Sticky Thread for MilAir II

[Dank]

Maybe this is what you heard.

http://www.nbc4.com/news/13658721/detail.html

It sure is. thanks for sharing.

 

[TinEar]

Andrews is having troubles with its Command Post freqs (Andrews Command Post, Griffin Command, LIBERATOR, SAM Command) on both 378.1 and 141.55.....AGAIN! At one point in the 1500 hour, there were four aircraft all calling at once - DC 41, REACH 1818, VENUS 22 and VENUS 32. DC 41 seemed to be getting frustrated and kept talking over the top of other aircraft calling on 378.1. I get frustrated and don't have to do anything but listen so I can imagine their feelings about this problem. It has been going on for a very long time. They seem to resolve it for awhile and then it happens again and again. It's about time they found a solution to this.

One of my search radios has found encrypted and clear P25 voice on 323.35. I have no idea who it might be. It almost sounds like a spur or harmonic from one of the 380 mHz systems but I can't figure how it would get on this freq. Time is now 1550 and it has been going on for the past 30 minutes or so.
At 1813 I'm hearing very similar traffic on 322.95. At 1839, the 323.35 freq is active again.

1603: Royal Air Force C-130/C5, tail ZH881, Lyneham Training Wing overflying the area at FL 250...ZDC VHF but I haven't made out the ASCOT number yet.
This is a C-130J type in the U.S.

First half of 1700 hour there are RAVAGE two-ship and BULLY two-ship flights of Andrews F-16s working at Pax. RAVAGE is 139.15 and BULLY 143.6 for interflight. They are working with a FAC on the Vienna MD range called DESTROYER on Pax freq 256.5. RAVAGE 2 is our female F-16 driver

1833: WOODEN 22 (KC-135R, 57-1512, 756th ARS Andrews) to LIBERATOR (756th Squadron Ops)...reports 20 minutes out, A-1, landing with 35K on the fuel, need parking....calls Griffin Command to they're a full stop, mission complete, termination so they don't care about when fuel gets loaded....378.1 (I logged WOODEN 22 on Tuesday morning at 0958 heading west after taking off from Andrews.)
1843: KALETTA 44 landing Dover w/Tower...126.35

 

[freqhopping]

DRAGON-502 284.7 handed off to Gordonsville but never heard him.

1723- BANDIT-01 281.4 Direct Franklin-Charleston
1724- MERCURY-??? 120.65
1725- BANDIT-01 ZDC-Franklin 290.425
1728- (single syllable)-23 at FL180 ZDC-Hot Springs 353.9. Descending.
1734- BANDIT-01 leaving 260 for 280 ZD-Norfolk 327.8 Some interflight on 139.15, mentioned MSR Camel - Pax range activity.
1750- It's a BULLY flight, just passed a report on 139.9

1957- MERCURY-7501 on final with Dulles. 125.8
But it seems to be this flight that is shown as having just landed- TCF7501 Shuttle America from Rochester. Just heard a MERCURY-7512 with IAD Ground West which is also Shuttle America. So much for the "Shuttlecraft" callsign. The previous one must've been another one, not military.

 

[TinEar]

Early 1900 hour had a Turkish Air Force KC-135R (tail 60-0326, 101 Filo, Incirlik) into the area. (Filo is a Squadron)

2014: CRAB 52 (C-130J, 97-1352, 135th AS MD-ANG) airborne from Martin State. Heard ground controller telling another aircraft to hold because "I have to get a C-130 airborne right away."...253.4
2017: EVAC 84401 (C-130H, 88-4401, 95th Airlift Squadron) reports airborne from Andrews at 0015Z...378.1
2035: BULLY flight of Andrews F-16s at the Pax Vienna Range trying to contact DESTROYER 30...256.5
BULLY flight working 143.6 interflight
RAVAGE flight working 139.15 interflight and still on the way to Pax...currently at 2038 they're with ZDC-Calvert 281.4
2040: RAVAGE 1 flight handed to BayWatch and check in at 15,000 feet, cancels IFR...will work no higher than FL 250 and duration is 50 minutes in the area...354.8
2043: CRAB 51 (C-130J, 97-1351, 135th AS MTN) airborne from MTN...385.9
2049: REACH 024 (C-17A, 02-1098, 437th AW Charleston) reports FL 320 working with ZDC-Sea Isle...133.125

2107: REACH 024 over to ZDC-Salisbury where he reports at FL 260...120.975
2120: REACH 0517 (MD-11, N283WA) coming up through Virginia heading northeast at FL 350 (as always)...ZDC VHF freqs
2122: ARMY 01053 (UC-35A, 00-1053) landing at ADW w/Tower...118.4
2125: BLACKJACK 1 and 2 (US Coast Guard HH-65) working...139.7
2126: BOXER 32 (C-40C, 02-0202, 201st AS Andrews) working the ADW pattern (for the past hour)...119.3 (He has reported concern a couple of times about the BLACKJACK Coast Guard helos working the area while he's doing pattern work.)
2127: REACH 2514 (KC-135R, 62-3514, 203rd ARS HI-ANG) to Andrews CP with arrival message...ETA 0200Z, 11 crew, landing with 20K fuel (and several requirements centered around medical equipment unloading)...378.1
2128: JOSA 275 (C-21A, 84-0140) arriving Andrews, 20 minutes out, A-1, has an R-4 and 4 Space A pax, needs 2500 pounds of fuel, has 4 seats available for the outbound flight in about 1 hour after landing...378.1
2143: BLACKJACKs talk about stopping their pracitce intercepts because of too much air activity in the area....139.7
2145: REACH 2514 w/ADW Tower for landing...118.4
2145: BLACKJACK 2 tells ADW Tower they'll get out of the airspace and return to the river and contact National Tower...118.4
2148: ARMY 10301 (UC-35A, 01-0301) with ADW Tower for landing...118.4
2151: RAVAGE flight leader tells DESTROYER he's got to get out of there (fuel I guess...he said 71 minutes ago he'd be in the area for 50 minutes)...256.5
2152: JOSA 275 w/ADW Tower for landing...118.4
2154: RAVAGE flight with Pax to check out...270.8
2157: RAVAGE flight handed off to TRACON ADW Approach...335.5
2157: U/I acft with ADW Tower asking who those helicopters were tonight...says they were very distracting...118.4
2158: RAVAGE to SOF giving mission report...139.9 (I have no idea what happened to the BULLY flight. I lost them during the other activity.)

2204: BOXER 32 to ADW Tower for full stop landing this time around....118.4
2206: Here's BULLY....with ADW Tower for landing...349.0
2206: BATON 53 (EC-130J, 99-1933, 193rd SOW, PA-ANG Harrisburg) to Baton Ops with arrival message...ETA 30 past the hour, A-1, landing with 18K fuel, 16.5 liters LOX...395.1
2212: DC 42 (KC-135R, 62-3556, 756th ARS Andrews) approaching ADW for landing...119.85
2213: DC 42 to LIBERATOR to report A-1 status, landing with around 20K of fuel...378.1
2214: RAVAGE flight to ADW Tower...7 miles to the ILS runway 19L, full stop...349.0
2215: RAVAGE 1 gear down, full stop, left...349.0 (and still yakking away on interflight 139.15)
2217: The two CRAB C-130s are doing approaches at Phillips AAF...working w/Tower...126.15
2219: DC 42 can't make contact with the controller on 119.3, says he hears him breaking squelch but can't hear him...goes back to 119.85 for another approach freq and gets 128.35 which he switches to and makes contact.
2220: OPEC 49 (KC-10A, 85-0031, 305th AMW McGuire) reports 30 minutes out to McGuire CP...319.4
2225: CRAB 51 and 52 are now CRAB 10 and 11 and now at Martin State with Tower for approach to runway 33...121.3

Enough! End of Log.

 

[CitationJet]

Re: DRAGON 502

Hey guys,

Heard DRAGON 502 arrive Andrews around 1911Z on PT APP 128.350 ILS rwy 1R.

Not sure who this was, so many to choose from...

Tony

DRAGON-502 284.7 handed off to Gordonsville but never heard him.

 

[Mark]

Some of today's Heavies logged..

REACH 208 KC-10 #79-1949 arrived Dover last night then departed
over to McGuire this am 1310z to fix the APU,req power cart at McGuire.
Mentioned something about going on to Ramstein.

REACH 5007 C-5 depart Dover 1305z

REACH 6002 C-17 arrive Dover 1520z,12 thrupax departed 1750z to KMGE
(Warner Robbins) Sounds like overhaul/repair time.

REACH 6159 C-17 Travis arrive Dover from overseas at 1600z,100 pax aboard.

REACH 5002 C-5 depart Dover 1605z.

REACH 6018 C-5 with Dover metro 342.000 req wx for KCHS at 1800z

Mark

 

[TinEar]

Some of today's Heavies logged..

REACH 208 KC-10 #79-1949 arrived Dover last night then departed
over to McGuire this am 1310z to fix the APU,req power cart at McGuire.
Mentioned something about going on to Ramstein.

REACH 5007 C-5 depart Dover 1305z

REACH 6002 C-17 arrive Dover 1520z,12 thrupax departed 1750z to KMGE
(Warner Robbins) Sounds like overhaul/repair time.

REACH 6159 C-17 Travis arrive Dover from overseas at 1600z,100 pax aboard.

REACH 5002 C-5 depart Dover 1605z.

REACH 6018 C-5 with Dover metro 342.000 req wx for KCHS at 1800z

Mark

Lots of the big stuff around today Mark. I'm looking to see what I have in my notes for the ones you logged....
REACH 5007 (C-5B, 85-0007, 436th AW Dover) back to Dover at 1836Z
REACH 6002 (C-17A, 86-0002, 437th AW Charleston) same things you heard.
REACH 6159 (C-17A, 06-6159, 60th AMW Travis) left Dover about 1840Z
REACH 5002 (C-5B, 85-0002, 436th AW Dover)...was outside and missed that one
REACH 6018 (C-5B, 86-0018, 60th AMW Travis) same thing you heard.

Also had one of Dover's new C-17s...RIDER 90 (C-17A, 06-6165, 3rd AS Dover) up and about around 1800Z.

0923 local heard that Egyption Air Force EGY 1114 (C-130H, tail 1293/SU-BKS) leave the area. He arrived yesterday.
1001: German Air Force GAF 327 (A-310, tail 10+26) with ZDC.

Other than those, there was the usual assortment of transports and tankers but tanker activity is lighter than normal. It has been a very heavy LBE day as most Fridays are as CODELs and mil commanders disperse around the country on taxpayers' dollars. The weather outside has been too nice to spend too much time at the radios today.

Late add: I might have another new C-17A on the way to Dover....06-6167 flying as Boeing 167. With ZDC at 1515 local time. I believe he landed at Dover around 1535.

Some other C-17s heard this afternoon....
03-3116 183rd AS MS-ANG Jackson
04-4128 6th As McGuire
04-4131 6th AS
04-4134 6th AS
04-4135 6th AS
03-3126 6th AS (REACH 305)

Okay Navy guys...I need some help. At 1643, I have NAVY 6E951 with Williamsport Radio on FSS freq 255.4. Says he's currently 15 miles west of York. He wants to open his flight plan for the next leg of his flight which will have him off the deck at Hagerstown at 2140Z. I can find no references to identify the 6E portion of his callsign. Anyone know what type he might be and from where?

At 1647, there's a CHECK 61 flight of four (F/A-18 VMFA-312, MCAS BEAUFORT SC) aircraft coming into Andrews. Currently with TRACON 335.5. Over to Tower at 1653.

Also at 1647, there are RAVAGE and BULLY flights of Andrews F-16s returning to ADW...interflight freqs are 143.6 and 139.15. Currently with TRACON 335.5. RAVAGE to tower 349.0 at 1652.

At 1700:
Army 1944 (C-37A, 97-1944 PAT) leaving ADW 125.65
PAT 314 (UC-35, 98-0009) arriving Davison AAF 139.4
VENUS 22 (C-20B, 86-0202, 99th AS) arriving ADW 378.1
1708: VENUS 22 w/ADW Tower wanting to know if the trucks will be off the runway by the time he goes around again in the pattern...guess not since he says he'll do another low approach before landing...118.4

1701: Russian humungous AN-124 into the area (Flight POT-825, tail RA-82014) from Polet Aviakomaria. This is the 13th different AN-124 I've logged into this area.

1719: BACKY 52 (KC-135R, 62-3542, 77th ARS Seymour Johnson) reports to LIBERATOR he's 10-15 minutes out...378.1 (I wonder why he called LIBERATOR rather than Andrews CP?)
1725: BOXER 377 (C-40C, 02-0202, 201st AS Andrews) with TRACON (missed the freq)
1729: BACKY 52 w/TRACON reports field in sight...128.35
1731: BACKY 52 w/ADW Tower for landing runway 1L...118.4

 

[CitationJet]

Re: NAVY 6E

Hi Tin,

T-34C 160951 VT-6 E/TW-5 NAS Whiting Field.

Best regards,

Tony

Okay Navy guys...I need some help. At 1643, I have NAVY 6E951 with Williamsport Radio on FSS freq 255.4. Says he's currently 15 miles west of York. He wants to open his flight plan for the next leg of his flight which will have him off the deck at Hagerstown at 2140Z. I can find no references to identify the 6E portion of his callsign. Anyone know what type he might be and from where?

 

[Mark]

Late add: I might have another new C-17A on the way to Dover....06-6167 flying as Boeing 167. With ZDC at 1515 local time. I believe he landed at Dover around 1535.

Rgr TIN good catch.At around 1523 local heard ROYAL 03 weak signal with Dover CP.
Seeing this is Dover's 3rd C-17 makes sense possibly.

Also a couple more heavies into Andrews.

REACH 5144 March AFB arrive Andrews 2030z

REACH 5157 type? arrive Andrews 2040z.

Lots of cargo moving this weekend it seems...

Mark

 

[TinEar]

Hi Tin,

T-34C 160951 VT-6 E/TW-5 NAS Whiting Field.

Best regards,

Tony

Much appreciated Tony. Thank you.

REACH 5157 type? arrive Andrews 2040z.

It was a WC-130J (05-8157) from the 815th AS AFRC at Kessler AFB MS. I'm not sure why I didn't log it...It's in my notes along with the REACH 5144 and I just skipped over both when I started typing.

1855: BACKY 52 (KC-135R, 62-3542, 77th ARS) is already back in the air from Andrews. I logged him above coming in a little more than an hour ago...TRACON freqs.

2122: There's another E-6B going into Pax tonight. It's BuNo 164410 from VQ-4. He's with SHADOW on Detachment freq 310.15....and with Approach 120.05 (he doesn't have a very strong transmitter...it's a weenie) He also asked SHADOW Maintenance something about whether they had some type of O rings...apparently, they did.
2129: The E-6B is down to 7000 feet just to the northwest of Patuxent and is barely readable...in fact, he isn't readable now even at that altitude. By 2133 he should be on the ground...I got another transmission at 5000 feet but couldn't copy his transmissions with the tower at all.

 

[Mark]

Busy Heavies nite continues..

REACH 559 with Dover CP 349.400 enroute AR-20 looking for ETHYL 90 tanker out
of Bangor for AR at STOOL (spelled out) at 0052z.

GHOST 89 KC-10 arrive McGuire,"we were HOIST 99 but now from Edwards AFB
are now GHOST 89".

REACH 305 C-17 arrive McGuire 0115z

REACH 0446 C-5 arrive Dover ,uploads.

TAF 609 (Turkish Air Force) with McGuire CP 319.400 at 0100z arriving there.

DUECE 81 KC-10 arriving McGuire 0130z from Alabama area.

0215z TEAM 58 McGuire KC-10 finishing up AR with LIFTER 11 on AR 238.900 and GK 118.1250
LIFTER 11 wil be direct Norfolk.
LIFTER 11 "See you guys next week"
TEAM 58 on 118.125 "direct Snow Hill 124.975" nothing heard though.
Think he meant 120.975 Salisbury.... DOH!

Mark

 

[TinEar]

Busy Heavies nite continues..

REACH 559 with Dover CP 349.400 enroute AR-20 looking for ETHYL 90 tanker out
of Bangor for AR at STOOL (spelled out) at 0052z.

GHOST 89 KC-10 arrive McGuire,"we were HOIST 99 but now from Edwards AFB
are now GHOST 89".

REACH 305 C-17 arrive McGuire 0115z

REACH 0446 C-5 arrive Dover ,uploads.

TAF 609 (Turkish Air Force) with McGuire CP 319.400 at 0100z arriving there.

DUECE 81 KC-10 arriving McGuire 0130z from Alabama area.

0215z TEAM 58 McGuire KC-10 finishing up AR with LIFTER 11 on AR 238.900 and GK 118.1250
LIFTER 11 wil be direct Norfolk.
LIFTER 11 "See you guys next week"
TEAM 58 direct Snow Hill 124.975

Mark

Guess I missed the Turkish Air Force KC-135 tonight Mark. Had him last night when he came in.
That REACH 305 has had a busy day. Had him here this afternoon. Then he was heard by a listener in Kentucky and then back here earlier this evening and then a trip to McGuire.
Your HOIST 99/GHOST 89 KC-10 was 85-0030.
I've run into that STOOL in the past where your RCH559/ETHYL 90 were meeting up. It's somewhere off the coast of Massachusetts. Couldn't remember exactly where so looked it up. Radial/Distance from Nantucket and Boston are:
ACK/062.59/77.19
BOS/112.60/100.63

 

[Mark]

Coast Guard 6559 HH-65C CGAS Atlantic City was up on 119.700 Pot appch low going into APG (Aberdeen Proving Ground) just a bit ago
for reported Mayday call.
Told 119.700 would be below 500 feet at times.
Then callsign was simply Rescue 59.
Could be drill as no other local ATC traffic reported anything..
2352 local 6654 rtb Atlantic City on 119.700
Could have sworn it was 6659... Somebody goofing their call number probably.

Mark

 

[Mark]

I've run into that STOOL in the past where your RCH559/ETHYL 90 were meeting up. It's somewhere off the coast of Massachusetts. Couldn't remember exactly where so looked it up.

Thanks for tail on TAF and GHOST..

I think STOOL is off Kennedy compound in Cape Cod... LOL
Maybe Kennebunkport Maine..
Sorry,couldn't resist some political humor...I'm a registered Independent so equal opportunity slammer.

0415z REACH 3113 C-17 climbing to 26k on ZNY Matawan 125.325,sounds like a Ramstein Med-Evac outbound... Sad to hear.

Mark

 

[freqhopping]

Good tropo effect going this morning for signal originating to the east of me. I was tipped off to it be hearing the ground side of ZDC-Brooke on my BC250D with the stock antenna. I'm receiving the Andrews 380mhz trunked system perfectly, as well as a bunch of other systems.

There is a C-9 tail #1681 parked on 10C. TG 453

That C-130 #8157 is on the 11 row and the crew needs to pick up five more meals. TG 407

 

[TinEar]

Good tropo effect going this morning for signal originating to the east of me. I was tipped off to it be hearing the ground side of ZDC-Brooke on my BC250D with the stock antenna. I'm receiving the Andrews 380mhz trunked system perfectly, as well as a bunch of other systems.

There is a C-9 tail #1681 parked on 10C. TG 453

That C-130 #8157 is on the 11 row and the crew needs to pick up five more meals. TG 407

That tropo effect is really nice when it occasionally happens. Last summer I heard Giant Killer's ground controller a couple of times in the early morning. By 0930 or so it would just fade away

The C-9 is a C-9C from the 73rd Airlift Squadron at Scott AFB IL - tail 73-1681. He came into ADW yesterday.
Edit: And it just left Andrews about 1040 as Executive 1 Foxtrot. Strange they used an aircraft from another base for that function. First Lady Laura Bush is no doubt on the way to Austin, Texas for the funeral of former First Lady, Lady Bird Johnson.

0415z REACH 3113 C-17 climbing to 26k on ZNY Matawan 125.325,sounds like a Ramstein Med-Evac outbound... Sad to hear.

He (C-17A, 03-3113, MS-ANG) arrived at Andrews last night around 2200 and was airborne again by midnight. He did indeed head to Europe and was heard this morning in the U.K., Belgium and last heard in the Netherlands. Not so sad going in that direction. The bad part is when he loads up and returns to Andrews as EVAC 33113.

 

[BM82557]

Activity 07142007

2029-ongoing -- 143.825 is active

 

[freqhopping]

MACE-91 descending through ZDC-Blue Ridge 285.6
1330- Told to switch to 254.25 TRACON.
1332- Came up on 257.875. FL150 for 120
1334- Cross AML at 8k switch to 322.3 Too cloudy and hazy to see him.
1337-No answer, changed to 335.5
1342- 6k for 3k
1345- ILS for 19L 349.0


257.875 is not just Dover, it's a new TRACON.

 

[TinEar]

1330: MACE 91 (probably F-16, 163rd FS, IN-ANG Ft. Wayne) with Dover Approach...257.875
1331: MACE 91 handed off to Potomac TRACON...tries to check in, no joy....254.25
1333: MACE 91 back to Dover...257.875
1334: MACE 91 handed off to Potomac TRACON...tries to check in, no joy...322.3
1334: MACE 91 back to Dover Approach...257.875
1337: MACE 91 finally handed off to a good Potomac TRACON freq and checks in at 8000 feet...335.5
1345: MACE 91 to Andrews Tower for landing on runway 19L...349.0
MACE 91 appeared to be a single ship flight...no interflight freq noted and no multiple check-ins with ADW Tower for landing.

1336: ROCKET 204 (unknown) with ZNY-Kennedy...lots of yakking about how he doesn't have enough range to go somewhere the controller wants him to go...fuel issue...only has 140 miles radius...he's at FL 260...282.3
1347: ROCKET 204 handed off to ZNY-Yardley and checks in at FL 260...requesting direct Smyrna (ENO)
1353: ROCKET 204 asking to be turned to the south as soon as possible...again says it's a fuel issue...290.2
1358: ROCKET 204 handed off to ZNY-Westminster and checks in at FL 260...requesting direct Baltimore (BAL)...then direct RIC, direct RDU, direct POB for full stop...323.3
RIC=Richmond
RDU=Raleigh Durham
POB=Fayetteville (Pope AFB NC)
Last time I had ROCKET with three digit suffixes was 5/31/06 when two of them (ROCKET 231 and 526) identified as T-2 types heading for Florence SC Airport.
This guy has a real mushy sounding transmitter which is the same note I made for the last time I heard this callsign.
1409: ROCKET 204 handed off to ZDC-Potomac and checks in at FL 260 requesting direct Richmond..."that would really help us out with our gas here"...and he gets it...307.025
1411: ROCKET 204 handed off...repeats the freq as 327.0 (ZDC-Brooke) but comes up on ZNY-Binghamton...checks in at FL 260...says the more direct to Pope they can get, the better off they'll be...372.0
1414: ROCKET 204 comes up with ZDC-Brooke (Guess Binghamton set him straight...it's amazing he was even heard)...again looking for direct routes...something about being TACAN limited (too mushy to understand part of it)...327.0
1424: ROCKET 204 tells controller he's TACAN limited and asks for a snap vector to Pope...gets 220 and he's happy...327.0
1434: ROCKET 204 handed off to ZDC-Blackstone and checks in at FL 260...235.625 (This guy could almost walk faster to Pope...not sure what he's flying but it's slow)
1444: ROCKET 204 cleared down to FL 200...235.625
1447: ROCKET 204 cleared direct Pope...requests to be off freq for two minutes for ????....235.625
Now 1500 and he hasn't come back yet to 235.625...or he did but is now too low and weak to be heard.

1440: REACH 375 (KC-135R, 57-1512, 756th ARS Andrews) climbing out from Andrews...w/TRACON...125.65
1444: REACH 375 reports airborne at 40 after the hour....378.1
Don't see too many REACH missions flown by the Andrews KC-135s. But...follow the story beginning at 1510 below.
1450: REACH 284T (probably C-17A, 97-0045, 437th AW Charleston) landing at Andrews w/Tower...118.4

1503: GATOR 21 (unknown) with TRACON...257.2
So many units use the GATOR callsign so it's difficult to pin it down unless he gives type.
1503: GATOR 21 handed off to ZDC-Montebello...tries to check in, no joy...284.7
1504: GATOR 21 back to 257.2 to get a new freq...sent to ZDC-Azalea where he checks in at FL 230...cleared to 240...263.1
1512: GATOR 21 handed off to 370.35...by the time I got there he had already checked in apparently. (not sure who that freq belongs to)

1510: That KC-135R (57-1512) from Andrews that took off a bit ago at 1440 as REACH 375 is having some kind of problem...says he's going to hold at 10,000 feet and try to figure out the problem...378.1
1514: REACH 375 (starts to ID as DEECEE...then as REACH 357 and finally as 375) asks LIBERATOR for Colonel _____ on a patch...378.1
1518: REACH 375 gets the Colonel on the line...says they aren't pressurized (or 'something' isn't pressurized)...in view of the 11 hour flight to Turkey in the heat, should they return and get it fixed. Want to know how important this flight is....apparently he asked them to try something and they said they would...378.1 (Could hear the Colonel when he said hello to the guys aboard the plane and then he went silent but they could still hear him)
1526: REACH 375 talking to Command Post about once the decision is made to come back to Andrews to fix the problem, they'll rearange the schedules....378.1
1528: REACH 375 to TRACON...report at 10,000 feet...125/25 radial from Andrews....say Nottingham is okay...say it'll be about 1/2 hour for now but their commanders are making the decision...cleared down to 6000 feet...128.35
1531: REACH 375 cleared to Nottingham and the 180 degree radial to fly 10 mile legs at 6000 feet...128.35
1535: Maintaining a sense of humor...apparently asked where they're going to land....REACH 375 says, "At Andrews since that's our home base."...said with a chuckle...128.35
1537: REACH 375 reports established in the assigned pattern...128.35
1547: REACH 375...."Can anybody hear REACH 375?"....378.1 (Well, I can.)
1550: REACH 375 calling LIBERATOR...then transmits in the blind wanting to know result of conference (deciding whether to bring them home or not)...378.1
1552: REACH 375 calling LIBERATOR again...apparently no answer to their last transmission....378.1
1553: REACH 375 to LIBERATOR on another radio...says squeal is gone...want to know if they were able to get ahold of Colonel M_______....say that they don't feel comfortable heading off for an 11 hour flight with the problem they've got...they ask LIBERATOR to put them in the loop with Colonel M____ since they believe AMC will give them clearance to go back to base (or words to that effect)...378.1
1557: REACH 375 asking TRACON for 20 more minutes...128.35
1604: REACH 375 gets traffic point out from TRACON...128.35
1605: REACH 375 to LIBERATOR...says, "Thank you very much!" (apparently got clearance to return to base)...378.1
1606: REACH 375 tells LIBERATOR they'll adjust gross weight...tell them to get the spare ready, they'll get it fixed up and be ready to go (talking about the spare jet, not spare parts)....378.1
1607: REACH 375 requesting holding at the Andrews 125/25 at 10000 feet to adjust gross weight...it won't take more than about 15 minutes (holding)...say they're going back to get another jet...this one won't make the ocean crossing...say that's the only way they can do it...128.35
1614: REACH 375 to LIBERATOR...say, "Unable to do that because of gas, won't have enough to get over."...say they're at about their gross weight adjustment point...it will take about 7 minutes to do that...378.1
1617: REACH 375 sounds like they're in a phone patch...talking to Mark but say he's breaking up...lots of squeals...378.1
1618: REACH 375 to LIBERATOR...they say someone can go to Ops and get on 351.2 and talk to them there....378.1 (Monitoring 351.2 in case they do)
1618: REACH 375 to TRACON reporting at the Andrews 125/25 holding at 10,000 feet...128.35
1620: REACH 375 calling Mark...x2, no joy...351.2
1621: REACH 375..."Mark, are you up on 351.2?"
1621: REACH 375 tells LIBERATOR there's no Mark on 351.2....378.1
1622: REACH 375...."Sir, we couldn't reach Mark on 351.2"....378.1
1623: "TIGER Ops, this is REACH 375, how do you copy?"...."got you 5x5"...351.2
1624: REACH 375..."It was not an APU problem...we'll need about 5 more minutes here and then we'll be ready to land...as long as there's people there to help us, it won't take long...thanks for all the hard work Mark."....351.2
It's going to be a very long day for this crew. They are about two hours into their flight, have not left the area, still have to bring this jet back to Andrews, change over to the new jet and then still make an 11 hour flight to Turkey.
1631: REACH 375 cleared to 5000 feet...128.35
1636: REACH 375 reports airport in sight and can accept visual...."thanks very much for all the help"...cleared to tower....128.35
1637: "Andrews Tower, this is REACH 375 downwind, visual for runway 19 Left...cleared to land, we do have the gear down"...118.4
And so the saga of flight REACH 375 comes to an end. I'll look for their takeoff in the new jet - if I'm still around the radios.


1534: (and repeated at 1540 and 1541) REACH 66163 (C-17A, 06-6163, 60th AMW Travis) arriving Andrews...23 litter patients, 28 ambulatory patients plus they have a D/V A-3 plus 4 on board, request Customs and Ag...need parking...378.1
1538: REACH 6157 (C-17A, 06-6157, 60th AMW Travis) arriving Andrews...15 minutes out, no cargo, 15 pax, A-1, need parking...378.1
1550: REACH 277 (C-17A, 06-6156, 60th AMW Travis) in area w/ZDC
1555: REACH 6157 w/ADW Tower for landing....118.4
1556: EVAC 66163 to SAM Command...wants to make sure they have transportation for their D/Vs...378.1
1600: EVAC 66163 w/TRACON...128.35
1602: EVAC 66163 to Andrews Tower..."7 out, ILS 19L, gear down, full stop"....cleared to land runway 19L...118.4
1643: No callsign heard but aircraft calls Norfolk CP...IDs as a Navy C-130 about 25 minutes out (from where?) coming in to pick up 4 pallets and 22 passengers...says he needs about 32K fuel and wants to know if they have lav service for C-130, says he understands they don't....349.5
I think this might be a KC-130T, BuNo 164993 from VR-64 that's going through this area and should be going into Chambers Field in Norfolk.




Had a Canadian Air Force CC-150 (tail 15003, 437 Squadron) in the area around 1400.
Around 1100 had ASCOT 5521 (C-130/C3, tail XV303, Lyneham Training Wing) in the area.
Late 1600 hour had a Polish Air Force TU-154 (tail 102) into the area. Missed his destination.

 

[Mark]

Caught some of that REACH 375 on tape... Not a good day for them..
Heard him also mention heading for fuel dump area early in this emergency.

Earlier at 1242 had a POISON 62 self id as single T-38 with Langley looking to stop
there for gas and go.
Guess he needed some gas to get back to Columbus AFB in Mississippi.

Mark