWRB wx @ 2000Z then gives PIREP KC135R @ FL340 position 3901N 7703W. Ahh, nice that this one is headed to Robins, I'm going to be there next week!

Nice catch on that QUID 99 Tony. He was tail 61-0299 from RAF Lakenheath in the U.K. The 351st is an extremely busy unit.

1636: Saudi Arabian government plane - an MD-11, tail HZ-HM7, flight SVA 007 is flying toward us from the Philly area at FL 400...obviously going to just overfly us. Actually, he's passing well to the east of this area...coming down through Delaware on about a 200 degree course and then over the eastern shore of MD. Directly over Salisbury at 1651 where he was turned to 220 degrees. Learned he's going to Jacksonville.

1700 hour and the stream of F-22A fighters from Langley are still running back and forth to W-386 w/Giant Killer. The latest two flights heard have been KANG and MAI TAI. One of those two flights is working 257.075 interflight.
1734: KANG 14 (F-22A Langley) called SOF at Langley on the usual 383.2 to describe a problem he was having with his aircraft. He asked SOF, "Should I say the 'E' word or not?" I couldn't hear SOF to tell what he advised the pilot.
1738: KANG 14, flight of two, to Giant Killer on 249.8 to announce RTB Langley and declare an emergency for a flight control problem..reports one person on board and 1 hour's gas...249.8
1739: KANG 13 and 14 handed off to channel 5...249.8
1740: KANG 13 to Norfolk TRACON (channel 5) to report flight of two, KANG 14 with an emergency, to flight level 14,000 feet direct Langley...370.925
Nothing further heard from KANG 13/14.

 

[TinEar]

1903: RIDER 85 (C-17A, 06-6166, 3rd AS Dover) preparing for an AR op...can't hear the tanker, just the C-17...238.9
1904: WARLOCK 3 (no ID for this one) doing touch and goes at ADW with Tower...349.0
1907: RIDER 85 says he'll be at the IP at 2320Z and is currently at FL 210...confirms the tanker is on a 160 degree heading for the IP...238.9
1909: RESCUE Helicopter 6572 (USCG HH-65C, Atlantic City) to Coast Guard Sector Baltimore...reports he's at position 3911.1 north, 7620.4 west...ETA to Johns Hopkins is about 10 minutes...Marine channel 23A...157.15
1915: REACH 594 (C-17A, 01-0195, 437th AW Charleston) climbing out of Andrews w/TRACON... 125.65
1916: REACH 594 handed off to BWI area TRACON and checks in at 10,000 feet...cleared to 14,000...124.55
1917: REACH 594 handed to ZDC-Swann and checks in at 12,000 climbing to 14,000...cleared to FL 230...134.5
1918: WARLOCK 3 comes around, gets the option for another touch and go...w/ADW Tower...349.0
1920: REACH 594 handed off to ZDC-Woodstown and checks in at 16,000, climbing to FL 230...125.45 (done with him...you New Jersey guys can have him)
1921: RESCUE Helicopter 6572 requests Coast Guard Baltimore secure their guard...arrived at Johns Hopkins, will advise upon leaving...157.15
1923: GRAYHAWK 03 (E-2C VAW-120, Norfolk NAS) with Norfolk TRACON...370.925 (handed off to 132.55 but not following)
1927: CRAB 56 (C-130J, 98-1356, 135th AS MD-ANG Warfield ANGB) climbing out of MTN...with Crab Ops...385.9
1931: WARLOCK 3 comes around yet again...w/ADW Twr...118.4 (he's probably with Approach 119.3 after climbing out but I'm not monitoring TRACONs at the moment ...oops, forgot he's working UHF so won't be on 119.3...probably 335.5...guess I'll take a listen)
1939: CRAB 56 calling CRAB 57...no joy (CRAB 57 must still be on the ground)...385.9
1952: WARLOCK 3 with TRACON ADW Approach...heading around for runway 19L yet again...335.5
1958: CRAB 57 (C-130J, 98-1357, 135th AS MD-ANG) off the deck at MTN...385.9

Last few minutes of the 1900 hour we have the Russian IL-62M in the area again - overflying us at FL 330, tail RA-86466. Guess this is the last of them returning from Guatemala. They've got a long, long ride.

2011: CRAB 56 working with Phillips AAF Tower...squawking 1200 so he's on a VFR flight plan...yup, at 2500 feet...126.15
2015: WARLOCK 3 still with ADW Tower doing another touch and go on runway 19L...349.0
2017: WARLOCK 3 gets a flight route back to Patuxent after this touch and go...heading out at 3000 feet and then to 5000...349.0 (Kind of figured he was from Pax but still don't know what type he is or who he belongs to.)
2019: JOSA 254 (C-21A, 84-0092, 457th AS Andrews) on the way into Andrews....378.1
2021: WARLOCK 3 reports off Andrews runway heading...TRACON ADW Departure...leaving 3000 for 5000 direct Patuxent...348.725
2023: CRAB 56 tells Phillips AAF he'll be back in 30-45 minutes...126.15
2027: WARLOCK 3 handed off to Patuxent Approach, checks in at 5000 feet and says he wants to do multiple approaches to runway 24...cleared to 2500 feet...281.8
WARLOCK 3 starts the same routine he had at Andrews...will not continue to report on him unless he says something that tips off his unit or type.
2030: REACH 9061 (C-17A, 99-0061, 62nd AW McChord AFB WA) overflying the area at FL 320...ZDC VHF freqs
2040: SPAR 29 (C-37A, 01-0029, 310th AS MacDill AFB FL) climbing out of Andrews....w/TRACON...118.95 (arrived at ADW in the 1700 hour)
2054: PACER 38 [female] (C-21A, 84-0077, 457th AS Andrews) landing at ADW w/Tower...118.4 (didn't hear this acft check in w/CP...first I've heard her)
2055: CRAB 57 to Phillips AAF Tower to report dropping "actuals", going around, coming back to drop actuals again...126.15
There's some nasty weather to the north of my location...from the PA line up to the Harrisburg area...however, just rain in the northern MD counties
2059: BLACKJACK 1 [female] (USCG HH-65) w/ADW Tower...118.4

2105: CRAB 57 tells Phillips AAF that he'll be behind CRAB 56, do his drop and then head back to MTN...126.15
2110: DC 42...excuse me...DECEE 42 (KC-135R, 57-1512, 756th ARS Andrews) in the pattern at ADW w/Tower...118.4
2111: CG Helo 6572 trying to talk to CG Baltimore...asks if Baltimore has HF capability...Baltimore says they have HF but it's not primary for them and they usually communicate on VHF....6572 still wants to go to HF and Baltimore agrees....6572 tells him to go to 5696.0...Baltimore asks upper or lower sideband?...6572 tells him upper sideband will be better and off they go...Marine Channel 23A...157.15 (And since my HF radios are currently sitting on the floor in the corner while I continue my construction project, I won't be hearing them.)
2115: CG Helo 6572 calling Sector Baltimore again on 157.15...couldn't make contact on HF...Baltimore apologizes but says again VHF is primary...will talk to the helo in 15 minutes here on VHF for the next check-in position report. [CG Sector Baltimore didn't want any part of that HF stuff. I'd be willing to bet he never even tried contact on that HF freq.]
2119: CG Sector Baltimore to CG Helo 6572 (who I can't hear any longer) to wish him a happy transit and a good evening and signs off with him...157.15
2121: CRAB 56 preparing for landing on runway 15 at MTN w/Tower...121.3
2124: CRAB 56 touching down at MTN....CRAB 57 not far behind him and will follow him in in a minute or two...121.3
2125: DC 42 still in the pattern at Andrews...using 128.35/119.3/118.4 as he goes round and round.
2127: Now CRAB 57 is telling CRAB Ops he's still 5 minutes out, A-1 and has 25K on the fuel...altitude 900 feet...385.9
2129: CRAB 57 touching down at MTN...121.3 (that was a quick 5 minutes)
2130: BLACKJACK 1 and 2 both up in the Andrews area....118.4
2134: BLACKJACK 1/2 operating on Marine Channel 21A...157.05
2139: After getting permission from Andrews Tower to use the airspace between 2500 and 3500 feet, they go back to 157.05 and begin practice intercepts. First one will be a left to left intercept at 2700 feet at 120 knots. The intercepting helo stays 200 feet lower for safety reasons. BLACKJACK 1 female driver sounds about 16 years old. I'm not taking anything away from her though because I do remember she's up there driving that thing and I'm here safely on the ground just talking about it.
2143: Someone just gave an arrival message to Andrews CP...I wasn't paying attention and missed the callsign...378.1 (I'll do some self-hypnosis here and see if I can rewind my memory and come up with the callsign)
Got it! It was EVAC 44837.
2152: DC 42 Heavy still in the pattern...he's w/Tower and says he see the helicopter...and the other one (the BLACKJACK pair)...118.4
2156: EVAC 837 Heavy (KC-135R, 64-14837, 22nd ARW McConnell AFB KS) w/TRACON approaching Andrews...119.85
2157: DC 42 calls LIBERATOR to say he's 20 minutes from landing, is A-1 and will have 43K on the fuel...378.1
2159: DC 42 getting weather warnings from LIBERATOR...42 says he'll keep an eye on it but still plans to land in about 15 minutes...378.1

2200: EVAC 837 Heavy reports at 4100 feet, descending to 3000...w/TRACON ADW Approach heading for runway 19L...119.3
2202: DC 42 tells ADW tower he's going to do one more approach...will stay on Tower freq...118.4
2203: EVAC 44837 handed off to Tower, checks in and reports gear down...118.4
2204: BLACKJACKs end their work...157.05
2204: BLACKJACK 1 reports heading for Wood's Corner and then Washington (DCA)...#2 checks in also...118.4
2206: EVAC 837 reports two helicopters in sight while on the landing approach...118.4

 

[DPD1]

Who is HARRIER 01 that flies the CAP?
This is HARRIER 01 posing triumphantly after forcing down an errant aircraft...
(Picture from Foster's Online of Dover, New Hampshire 6/30/07 during the recent CAP over Kennebunkport)

We had some new calls pop up out here in the west since the shuffling of the Navy heli units started happening. I would guess it's probably one of the Oceana HSC units. Maybe even the HSC-22, because they just stood up and probably not too many people have heard their call yet.

Dave
www.DPDProductions.com
Custom Antennas & Radio Accessories

 

[TinEar]

We had some new calls pop up out here in the west since the shuffling of the Navy heli units started happening. I would guess it's probably one of the Oceana HSC units. Maybe even the HSC-22, because they just stood up and probably not too many people have heard their call yet.

Dave
www.DPDProductions.com
Custom Antennas & Radio Accessories

Dave, my question about HARRIER 01 was kind of rhetorical. It's not a new call. They've used that callsign forever in the Guard Dog CAP in this area. It's just that we've never pinned down precisely what type helo it was and from where. I previously thought it was a Coast Guard helo (could that picture be an MH-60 type?) from somewhere in the area. I'm not sure it's always the same helo that has the mission of being HARRIER 01 during the CAPs but it's probably from the same unit. I was under impression though that all Coast Guard helos bore the service's colors which the one in the photo certainly does not. So, it's an H-60 of some flavor but we still don't have the unit pinned down. Your guess of it being from Oceana is as good as anything else we've come up with.

 

[DPD1]

Dave, my question about HARRIER 01 was kind of rhetorical. It's not a new call. They've used that callsign forever in the Guard Dog CAP in this area. It's just that we've never pinned down precisely what type helo it was and from where. I previously thought it was a Coast Guard helo (could that picture be an MH-60 type?) from somewhere in the area. I'm not sure it's always the same helo that has the mission of being HARRIER 01 during the CAPs but it's probably from the same unit. I was under impression though that all Coast Guard helos bore the service's colors which the one in the photo certainly does not. So, it's an H-60 of some flavor but we still don't have the unit pinned down. Your guess of it being from Oceana is as good as anything else we've come up with.

Yeah, that's what I was basing it on... I've never heard of any basic gray USCG ships. I don't think there are any. The closest mission ready Navy helos in the area would be one of the HSC units from Oceana. That would be either HSC-22, 26 or 28. I doubt the FRS would handle that. It looks like a 60S to me, which all those units have. There's also HCS-4 which fly's the 60G. That seems like it would be more of a 60S mission though. I've never heard Navy helos involved in VIP protection out here, but I think they take that stuff more seriously on the east coast. But who knows, they may have done it around San Diego at some point. The only other thing I can think of is that the base flight at Brunswick or Pax now has a 60S. That's not out of the question, because Whidbey replaced their base flight H-1s with the 60S. So my guess is 60S from one of those units for that incident at least. It might be a shared mission with the USCG though.

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