Sticky Thread for MilAir II

[TinEar]

I am over on the Eastern Shore on Tilghman Island. Around 1230 I had several fly overs of 5 fighter jet groups. They were low and fairly fast. I turned on my scanner but was unable to hear any chatter referring to them. I was wondering is anyone had any ideas as to who they were and what they were doing.

See the log right above your question for the LION 11 flight. It was doing the flyby of the Naval Academy stadium for the football game. They got to Annapolis about an hour before the game, did a practice pass and then just hung out around the area until game time, did the flyby and went back to Andrews. They were F/A-18s.

Alan

 

[amickey1979]

You know as soon as I posted this I saw something about the Navy Game and I figured it was those guys. I have seen them several times at sporting events. They are pretty impressive.

 

[Mark]

Guess the USAF flybys we heard this week at Annapolis didn't help the Air Force.
The LIONS had the last laugh and last flyby..LOL
Saw some of the game on TV and Air Force was close near end but no cigar.
Looks like once again the Commander in Chief's trophy will once again be Navy's.
Now pronounce the Navy QB's name over and over..

Mark


ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- Playing before a record crowd and with Navy's four-year hold on the Commander-in-Chief's trophy on the line, quarterback Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada stepped up with two fourth-quarter touchdown runs, leading the Midshipmen to a 31-20 win over Air Force on Saturday.

Thanks to Kaheaku-Enhada's runs of 2 and 78 yards, Navy has a leg up in the quest for the trophy, which goes to the winner of the round-robin competition between Navy, Air Force and Army. The Midshipmen (3-2) have won 10 straight games over their fellow service academies

 

[TinEar]

Guess the USAF flybys we heard this week at Annapolis didn't help the Air Force.
The LIONS had the last laugh and last flyby..LOL
Saw some of the game on TV and Air Force was close near end but no cigar.
Looks like once again the Commander in Chief's trophy will once again be Navy's.
Now pronounce the Navy QB's name over and over..

Mark

Yeah but the Air Force did the best sniping with their overflights during Navy's pep rally and noon formations. By the way, the Baltimore Sun had a small story about the Air Force doing those flybys this past week. I was surprised they even found out about them.

 

[TinEar]

It appears the four planeloads of Air Force Cadets are returning to Colorada Springs. All four noted arriving Friday have now departed Andrews today...
1020: SUMMIT 15 (C-130H, 94-7315)
1120: OKIE 42 (KC-135R, missed tail) (Matt, I know you saw him coming into ADW. Tail?)
1140: OKIE 41 (KC-135R, 58-0121)
1206: AUTO 71 (KC-135R, 58-0049)

At least five KC-10A tankers from the 305th AMW at McGuire have been heard flying this morning...unusual for a Sunday...
87-0118
84-0192
79-1947
83-0081
87-0124

Just turned the radios back on and caught a DRAGO 51 flight of four going into Andrews...
1255: DRAGO 51 on interflight freq...143.8
1257: DRAGO 51 IDs as a flight of four...descending...w/TRACON...270.275
1258: DRAGO 51 handed to ADW Tower...check in for landing, full stop for four...349.0
1301: DRAGO 51, "Base, gear, stop, left"...DRAGO 52 with same message...then 53...then 54 and all touch down...349.0
1302: Then along comes DRAGO 55 and 56 to land at Andrews w/Tower...349.0 (I didn't hear these last two anywhere but with Tower. DRAGO 51 flight leader clearly said on two different freqs that he was a flight of four which means those last two were in a separate flight)

1303: HURON 76, flight of two, with ZDC-Salisbury...257.7
HURON 76 is a flight of two A-10s from the 81st Fighter Squadron at Spangdahlem heading for Pope AFB.
1304: HURON 76 handed off to Norfolk TRACON (East) and check in in the block 200-210...370.925
1305: Interflight activity on freq...143.15 (Might be the HURON flight...it is...see 1310 log below)
1309: HURON 76 flight sent to altitude block 180-190...370.925
1309: HURON 76 handed to Norfolk TRACON (West) and check in there in the block 180-190...no joy here...360.6
1310: HURON 76 back to 370.925 where they are told to go to Norfolk TRACON freq 269.425
1310: Flight leader tells wingman to go to 269.425 while on 143.15 proving this is the HURON 76 flight.
1311: HURON 76 asks Norfolk controller to be cleared directly to their destination of KPOB (Pope AFB)...269.425
The KC-10A tanker accompanying this flight should have gone into McGuire but I never heard it. Callsign for that KC-10A was CAFE 26. CAFE is a new tanker callsign for Coronet East flights. Are we finally getting rid of BLUE and GOLD? And, as I've mentioned previously, HURON and TABOR are the new Coronet East callsigns for aircraft other than tankers.
1315: Still hearing the HURON 76 flight on interflight freq but they sure are starting to fade away at this point...143.15

Ref below: Thanks Matt. Are you telling me you can't see tail numbers from a mere 9 miles away? :lol:

 

[Mateo]

1120: OKIE 42 (KC-135R, missed tail) (Matt, I know you saw him coming into ADW. Tail?)

I saw it from DCA, which is approximately 9 miles away. At that range, I could see that it had a tail! Any numbers painted on it, however... The AUTO was the only one who passed a serial in the arrival message.

 

[Mark]

HOIST 90 KC-10 depart McGuire 1446z,"see you in a couple of days". Then heard
trying to call Shaw CP.

1645z COBRA 72 OC-135 arrive Andrews,req customs,power cart.
Euro guys had him taking Russian tour/flight last week.

RANGER 88 KC-130T from VMGR 234 Fort Worth arrive Andrews,will depart at 1800z.
inbound from CYYT tail #QH-3022 so req customs.

Mark

 

[TinEar]

HOIST 90 KC-10 depart McGuire 1446z,"see you in a couple of days". Then heard
trying to call Shaw CP.

1645z COBRA 72 OC-135 arrive Andrews,req customs,power cart.
Euro guys had him taking Russian tour/flight last week.

RANGER 88 KC-130T from VMGR 234 Fort Worth arrive Andrews,will depart at 1800z.
inbound from CYYT tail #QH-3022 so req customs.

Mark

Heard those same guys Mark. I'm fairly sure that HOIST 90 was 79-1947. I picked him up about 4 minutes after your reported departure time.
I also had a KC-135R (58-0075) from Andrews depart as DC 91 and told the controller he'd see them tomorrow. No telling where he's headed but he departed to the west.

That RANGER tanker surprised me. We don't often get VMGR-234 coming into Andrews. His BuNo was 163022 which just happens to fit with the QH-3022. That Navy tail list sure helps to quickly identify these guys.

Have had a bunch of C-130s into the area in the 1400 hour:
C-130J, 99-1433, 143rd AS RI-ANG
C-130H, 86-0412, 758th AS AFRC
C-130H, 78-0813, 185th AS OK-ANG
C-130H, 89-9104, 758th AS AFRC

 

[BM82557]

Activity 09302007

1732 - ongoing -- USAF on vhf guard warning various ac squawking 1200 that they have violated a restricted area -- x4 for Montgomery County Airpark, x1 for Frederick. One transmission for Montgomery County Airpark was a female, the others were male -- 121.5

 

[Mark]

Have had a bunch of C-130s into the area in the 1400 hour:
C-130J, 99-1433, 143rd AS RI-ANG
C-130H, 86-0412, 758th AS AFRC
C-130H, 78-0813, 185th AS OK-ANG
C-130H, 89-9104, 758th AS AFRC

I saw on Philly news that the 913th AW at Willow Grove officially deactivated today
in a ceremony at Willow Grove.
Mentioned C-130's were transfered as well as some personel and many retired.

Mark

 

[jmhayes]

Today it's TORN 81.

BTW, he passed by here coming in from the ocean (and I think stopping at Travis) using TORN 81, too.

 

[TinEar]

BTW, he passed by here coming in from the ocean (and I think stopping at Travis) using TORN 81, too.

Long way from home. These guys don't talk much so it's always difficult to tell where they're going or what they're doing.

Noon: There's a DRAGO flight of probable F-16s orbiting at Nottingham awaiting the time for flyby at Arlington National Cemetery (or somewhere). It appears to be a flight of seven - broken into two flights just as they came into Andrews yesterday. (See log above). DRAGO 51 (4 ship) and DRAGO 55 (3 ship) are reporting as separate flights to DRAGO 2 as they await flyby time. AT 1214 they got a delay in flyby time. It's now set for 1235....279.575
The DRAGOs are using interflight freq 143.8 again, as they did yesterday upon arrival. The only difference was that yesterday I only heard six of them coming into ADW and now there are seven for the flyby.
At 1225, soft time for flyby is changed again to 1242...279.575 (Note that it's still a 'soft' time.)
1239: DRAGO 51 now gets a TOT of 1645Z...279.575 (They're going to run out of fuel if this thing keeps getting delayed.)
1241: DRAGO 53 reports IP inbound...279.575
1242: DRAGO 51 tells flight to make a slight juke to the right...143.8
1243: DRAGO 55 gets climb instructions...279.575
1243: And now there's a DRAGO 58 in the mix...I guess he's with the 55 flight.
1244: DRGO 51 reports out of 3 for 2000 feet...279.575
1244: DRAGO 51 reports "feet wet"....279.575
1245: DRAGO 58 reports down to 2000....279.575
1245: DRAGO 55 reports he and 56 are a single element...279.575
1245: DRAGO 51 reports complete with the flyby in a right hand turn back to Nottingham...279.575
1245: DRAGO 55 requests the option (at ADW I guess)....279.575
1247: DRAGO 57 gets a separate clearance route...279.575 (Thought I heard him saying Oceana was destination. If so, this was multiple types of aircraft)
1247: DRAGO 58 reports field in sight...279.575
1248: DRAGO 58 reports as a single ship to ADw Tower for landing...349.0
1248: DRAGO 55 flight to ADW Tower for the option runway 19L...349.0
I'm going to have to check on the funeral...I don't recall ever hearing an 8 ship flyby flight at Arlington.
1250: DRAGO 57 climbing to FL 180 as he departs the area....279.575
1250: DRAGO 58 cleared to land, gear down...349.0
1250: DRAGO 55 wants one more option and then full stop....349.0
1252: DRAGO 57 handed to ZDC-Calvert where he checks in as a single Hornet heading for Oceana....281.4
1253: DRAGO 51 flight checks in as a 3-ship to ADW Tower for the initial....349.0
1254: DRAGO 55/56 with ADW tower for landing...349.0
1254: DRAGO 57 cleared to Oceana...281.4
1255: DRAGO 53 now with ZDC-Calvert at 14,000 feet (didn't ID himself though)....281.4
1256: DRAGOs (with various numbers) are reporting "base, gear, stop, left" to ADW Tower....349.0
1256: DRAGO 53 also heading for Oceana....281.4
Appears DRAGO 53 and 57 were F/A-18 Hornets from Oceana and are returning there...DRAGO 51/52/54/55/56/58 all are landing at Andrews.
I just checked Arlington's website and there doesn't appear to be anyone on the funeral schedule for today that would warrant an 8-ship flyby and none at that particular time. So, I'm now wondering if this was at Arlington or somewhere else. The multiple airframe types would indicate it was somewhere else.

Late 1100 hour saw a steady stream of aircraft coming into Andrews, including a KC-135R, 58-0001, from the 351st ARS/100th ARW at RAF Mildenhall. Callsign used was QID 99 (Pronounced QUID).
There's also a SWIFT 46 (C-21A, 84-0140) arriving and then doing some pattern work at Andrews. He told Command Post he was coming in to pick up the crew of SWIFT 23 (C-21A, 84-0118) and depart Andrews at 1900Z.
At the same time, there was a NAVY AX-997 (C-130T, 164997, VR-53) doing pattern work. In fact, there were lots of aircraft going 'round and 'round at Andrews, including VENUS 21 (C-20B, 86-0201, 99th AS).

Had another E-6B (162784, VQ-3) depart Patuxent about 1110 and head northeast. I lost him as he was in northeastern New Jersey west of Long Island.

1216: Canadian Air Force CANFORCE flight in the area. It's a CC-150, tail 15003 from 437 Squadron...TRACON
A bit earlier (at 1008), a German Air Force C-160D, tail 50+85, was in the area w/TRACON
1237: BOLAR 70 (C-5B, 87-0027, 436th AW Dover) arriving at Dover...349.4 (He departed DOV about 2 hours ago)

1302-14: REACH 290 (C-17A, 03-3122, 437th AW) calling McGuire Command Post with no joy after many calls...but he's trying on...349.4 (Of course, Dover wouldn't pop in there and tell him to try 319.4)
1305:JOSA 767 (C-21A, 84-0134, 458th AS Scott) reports to ADW he was airborne at 1700Z....378.1
1310: JOSA 066 (C-21A, 84-0192, 457th AS Andrews) reports to ADW he was off the deck at 1703Z...378.1
1317: REACH 290 never reaches McGuire CP but is now with Atlantic City Approach descending to 8000 feet as he heads toward McGuire on the landing approach...124.6
1322: REACH 290 finally changes to the right freq and gets McGuire CP...says he's 15 minutes out, has 8 pax and needs parking spot...319.4

 

[dparana]

1237: BOLAR 70 (C-5B, 87-0027, 436th AW Dover) arriving at Dover...349.4 (He departed DOV about 2 hours ago)

BOLAR 70 was refueling with STEEL 71 on AR220 using primary freq of 274.45 from about 1100 to 1200.

Dave

 

[freqhopping]

Flight chatting about a ship boneyard on 239.875, switched to ZDC-Blackstone and identified as BOBCAT-61. Handed off to ZDC-Hopewell.
Read back 133.72(5) for the next, but never heard them.
At 1616- They're chatting again on 239.875 and mention being startled by an airliner passing underneath. Will be entering a route at Point "C".
1619- Handed to ZDC-Casanova on 133.2 where I hear them.
1622- Leveling off at 10,500

 

[TinEar]

Many thanks for someone sending me the reason for that DRAGO flyby I logged early this afternoon. It was apparently a part of the outgoing ceremony for Joint Chiefs Chairman General Peter Pace at Ft. Myer in Arlington. I should have known that....but didn't. I guess my invitation got lost in the mail.

 

[BM82557]

Activity 10022007

1000 - ongoing -- BULLY flight, DC-ANG at PAX, mentioned that ground laser designators are in place and talking about boat traffic at a marina -- 143.15

 

[TinEar]

1000 - ongoing -- BULLY flight, DC-ANG at PAX, mentioned that ground laser designators are in place and talking about boat traffic at a marina -- 143.15

The DC-ANG F-16s from Andrews were up in force this morning. Four flights noted on interflight freqs:
BULLY 143.15...WILD 143.6...SCARY 139.15...BRAVE 139.7 (actually NORAD freq too)
All landed around 1100 and all were two ship flights.

1000 hour and into 1100: Giant Killer has lots of Langley F-22A types working out in W-386. Norfolk TRACON 370.925 to GK on 249.8 going out and reversed coming home. GK's tactical freqs noted were 292.3, 312.3, 373.1. I also noted an AMBUSH 11 flight shortly before 1100 on 249.8. This callsign is normally associated with Oceana rather than Langley and so I'm not sure of the affiliation at this point. The VAPOR callsign was a 4-ship (71-74) F-22A flight which I mention only because I haven't heard that callsign in use in ages at Langley. Activity is ongoing.

The normal assortment of LBE and transport flights moving around the area but tanker activity is very light today. One KC-135R from the 756th ARS at Andrews was the only one I've noted this morning.

This site is not working well for me this morning. It's taking a very, very long time to load so logging will be impossible.

Got to get this one logged no matter...
1212: QID 99 (KC-135R, 58-0001, 351st ARS/100th ARW RAF Mildenhall) reporting airborne from Andrews at 1610Z...378.1

 

[andy3315]

Today Around 14:25 T-Bird 14 Heavy Was Heard On Phila Tracon 123.800 Descending Into Kwri, They Probley Got One Of There C-17 For The T-Bird Transport. And Yes Sunday Was The 913th Decommissioning A Bunch Of 130 Were In All I Heard Leave Was Pit 11, Vader??, And Brewer 30, I Know There Was A Buch More Had To Run Around And Did'nt Catch The Rest.

 

[TinEar]

Today Around 14:25 T-Bird 14 Heavy Was Heard On Phila Tracon 123.800 Descending Into Kwri, They Probley Got One Of There C-17 For The T-Bird Transport.

TBIRD 14 came through this area a bit earlier at 1402. It was a C-17A from the 305th AMW at McGuire, tail 04-4133. I remember hearing him Sunday - also same tail number - about the time all those C-130s were up.

 

[freqhopping]

WILDCAT-41 Irons>Montebello>Casanova Identified as being from VFA-131 and just got off the Eisenhower.
Upon switching to ZDC-Linden his callsign was more clear and it makes more sense. Must've been a WILDCAT flight yesterday too.
1700- Mentions VR43, down to FL150

1705- NIGHTHAWK-14 with BLUEGRASS Ops for low approach and now first landing. 241.0
1715- NIGHTHAWK-14 departing but will be back later.