1929: RAMRODs seem to be back in the CAP...260.9
1929: RAMRODs 55/56 checking in with Potomac...350.25
1929: RAMROD 55/56 checking into Guard Dog w/HUNTRESS...260.9
1931: RAMROD 55/56 perform Alpha check to bullseye to make sure their datalink is working and in synch...say they understand TANKER 13 is not on station yet...260.9
So, what happened to TANKER 12?
1932: RAMROD 55 reports they both have NVG capability and are okay on the FIDL (datalink)
1934: RAMRODs are established in the CAP...awaiting the tanker...giving PIREP to HUNTRESS...says it's about 50% clear.
1943: TANKER 13 calls HUNTRESS to report he's at FL 250 and 15 minutes out from the Guard Dog CAP area...260.9
I thought with an 8 hour CAP day today, they'd only have two shifts. The fact that TANKER 13 is on the way in indicates there were 3 tankers scheduled for today and that TANKER 12 simply missed his turn during the suspension of the CAP for the thunderstorm activity.
1953: TANKER 13 is moving into the area...it's a KC-135R, tail 58-0045, 171st ARW PA-ANG Pittsburgh at FL 250....female talking to Potomac...135.525
1956: TANKER 13 checking into Guard Dog area with HUNTRESS at FL 250...HUNTRESS sends them to FL 240...260.9
1957: RAMROD 55 sends 56 to the tanker...55 will take the north part of the CAP while 56 is off station...260.9
They are using primary freq 260.9 as a boom freq.
2009: RAMROD 56 completes his refueling...they must have been talking on boom intercom...nothing on the radio during the AR...260.9
2010: RAMROD 55 goes to the tanker...fills up....goes back to the CAP at 2023 and they're all settled into their routines for the rest of the evening...260.9
2024: Apparently, the datalink w/HUNTRESS is not working so the fighters are going to set up their own Zulu minus 10 minute net between themselves so they can see each other in the net...HUNTRESS wants them to try to enter the regular Zulu net though so they're trying to do that...260.9
2032: RAMROD 55 tells HUNTRESS that the primary net is not working, again requests to set up their own Z-minus-10 net so they can see each other...said they used it on the way to the CAP and it was working...HUNTRESS approves and they set up the net for themselves...260.9
2035: RAMROD 55 reports timber sweet on the Z-10 net...260.9
2036: And RAMROD 56 reports FIDL sweet...RAMROD 55 tells HUNTRESS they're up sweet on Zulu minus 10...260.9
2121: RAMROD 55 tells TANKER 13 they're about 10 minutes from the next AR...260.9
2124: RAMROD 56 cleared to the tanker (short 10 minutes) and all of a sudden HUNTRESS is loud and clear - from nothing to 5x5 in one transmission - must have changed transmitting antenna...260.9
2131: RAMROD 56 wants a topoff of about 14,000 pounds and TANKER 13 starts making noises about how he's going to have to watch his fuel remainder...same old story every time they use gas guzzling F-15s in the CAP...13 asks if they're going to need more fuel after this topoff...affirmative is the reply...260.9 (They either need to cut the KC-135 station time to three hours or start using KC-10A tankers for this mission when they use F-15s.)
22136: RAMROD 56 done tanking, reports back in the CAP, and 55 heads off for fuel...he tells the tanker he's going to need about 14K...he wants to know how much gas TANKER 13 will have left after that...TANKER says that after giving 14K, he's going to only have 4,000 pounds to give - almost bingo...260.9
Not hearing HUNTRESS any longer...must have changed back to the original antenna.
2147: TANKER 13 tells RAMROD 55 he's bingo...he repeats that message to HUNTRESS saying the RAMRODS took 14K more than expected...says if he leaves right now he'll get home on fumes...he's cleared to RTB...260.9
2149: TANKER 13 tells RAMROD 56 he does have about 2K to give...56 is going to take it to make him even with 55 on the gas situation...TANKER 13 tells HUNTRESS he has 24.5K on board right now, after giving 56 the 2K, he'll have 22.5K...(I don't remember the minimum a KC-135R is supposed to have to reach homeplate and/or his alternate field but he's got to be at it or just below it after giving this 2k)...260.9
2158: TANKER 13 tells HUNTRESS he needs immediate RTB...says he was scheduled to give 44,000 pounds but gave 59,500 pounds to the fighters...he's cleared out...260.9
2158: TANKER 13 [female] to Potomac to pick up a clearance back to Pittsburgh...reports FL 240...135.525
2159: RAMROD 55/56 chat about fuel remainders and how to make the two hour remaining VOL...mention they'll need 10K in their tanks when they leave for home (you know they're going to be short before the end of the CAP)....260.9
2200: TANKER 13 cleared direct Indianhead at FL 240...135.525
2201: TANKER 13 handed off to ZDC-Hagerstown and checks in there...134.15
2204: TANKER 13 given a new squawk of 0540 and flashes it...134.15
2217: TANKER 13 to STEEL Control...about 20 minutes out, A-1, landing with 10,000 pounds of fuel, looking for parking...311.0
2228: HUNTRESS asks RAMROD 55 how much fuel they took so far...55/56 discuss it...55 tells HUNTRESS they took about 60,000 pounds (but TANKER 13 already told HUNTRESS he offloaded 59,500 pounds--guess HUNTRESS didn't believe it)...260.9
Whoever scheduled the tankers for the past two CAP missions didn't do his homework. It looks like the tankers were planned for F-16 offloads rather than F-15s.
2259: RAMROD 55/56 check fuel remainders and then notify HUNTRESS that "Even though the tanker left, we'll have enough fuel to complete the last hour of the VOL."...260.9
2353: HUNTRESS tells RAMRODs they can start working clearance to RTB...260.9
2353: RAMROD 55 to Potomac for clearance back to Seymour Johnson...says they'll be in non-standard formation...cleared Nottingham, Tar River, Eagle...request FL 210 because of the weather...350.25
2357: HUNTRESS tells RAMROD 55 they're cleared to RTB..."work your clearance and monitor this frequency"...260.9
2357: RAMROD 55 to Potomac (before HUNTRESS even stops talking) to get their clearance...350.25
0002: RAMROD 55/56 handed off by Potomac to ZDC-Calvert and they check in there as a flight of two non-standard...281.4
0004: RAMROD 55 to HUNTRESS reporting at the southern border of the MOA...no reply from HUNTRESS...260.9
0005: RAMROD 55 tells 56 to "Push common AUX" and they come up on
300.225 and 55 asks 56 if he had enough fun tonight...."Nahhh," is the reply from 56.
So, it used to be 2300 when they suspended the CAP overnight, then it was 2315 and 2330 and now it's midnight.
TANKER 11--KC-135R, 62-3512, 126th ARS/128th ARW WI-ANG Milwaukee
TANKER 12--Not used.
TANKER 13--KC-135R, 58-0045, 171st ARW PA-ANG Pittsburgh
RAMROD 53/54 55/56--F-15s, 4th Fighter Wing, Seymour Johnson AFB NC
Previous times I've logged the 58-0045 PA-ANG tanker:
2007-07-17...11:44:36.....STEEL71
2007-05-29...12:18:23.....STEEL62
2007-04-01...10:26:08.....TANKER18
And only once before have I logged the 62-3512 WI-ANG tanker:
2007-05-26...08:45:28.....TANKER14
But my logging system has only been in place for a few months.
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2023: BOXER 919 (C-40C, 02-0202, 201st AS DC-ANG Andrews) with TRACON working in the pattern at Andrews.
Not much flying tonight - I guess because of the t-storms in the area. Two or three heard overhead the area...
....2026: C-9C, 73-1683, 73rd Airlift Squadron AFRC Scott AFB IL (departed Andrews)
....2040: C-5B, 87-0043, 436th Airlift Wing Dover AFB DE (REACH 879?)
....2046: C-17A, 93-0604, 437th Airlift Wing Charleston AFB SC (REACH 3604)
And I guess I forgot to mention the E-6B, 163920, came back to Pax in the 1900 hour. I thought he was going home when he left this afternoon since he was headed west across Virginia but he must have flown a mission instead. He did some loops around the Pax area before putting it on the tarmac upon his return.
Mark said:
2030 local.. Awsome light show of T-Storm clearing my area now.Power out as usual but backup Propane Gen working fine.
A must have out in the country.
2102 TEAM 58 McGuire KC-10 reports airborn on their normally A/A 139.875.CP 319.400 still down?
You got a cell a couple of hours after one hit my area. I saw yours on radar. It looked wicked. I lost power for about 5 seconds immediately after a lightning bolt hit about 500 feet away from me but it came right back on. Only got about 10 minutes of hard rain here but needed it badly even though most of it just washed off.
the 319.4 freq seems to be working today. I've only heard a couple of calls on it but they went through.
The McChord AFB Rodeo is just done and Red Flag Nellis starts getting aircraft in next week.
Confirm RODEO 37 as a C-20 in USA c/s, the EA-6s at 1905 were a flight of 3, coming over Dulles just ahead of WOODEN 24 at 1908 and WOODEN 23 at 1909. 24 was at a bad angle, but 23 was trailing a drogue behind the boom. (Didn't hear the EA-6, but all others were 119.85 to 119.3)
