Sticky Thread for MilAir II

[TinEar]

1024 - 1028 -- flight of two working Montebello > Brooke, one's a female. Then showed up on 350.25 calling center. Interflight of 141.75 then active with the female being directed to contact Lessburg radio to find out the center freq for the area.

That's a FAST 71 flight of F-16s from NY-ANG Syracuse that got lost on the freqs when Montebello wouldn't answer them. The flight leader added to the confusion when he decided they'd call on 235.65. He almost got it right and I'm sure he was trying to remember 235.625 (ZDC-Blackstone).

At the same time, there's a FAST 81 flight of two F-16s heading back to Syracuse. Their interflight is 138.175. They've come up through the ZDC freqs and into ZNY. At 1040, they are with ZNY-Milton 269.1 beginning a descent from FL 270 to 230 which probably puts their next stop on ZNY-Binghamton 372.0. (This should be the flight you heard yesterday on 138.3 going down to Avon Park.)

I was surprised also to hear that EVAC Load message also.Maybe they got pressed
as last minute tail swap so rather than file new flight plan they stuck with that callsign.
Checking past posts of this aircraft and I had it back in January and March of this year
it was also REACH 9743.
The only reason I can figure history of that tail callsign is that there is also a C-5 from Dover 87-0043 that uses REACH 7043 from time to time so maybe to avoid confusion in Air Force computer system that particular C-17 uses 9743.

I guess that's possible Mark but it wouldn't make any difference in the Air Force computers since they list all the info, including the full serial, and don't depend on the callsign for identification. Everything is spelled out for them including departure/arrival points and the full flight info. The only people to get confused by a callsign are listeners like us that take our IDs anyway we can find them.

Edit: When I wrote the above I couldn't get my database to open, but now that it's working again, I see that aircraft did use REACH 7043 as recently as July 25th. Here's where it's interesting...he used 7043 on March 13th and 18th and 9743 in between on the 15th and 16th. I also have him using both in February. He's got a split personality.

 

[freqhopping]

GUNNY and SCARY flights heading to Pax. 139.15 and 143.6 for air>air.
1644- HARASS flight up too, on 360.15 and ZDC-Cape Charles 257.7
1650- HARASS-35 calling 1st FW SOF 383.2
1709- BULLY flight on 143.15

 

[TinEar]

In addition to those other DC-ANG F-16 flights, BRAVE 61 & 62 left Andrews about 1716 on HUNTRESS freq 139.7 for interflight...348.725 TRACON Departure, ZDC-Calvert 281.4, Patuxent Check-In 305.2 for R-4006, BayWatch 354.8. They say they'll be working autonomously from all the other flights. They then contact HUNTRESS on 139.7 to begin their work. It'll be practice intercepts, the first being a head to tail and then a headbutt.

Hearing the HARASS F-15s going to and coming from the CAP at Kennebunkport. Hearing them as far as ZBW-Hampton 299.7 and then they get out of range by the next handoff.

BULLY/GUNNY/SCARY flights all landed back at Andrews by 1800...the BRAVE 61/62 flight still in practice intercepts down in Pax controlled area R-4006.

1806: REACH 1819 (C-17A, 02-1099, 437th AW Charleston) to SAM Command...IDs as a C-17A, ETA 25 minutes, 3 pax to download, A-1, need parking, crew transportation and approximately 150,000 pounds of fuel...negative seat release...378.1
1814: BRAVE 61 to CAPITOL reports 10 minutes out, both Code 1...139.7
1816: BRAVE 61 reports in the overhead to runway 1L...to TRACON ADW Approach...335.5
1817: BRAVE 62 cleared direct Nottingham (to do the usual extended stay for 15-20 minutes after one of them lands)..62 will be assigned separate squawk...gets 0417...335.5
1819: BRAVE 61 reports Andrews in sight...335.5
1819: BRAVE 61 to ADW Tower for landing 1L...349.0
1820: HARASS 33 with ZDC-Salisbury...257.7
1821: BRAVE 61 tells ADW Tower that BRAVE 62 is holding at Nottingham until 61 can get back on status...349.0
Aha! That explains why they do this. BRAVE 61/62 are the standby pair on response status. If they both landed at once, there would be no one to immediately respond to a threat.
1822: DRAGO 51 flight with TRACON requesting to go to Nottingham at 3000 feet for a flyover (ballgame?)...335.5 (Just remembered...soccer match this evening w/Beckham against DC United...gee, I guess that deserves a flyby, huh? Posh would piss her knickers if they weren't given that honor.)
1824: DRAGO 51 tells TRACON the TOT (Time On Target) time is scheduled for 1857:20 local (he first said 1957:20)...335.5
1827: DRAGO 51 handed off to Andrews Radar F - the ground station that controls these flybys...279.575
1829: HARASS 33 with Norfolk TRACON...descending to 5,000 feet...370.925
1831: PAT 24 (helo) getting weather for several spots around the area from FSS Elkins Radio as he makes his way to Davison AAF...believe he said he left McGuire...255.4
1834: BRAVE 62 to TRACON to say he's ready to RTB Andrews...requesting overhead to 1L...335.5
1835: BRAVE 62 with ADW Tower for landing...349.0
1837: DRAGO 51 asking for vectors to the overhead at Andrews (I guess he means after the flyby)...279.575
1838: BRAVE 62 reports, "Base, gear, stop, left"...349.0
1841: DRAGO 51 requesting 300 knots ground speed...gets his flight route back to Andrews after the flyby...279.575
1844: EVERGREEN 1203 reports inbound at this time to Dover CP..."Correct, there's seven" (crew?)...134.1
EVERGREEN 1203 is flight EIA 1203, a 747-200 that's coming in from Ramstein Air Base, Germany (ETAR)
1845: DRAGO 51 reports a new TOT of 1856...279.575
1852: DRAGO 51 reports departing the IP in about 20 seconds for the TOT hard time of 1856...279.575
1853: DRAGO 51 (different speaker than on the other freq) to Andrews Tower reports as a flight of two Super Hornets that will be overhead in about 1 minute...349.0 (have been searching but haven't found an interflight freq for them...thought it was a single ship)
1857: DRAGO 51 completes flyby and is climbing...turning right to 130...has the field in sight...initial for runway 1L...leaving 3000 for 2000 and switching to tower...279.575
1859: DRAGO 51 to ADW Tower, flight of two, five miles northeast for the overhead...349.0 (They sure don't sound like fighters but I can't argue with their own ID as Super Hornets)

1901: DRAGO 51...very weak transmission as they land at Andrews...349.0
1904: EVERGREEN 1203 Heavy to Dover Tower for landing...126.35

End. Time for dinner. And radar tells me I'm about to get slammed again with a thunderstorm in a few minutes. Time to unplug.

 

[freqhopping]

HARASS-51 heading back to Langley. First heard with ZDC 256.8
Then with Langley ops reporting four code 2 issues- exterior lighting, weather radar, inlet ice and something else.\
1548- STEALTH-81 with ZDC-Irons
1552- STEALTH-81 to Norfolk App 360.6 heading to Langley.
1611- CAT-606 looking for ILS 1L at ADW. 343.775

1835- CAP flight 3733 calling any other CAP flight on 148.15

 

[TinEar]

Gone for a good chunk of the day but I few things I did manage to hear while in and out...

HARASS 45/46 flight returning from the Kennebunkport (Lobster) CAP this morning. Picked them up on ZBW-Hampton 299.7 > ZDC-Sea Isle 281.45 > ZDC-Salsibury 257.7, then to "5 Prime" which is Norfolk TRACON 370.925 and descending into Langley.

HARASS 51 flight going north in the late 1600 - early 1700 hour with basically the same route...Norfolk 370.925 >ZDC-Cape Charles 256.8 >ZDC-Salisbury 257.7 >ZDC-Sea Isle 281.45 >ZBW-Hampton 299.7 and fades by next handoff.

Mid 1000 hour had a TEAM 50 (79-1949) and TEAM 51 (85-0032) McGuire KC-10As doing AR training with each other on interplane 139.875 and practicing hand signals - "anything except emergency breakaway" was the request from 50 [female] to 51. Also heard TEAM 51 with McGuire CP on 319.4 asking about the status of the FAST 61-64 flight (F-16s NY-ANG). He didn't repeat the reply from the ground controller.

DC 51 and DC 52 KC-135R tankers off from Andrews late in the 1000 hour and gave LIBERATOR their takeoff times and said they'd be in the pattern at Andrews for 2 1/2 hours. (Wow...talk about boring training flights!)

About 1120, German Air Force 341 Heavy (A-310, 10+22) took off from Dulles, headed east and got as far as Maryland's Eastern Shore and turned around and went back to Dulles. I never heard him mention the reason for the return- whether it was mechanical or something else. Heard him on TRACON freqs - 126.55 early and then the last two were 124.65 and 125.8 on the way back in.
He climbed out of Dulles again around 1350 and really did leave this time.

Other Foreign Flags:
0939: Egyptian Air Force C-130H (1293/SU-BKS)
1328: Algerian Government Gulfstream 4 (7T-VPS)
1329: Qatar Government A-340, AMIRY 3 (A7-HKK)

A couple of the new Dover C-17As up in the 1100 hour - ROYAL 40 (06-6166) and RIDER 44 (06-6167)

At 1215, E-6B, 163920 from VQ-3 took off from Patuxent to the south and then made a right turn to a westerly course and flew out of range.

I also remember hearing a RAVEN 1 flight of A-10s from Martin State early in the 1500 hour working with Harrisburg A/D on 281.525 heading for "5802" (R-5802, Bollen Range at the Kiowa MOA).

Had several C-130 flights into/out of Andrews today. The only one of interest - to me - was a C-130H, tail 80-0324 from the Alaskan Air National Guard. Don't hear too many of those in this area. Oh yeah, a C-130H from the OK-ANG, tail 78-0808 (SOONER 81) was also here. A few KC-135 and KC-10A along with C-17A types were heard but not a single C-5 although I was only around the radios for an hour or two today. LBEs were abundant - as always - chewing through our tax dollars with gusto.

 

[TinEar]

2053: BLACKJACK 1 and 2 (USCG HH-65) on HUNTRESS freq...139.7
2054: BLACKJACK 1 coordinates workspace with ADW tower...118.4
2055: BLACKJACK 1 and 2 doing practice intercepts...139.7
2056: NAVY RG260 (C-20G, 165152, VR-51) with arrival message to Andrews...approximately 30 minutes out, 5 pax - one is Sgt Major _____...378.1
2058: REACH 352 (C-5A, 70-0467, 56th AS Altus AFB OK) to Dover CP...has 70 pax and needs Hi-Stairs and transportation for them, about 150K gas, should be in the blocks 0120-25Z...has a bad weather radar and automatic pressurization controller...349.4

2111: REACH 9003 (possibly C-5A, 69-0003, 445th AS Wright Patterson) heading into Dover with an in flight emergency (IFE)...wants Dover to contact TACC on SATCOM since they can't do it themselves (SATCOM not working)...she also mentioned something about the number of hours flown in a 24 hour day and will have to RON...349.4
Couldn't determine the nature of the emergency but it might have had something to do with pressurization which is all I could pick out of the static. I put an ID on that aircraft based on the REACH number, equating it to a specific tail number. However, there have been mission numbers in the 9000 range also recently so the ID could be wrong.
Mark, did you hear her and can you add anything to this?
2119: NAVY RG 260 landing at ADW w/Tower...118.4
2139: BLACKJACK 1 and 2 finishing up their work...2 has a landing gear problem that she's going to try to work out...139.7

2209: HARASS 55/56 (F-15 Langley) flight with ZBW-Hampton at FL 280...299.7
2210: HARASS 55 flight handed to ZDC-Sea Isle and checks in at FL 280...281.45
2217: REACH 9002 (C-5A, 69-0002, 68th AS) to Dover for arrival...349.4 (This one is based on tail number)
2221: HARASS 55 flight handed off to Potomac TRACON (Guard Dog controller)...try to check in with Guard Dog...no joy...56 tries and makes contact...350.25
HARASS 55/56 using the standard CAP interflight freq...360.15
2223: HARASS 56 mentions they are cleared back to regular frequency which is 281.45...350.25
2224: HARASS 55 flight handed off to ZDC-Salisbury and check in at FL 280...257.7
2226: HARASS 55/56 cleared to FL 200...257.7
2228: HARASS 56 goes off to fetch the latest Langley ATIS report and comes back and shares the info with 55 on interflight...360.15
2232: HARASS 55/56 to IRON Ops with arrival message....357.1
2233: HARASS 55/56 handed off to "5 Prime"...257.7
2234: HARASS 55/56 to Norfolk TRACON and check in at 17,000 cleared down to 2,000...say they're headed for Langley and have Victor (ATIS) for Langley...370.925 (And that should be the last heard from them as they get too low to remain in listening range.)
2242: Might have been the REACH 9003 again I just heard on Dover's 134.1 (partially blocked by noise...I've got a local cab company that cranks up their modulation and occasionally blocks all freqs when they do that. It seems when they can't reach a particular driver, they crank the volume. I want to call in an airstrike on them.)

At just about 2100, there was a JENA 101 [female], a Cessna 206 FBI aircraft, registration N831EM, flying around the DC area. She said she was going back to Manassas. I keep hearing these JENA aircraft say they're going to Manassas but then I keep hearing them take off from BWI the next day. Strange, no? I know they wouldn't (couldn't) fib to the the TRACON controller about their destination. I haven't been able to figure out the mystery yet.

Ref below: Thanks Mark. Guess I had the basics correct. Glad you could confirm the REACH 9003 did equate to 69-0003. I heard the 69-0002 also, wrote it on my notepad and forgot to log it here. Just went back and did that.

 

[Mark]

2111: REACH 9003 (possibly C-5A, 69-0003, 445th AS Wright Patterson) heading into Dover with an in flight emergency (IFE)...wants Dover to contact TACC on SATCOM since they can't do it themselves (SATCOM not working)...she also mentioned something about the number of hours flown in a 24 hour day and will have to RON...349.4
Couldn't determine the nature of the emergency but it might have had something to do with pressurization which is all I could pick out of the static. I put an ID on that aircraft based on the REACH number, equating it to a specific tail number. However, there have been mission numbers in the 9000 range also recently so the ID could be wrong.
Mark, did you hear her and can you add anything to this?

Rgr TIN heard on tape was C-5A #69-0003 WP and rtb Dover after Dover departure to overseas
after left side cockpit window visor seal leak caused depressurization.
Mentioned crew duty rest for 24 hours if they couldn't quick fix.
Sounds like typical weekend C-5A ANG overseas flight derailed from Dover.I catch one-two C-5A inbound/departures almost every Friday evening.
After that REACH 9002 C-5A #69-0002 Kelly AFB relayed into 9003 they were inbound Dover with thrupax and landing now about 0240z.
A couple oldie but goodie C-5A's....Well one needs work tonite...LOL

Mark

 

[mike_s104]

148.15

starting about 13:00 - hearing ICB (think that's what they called themselves) calling Hagerstown base and Cumberland Ground team.

13:52 - ICB Flight 1829 calling Hagerstown again. also heard mention of Annapolis Ground Team is on foot.

14:22 - heard flight 1827

 

[TinEar]

148.15

starting about 13:00 - hearing ICB (think that's what they called themselves) calling Hagerstown base and Cumberland Ground team.

13:52 - ICB Flight 1829 calling Hagerstown again. also heard mention of Annapolis Ground Team is on foot.

14:22 - heard flight 1827

I haven't heard anyone ID as ICB but have heard a couple identify themselves as CAP Flights 1827 and 1828 (Civil Air Patrol) on both 148.15 and 149.5375 freqs over the course of the afternoon. I didn't pay much attention to their traffic but thought they were on an ELT hunt for practice as they often do.
********************************************************************************

Short Format Log of MilAir Today (Seemed to be a very quiet day but I was in and out all day)
Type, Tail Number, Unit (Callsign only where it was something not expected)

0900 Hour:
C-130H, 93-1561, 156th AS NC-ANG (EPIC 61)
C-20B, 86-0206, 99th AS
KC-135R, 63-8008, 351st ARS USAFE (CACTI 41)
C-130J, 06-1437, 143rd AS RI-ANG
C-17A, 01-0197, 437th AS Charleston
C-17A, 97-0043, 437th AS Charleston (REACH 316T)

1000 Hour:
C-9B, 159118, VR-56 NAS Oceana
C-9B, 160051, VR-52 Willow Grove
C-130H, 85-0039, 357th AS Maxwell
C-17A, 04-4138, 729th AS March (EVAC 44138)
C-9B, 160049, VR-52 Willow Grove
C-130H, 85-0036, 357th AS Maxwell
C-37A, 97-0401, 99th AS Andrews
C-130H, 78-0808, 185th AS OK-ANG (SOONER)
C-12R, 92-3329, 228th Aviation Regiment
UC-35D, 166474, MAW-4

1100 Hour:
C-40C, 02-0202, 201st AS DC-ANG
C-130H, 80-0324, 144th AS AK-ANG (DAWG)
C-17A, 01-0197, 437th AW Charleston (REACH 805J)
C-5B, 85-0003, 436th AW Dover
UC-35D, 166767, VMR-2 MCAS Miramar
T-1A, 91-0084, 32nd FTS

1200 Hour:
C-20E, 87-0140, OSACOM
C-130J, 97-1353, 135th AS MD-ANG
C-20G, 165152, VR-51 Hawaii

1300 Hour:
C-130J, 06-1437, 143rd AS RI-ANG
UC-35B, 00-1052, PAT
E-6B, 164404, VQ-4
C-130H, CH-11, 20 Squadron (Belgian Air Force)
C-21A, 84-0075, 457th AS Andrews

1400 Hour:
C-17A, 00-0178, 62nd AW McChord
C-130H, 86-0410, 758th AS AFRC Pittsburgh

1500 Hour:
C-9C, 73-1683, 73rd AS AFRC Scott
C-37B, 166377, VR-1 Andrews
C-5A, 69-0009, 105th AW NY-ANG
C-20B, 86-0206, 99th AS Andrews

1600 Hour:
C-130H, 80-0324, 144th AS AK-ANG
KC-130T, 164441, VMGR-452 Stewart ANGB NY
C-17A, 93-0600, 62nd AW McChord (REACH 314T)
C-17A, 04-4128, 6th AS McGuire

1700 Hour:
KC-10A, 86-0031, 6th ARS/60th AMW Travis
C-37A, 02-1863, PAT
C-130J, 05-1435, 143rd AS RI-ANG

1800 Hour:
C-37B, 166378, VR-1 (inbound ADW)
C-21A, 84-0075, 457th As Andrews
KC-130T, 164441, VMGR-452 Stewart ANGB NY
C-37B, 166378, VR-1 (outbound after only 15 minutes on the ground)

1900 Hour:
KC-10A, 87-0124, 305th AMW McGuire
KC-10A, 79-1949, 305th AMW McGuire

2000 hour:
T-1A, 92-0348, 86th FTS/47th FTW Laughlin AFB
C-17A, 04-4129, 305 AMW McGuire AFB
C-37B, 166378, VR-1 Andrews (MARINE 200)
C-5B, 86-0011, 436th AW Dover AFB

 

[mike_s104]

I haven't heard anyone ID as ICB but have heard a couple identify themselves as CAP Flights 1827 and 1828 (Civil Air Patrol) on both 148.15 and 149.5375 freqs over the course of the afternoon. I didn't pay much attention to their traffic but thought they were on an ELT hunt for practice as they often do.
********************************************************************************

I swear it was ICB, but some transmissions were very faint. I did hear others ID with CAP. and yes, they were doing practice.

 

[BM82557]

Activity 08122007

0905 - someone was active on 360.15. In transit to/from Kennebunkport?

 

[freqhopping]

CAPITOL-91 Inbound with ZDC-Casanova 282.2
1536- To approach 270.275, no joy on 335.5

 

[Mark]

2109z THUNDERBIRD 8 with Atlantic City appch 327.125 going up the Shorline
and arrival Atlantic City.
T-Birds doing annual midweek A/C Airshow this coming weds.

Mark

 

[wildbillx]

I will be at the airshow wed. if anyone has any freqs. post them.

 

[ka3jjz]

Here are the TBird frequencies from the recent MT article - just change the extension to .csv and you may be able to import the freqs, depending on what software you are using 73s Mike

 

[Mark]

AC show scheduled lineup though if like last year when I went it is subject to changes.
Check MT website for various Fighter demo freqs.
I heard traffic last year on
327.125 AC appch.
285.400 ZDC Sea Isle
239.000 AC Tower.
363.800 McGuire appch
319.400 McGuire CP
303.000 McGuire ANG KC-135 Ops
139.000-143.000 search AM range for A/A for A/C 177th F-16's.

Coast Guard freqs VHF band.They use a Tow Boat USA for Show Center off the boardwalk.
Practice is scheduled for Tuesday so good time to get some info...
Tough show to get good pictures as usually hazy sunshine in your face and aircraft are in it
unless you are a ways offshore on a boat.

U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds
U.S. Army Golden Knights parachute team
177th Fighter Wing
N.J. Air National Guard (4-ship flyby)
U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle Demo Team
U.S. Air Force F-16CJ Falcon Demo Team
United States Coast Guard Search & Rescue Demonstration
U.S. Navy, F/A-18C Hornet Demonstration
U.S. Air Force Heritage Flight (F-16 & P-51)
William J. Hughes FAA Technical Center aircraft flybys
World-class civilian aerobatics and much more

Mark

 

[ka3jjz]

I have practically the entire article dumped into an Excel spreadsheet - anyone wants a copy please send me an email at ka3jjz@NOSPAM.netscape.com (remove the NOSPAM to use)

73s Mike

 

[Mark]

Some Airshow players heard today into Atlantic City..All heard on 327.125

THUNDERBIRD 1 flight of 6 heard arriving 1720z
VIPER 01 F-16 demo heard at 1728z
ROMAN 95 F/18 Hornet Demo at 1825z.ROMAN asks for Airboss freq and repeats 327.120 then
asks for VHF Air Boss but nothing heard after that.

Also earlier this afternoon eyeballed 2 MH-53E "Hustlers from Willow Grove NAS HMH-772 headed Southeast towards Del Bay
or New Jersey.Callsign heard on Wilmington Tower 126.000 was HUSTLER 403 clearing your airspace.
Impressive in flight those monstrous Choppers.

Mark

 

[TinEar]

Some Airshow players heard today into Atlantic City..All heard on 327.125

THUNDERBIRD 1 flight of 6 heard arriving 1720z
VIPER 01 F-16 demo heard at 1728z
ROMAN 95 F/18 Hornet Demo at 1825z.ROMAN asks for Airboss freq and repeats 327.120 then
asks for VHF Air Boss but nothing heard after that.

Mark

Heard those very same guys Mark. TBirds used 138.15 for interflight all the way...picked them up with ZNY-Modena 335.6 > ZDC-Potomac 307.25 > ZDC-Casino 285.4 > 327.125 ACY Approach. VIPER 01 heard only with ACY Approach 327.125 and ROMAN 95 with ZDC-Casino 285.4 and then ACY 327.125. (He was just repeating his handoff freq when he mentioned 327.12.) I parked radios on the ACY 327.125/124.6 approach freqs after hearing those few but never heard anyone else so stopped monitoring them. Heard several THUG C-17s with ACY but not part of the show.

 

[dparana]

Caught the T-Birds on their way from Niagara Falls to Atlantic City as follows:
ZOB-Dunkirk 263.1 > ZOB-Wayland 338.35 > ZOB-Altoona 299.20 > ZNY-North Mountain 269.1 and at the time they were using the 141.85 interflight Freq.

Dave