Sticky Thread for MilAir II

[TinEar]

They have also been using 296.9 allot when enroute to/from CAP

Editing here: Oops.. Sri.. Did not see that in your previous post.. Even thought you made it BOLD.. LOL

Not a problem. Lots of stuff to get through in those messages. Appreciate the response though.
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1901: SONIC 03 and 04 to SPAD Ops with arrival message....15 minutes out, both Code 2...364.125
1902: SONIC 03 flight cleared down to 10,000 feet...281.4
1902: SONIC 06 in pre-contact for TANKER 18's boom...260.9
Now that we're well into our first CAP with multiple F-22A flights, it's remarkable how much difference there is between this airframe and the usual F-15Cs from Langley. I almost miss the constant problem reporting from the F-15s. There has only been one reported problem from the 30 F-22A flights so far in this CAP. That was with the very first one - SONIC 01 on Tuesday - who had a "right generator fail" and had to return to Langley.
1922: TANKER 18 asks HUNTRESS if he can start working his clearance back home...260.9
1923: TANKER 18 to Potomac to say he'll be departing the airspace in about 5 minutes back to Milwaukee...would like FL 340 for a final...gets his flight route and reads it back (much too quickly for me to copy) but it starts at Indianhead and winds up in Milwaukee...135.525
1930: TANKER 19 checking in with HUNTRESS...260.9 (Sounds a good way off at this point)
TANKER 19 = KC-135R, 59-1504, 171st ARW PA-ANG Pittsburgh squawking 5741 on his way in. (Same aircraft has been TANKER 01/13/19)
1931: TANKER 18 asks HUNTRESS if he can RTB...wrong freq at first on 135.525 and then changes to 260.9...he is released.
1931: TANKER 18 to Potomac...level at 240 heading for Indianhead...cleared to FL 250 at 1934...handed off to ZNY 132.125 at 1938...135.525 (Dropping ATC coverage here)
1935: TANKER 18 handed off to ZDC-Hagerstown and checks in at FL 250...134.15
1935: TANKER 19 checks in with Potomac...135.525

2018: SONIC 05 going to TANKER 19 for fuel and confirms the earlier tail number I posted (04-4069)...260.9
2027: SONIC 06 going to TANKER 19 for fuel and gives his tail number upon request...260.9
SONIC 06 = 04-4071
2038: BLACKJACK 1 (HH-65C US Coast Guard) with HUNTRESS...139.7
2050: TANKER 18 talking with UPSET Control on 321.0 (their Ops controller in Milwaukee) according to a listener in that area.

2105: TANKER 19 tells Potomac he's got a lot of noise on 135.525 and asks for another freq...at first he's given 125.525 (an unusual choice transmitting from BWI normally) and then it's changed to the usual secondary freq 126.55 and that's the freq TANKER 19 is now monitoring.

2254: SONIC 05 working clearance back to Langley...OTT-HCM-LFI...350.25
2258: SONIC 05 to Potomac to report they'll be leaving in 5 minutes...350.25
2258: TANKER 19 also gets a 5 minute notice from HUNTRESS...260.9... and begins working his clearance with Potomac for Indianhead-Pittsburgh...126.55

2302: TANKER 19 tells HUNTRESS he has his clearance and is just waiting for release...so HUNTRESS releases him...260.9
2303: TANKER 19 to Potomac and picks up his clearance to Pittsburgh...will leave at FL 240...126.55
2303: SONIC 05 asks HUNTRESS if they can RTB...they can...260.9
2303: SONIC 05 gets clearance to leave the CAP at FL 210...350.25
2305: SONIC 05/06 handed to ZDC-Calvert and check in at FL 210...281.4
2305: TANKER 19 handed off to ZDC-Hagerstown and checks in at FL 240...134.15
2311: SONIC 06 to SPAD Ops to report 05 and 06 are 10 minutes out, both Code 1...364.125
2311: TANKER 19 handed off to a ZNY freq...134.15 (Dropping ATC coverage here)
2311: SONIC 05 and 06 cleared down to 10,000 feet...281.4
2317: TANKER 19 to STEEL Control with arrival message (too weak to copy details)...311.0

And that should be it for the Guard Dog CAP for 11/23/07

If anyone is up before dawn to hear the start of the CAP around 0530-0600, look for TANKER 20 coming in from Seymour Johnson AFB and, of course, a pair of SONIC F-22s from Langley.

2320: Have that E-6B, 164410, VQ-4 up and flying around the area again
2330: Aircraft 410 calling (SHADOW) Maintenance to say he's 10-15 minutes out and will land on runway 32..wants the guys to be ready to service the aircraft...310.15
2332: 410 to Maintenance again to say he'll be on runway 32 in about 10 minutes....mentions getting the guys out there and makes some mention of a "reel operator"...sounds like he's looking for a real hurry up operation once he lands...310.15
2331: REACH 3116 (C-17A, 03-3116, 183rd AS MS-ANG Jackson) airborne from Andrews...TRACON

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Ref Below:

2020 REACH 1194 C-17 arriving Dover for uploads.. odd part is that he was
simulcasting on both 134.100 Dover CP and 349.400 Dover CP as well.
2025 Now he mentioned Mcguire as inbound landing as both freqs could apply to McGuire as well.

Mark, that was C-17A, 01-0197 from the 437th AW at Charleston. That's very interesting because it looks exactly like that testing I had from Andrews last week where I could hear the aircraft on both the VHF and UHF Command Post freqs simultaneously. It would be just fantastic if all the CPs installed that type equipment that could repeat the reception from a couple of receivers onto a single freq. Of course, it might have been nothing but the aircraft doing simultaneous transmissions on two of his radios. (Not the easiest trick.)

 

[Mark]

2020 REACH 1194 C-17 arriving Dover for uploads.. odd part is that he was
simulcasting on both 134.100 Dover CP and 349.400 Dover CP as well.
2025 Now he mentioned Mcguire as inbound landing as both freqs could apply to McGuire as well.

Mark

 

[TinEar]

Nothing different in the CAP this morning. All freqs, all players remain the same. The only change happened with the first tanker this morning. TANKER 20 from Seymour Johnson got cancelled this morning for whatever reason. It was replaced by the alert tanker from McGuire. It used the normal SKATER 07 callsign and arrived in the CAP right at 0600. That one was replaced by TANKER 21 around 0830.

SKATER 07 = KC-135E, 58-0078, 108th ARW NJ-ANG McGuire
TANKER 21 = KC-135R, 57-1430, 133rd ARS NH-ANG Pease

The current fighter pair is SONIC 61/62, F-22As from the 94th FS Langley operating with HUNTRESS on primary freq 260.9. Starting around 1100, they've been doing a lot of testing with their datalink systems trying to see what NORAD is projecting on the link. They are reading back track numbers and BRAs of the aircraft that go with those tracks.

1131: TANKER 21 trying to sort out his remaining fuel offload. It depends on how long he's required to remain in the CAP. As of right now, he has 22,000 pounds to offload. If he stays until 1645Z, he'll only have 15,000 pounds to offload...260.9 (the tanker uses the same pool of gas from the same tanks that is dispensed to the fighters)
The CAP was scheduled to end at 1400 local.
1145: TANKER 21 is now telling HUNTRESS that if he stays another hour, he'll have 18,000 pounds of fuel to give...260.9 (that 1645Z above might have been a mistake on his part - he might have meant 1745Z)
1153: TANKER 21 tells HUNTRESS he'd like to see SONIC 62 before 61 for this next refueling...260.9 (There was some kind of problem with the nozzle binding in the fuel receptacle of 61 during the last refueling. He's not sure if it was due to the angle of the fighter, the fighter's refueling receptacle or if there's a problem aboard the tanker's boom. That's why he wants to do 62 first.)
1158: SONIC 61 tells HUNTRESS that if they RTB in the next 45 minutes to an hour, they won't need more gas...260.9

1201: SONIC 61 to Potomac to say they're working their RTB...they want to go HCM-LFI...350.25
1201: SONIC 61 then tells HUNTRESS what's up and asks what time they can RTB....20 minutes is the reply...260.9... so 61 then gives that info to Potomac...350.25
1218: SONIC 61 to Potomac to say they should be ready to RTB in 10-15 minutes...flight route will be DCA-HCM at FL 210 per Potomac...350.25
1220: TANKER 21 to Potomac to say he'll be RTBing in about 5 minutes...wants direct clearance to Pease if possible...135.525
1222: TANKER 21 reads back the clearance flight route that starts with DCA, Swann and ends with Boston, direct Pease squawking 7026 (currently 3541)...tells Potomac he'll call him when he's ready to leave...135.525
1228: SONIC 61/62 flight released by HUNTRESS to RTB....so is TANKER 21...260.9
The Guard Dog CAP is officially done.
1229: SONIC 61 flight to Potomac for RTB clearance...350.25
1229: TANKER 21 to Potomac for RTB clearance...down to FL 230 from 240...asking for direct Swann rather than DCA first - apparently not...135.525
1232: SONIC 61 reports over DCA at this time, looking for direct Harcum...350.25
1232: SONIC 61 handed to ZDC-Calvert and check in at FL 210 direct Harcum, direct Langley....281.4 (SONIC 61/62 go to 32 AUX for interflight...searching...)
1233: TANKER 21 asking HUNTRESS if he can grab the weather for homeplate before they leave the area...260.9
1235: SONIC 61/62 to SPAD Ops to report 15 minutes out...both are Code 2 for flare inventory (almost every flight during the CAP has reported this same item upon return to Langley)...364.125
1235: TANKER 21 gets his weather report for Pease from HUNTRESS....signs off this freq...260.9 (He also begins a climb to FL 310 and changes his Mode 3 squawk as instructed earlier)
1239: SONIC 61 flight cleared from 21 down to 13,000 feet....281.4
1240: SONIC 61 flight cleared to 11,000 feet....281.4
CAP coverage is done.

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There's another CAP scheduled over Annapolis for the meetings next week. According to news reports, there are now 49 countries that will attend. For a long while it appeared this meeting would be very small but then the Saudis said they'd come and that opened the floodgates. Everyone in the Mid-East but Syria will attend. Arrival times for all those aircraft might start as early as tomorrow and extend into Monday when the bulk of them should arrive. Those of you living in the Annapolis area might just as well take the day off from work. Can you imagine the security nightmare trying to drive in that area?
Issue Date : November 21, 2007 at 1621 UTC
Location : Annapolis, Maryland
Beginning Date and Time : November 27, 2007 at 1345 UTC
Ending Date and Time : November 27, 2007 at 1805 UTC
Reason for NOTAM : Temporary flight restrictions for VIP (Very Important Person) Movement
Type : VIP
*********************************************************************
Bringing the tanker list forward....Guard Dog CAP tankers 11/20 to 11/24...
TANKER 01 = KC-135R, 59-1504, 171st ARW PA-ANG Pittsburgh (11/20)
TANKER 02 = KC-135R, 62-3509, 77th ARS Seymour Johnson (11/20)
TANKER 03 = KC-135R, 57-1430, 133rd ARS NH-ANG Pease (11/20)
TANKER 04 = KC-135R, 58-0098, 132nd ARS ME-ANG Bangor (11/20)
TANKER 05 = KC-135R, 58-0109, 153rd ARS MS-ANG Meridian (11/21)
TANKER 06 = KC-135R, 62-3512, 126th ARS WI-ANG Milwaukee (11/21)
TANKER 07 = KC-135R, xx-xxxx, 171st ARW PA-ANG Pittsburgh (11/21)
TANKER 08 = KC-135R, 57-2599, 77th ARS Seymour Johnson (11/21)
TANKER 09 = KC-135R, 63-8038, 133rd ARS NH-ANG Pease (11/21)
TANKER 10 = KC-135R, 58-0098, 132nd ARS ME-ANG Bangor (11/22)
TANKER 11 = KC-135R, 58-0109, 143rd ARS MS-ANG Meridian (11/22)
TANKER 12 = KC-135R, 57-1514, 126th ARS WI-ANG Milwaukee (11/22)
TANKER 13 = KC-135T, 59-1504, 171st ARW PA-ANG Pittsburgh (11/22)
TANKER 14 = KC-135R, 58-0038, 77th ARS Seymour Johnson (11/22)
TANKER 15 = KC-135R, 63-8038, 133rd ARS NH-ANG Pease (11/23)
TANKER 16 = KC-135R, 58-0098, 132nd ARS ME-ANG Bangor (11/23)
TANKER 17 = KC-135R, 57-2597, 153rd ARS MS-ANG Meridian (11/23)
TANKER 18 = KC-135R, 58-0009, 126th ARS WI-ANG Milwaukee (11/23)
TANKER 19 = KC-135R, 59-1504, 171st ARW PA-ANG Pittsburgh (11/23)
SKATER 07 = KC-135E, 58-0078, 108th ARW NJ-ANG McGuire (11/24) [Alert tanker replaced TANKER 20 from Seymour Johnson]
TANKER 21 = KC-135R, 57-1430, 133rd ARS NH-ANG Pease (11/24)
****************************************************

 

[JohnFB]

Russians are here .....

From FlightAware ..... anyone notice?? I heard him very breifly on ZBW ATC.

SDM9005
State Transport Company
Ilyushin Il-62
Shannon (EINN) to Andrews AFB (KADW)
Date Sunday, Nov 25, 2007

Here for the middle-east talks?

 

[JohnFB]

1112: SONIC 1 gives his tail as 85-4094 and SONIC 2 is 85-4085....TANKER 01 confirms tail I logged above....260.9 (I can't make the fighters' tail numbers compute in Scramble...yet)

I know it would have come up blank as well, but have you ever used this site to resolve serial numbers?

http://home.att.net/~jbaugher/usafserials.html

 

[TinEar]

From FlightAware ..... anyone notice?? I heard him very breifly on ZBW ATC.

SDM9005
State Transport Company
Ilyushin Il-62
Shannon (EINN) to Andrews AFB (KADW)
Date Sunday, Nov 25, 2007

Here for the middle-east talks?

It arrived here last evening late in the 1900 hour. The IL-62M carried tail number RA-86540. The Israeli PM landed early yesterday morning (0600 hour) at ADW on an El-Al B767 flight ELY 33.

There should be a flood of foreign dignitaries arriving today. By the way, I had said earlier that everyone but Syria was attending the conference. Even Syria has decided to be represented now so they'll be showing up also. The street closings for tomorrow in Annapolis were fairly well documented in this morning's Baltimore Sun if you live in that immediate area.

I know it would have come up blank as well, but have you ever used this site to resolve serial numbers?

http://home.att.net/~jbaugher/usafserials.html

Only occasionally do I use his site. I guess it's the slow lookup process that keeps me away.
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Ref Below:

Did anyone have any more info about this incident? All I heard was what I posted but it would seem to indicate a collision with something other than the SONICs.

I wasn't listening at the time but the transcript you provided absolutely makes it appear to be something other than a SONIC hit. At first, I was thinking a piece from the boom but that would have hit the SONIC rather than the tanker. They were too high for birds. I guess without anything further it'll remain a mystery.
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1100: Royal Danish Air Force C-130J, tail B-583 from Eskadrille (Squadron) 721 in the area. Appears to just be flying through the area at FL 280....ZDC VHF (Noted a couple hours later flying over the Atlanta area)
1103: EVAC 321 (C-130H, 94-7321, 328th AS) reports departing Andrews at 1602Z...378.1 (He's been in and out of Andrews several times the past few days)
1127: SPAR 120 (C-9C, 73-1683, 73rd AS) departs Andrews, reports breaking out of the clouds at about 1500 feet, no icing noted...118.4
1130: SPAR 120 w/TRACON for the climbout...125.65 (SPARs noted with these 3-digit suffixes over the past few days)
1130: A Navy LBE flight departing Andrews (C-9B, 159117, VR-56 "The Globemasters")...TRACON
1135: Russian transport flight VDA 4339 (AN-124, tail RA-82042) through the area at FL 340 on his way to Charleston from LBBG (Burgas, Bulgaria) This has been a big mystery to me recently. There has been a steady stream of these giant Russian transports arriving at Charleston AFB and departing back to Europe. Are they bringing cargo in - or flying it out? And why are we using the Russians to carry our military cargo? Rhetorical questions, of course.
1155: REACH 6156 (C-17A, 06-6156, 60th AMW Travis) climbing out from Andrews....TRACON

1203: MARINE 821 (UC-35D, 166474, MAW-4) departing Andrews...w/Tower 118.4...then w/TRACON 118.95 for climbout....then to TRACON 121.05
1211: _____ 04 to NAS Oceana Ops with arrival message....20 minutes out, 8 pax - one of them going through, requesting 24K fuel upon arrival...284.9
1223: STEEL 71 (KC-135R, 59-1467, 171st ARW Pittsburgh) to STEEL Control reporting that visibility at Pitt is only 1/4 mile and that's below his minimums. He says the weather at Youngstown makes it a possibility to land there and he can also land at Harrisburg...311.0
1225: REACH 6007 (C-17A, 96-0007, 437th Charleston) w/Atlantic City Approach descending from 10 to 8,000 feet, then 7,000 on an approach to McGuire...124.6
1228: STEEL 71 repeating his weather problem (probably to SOF now)...311.0 (Fading as he presumably gets closer to the Pittsburgh area)
1232: REACH 9745 (C-17A, 97-0045, 437th AW Charleston) with arrival message to NAS Oceana...has rolling stock and pallets to offload, believes this has been pre-coordinated, doesn't need any fuel...then says something about the approach end of runway 5R in response to something the ground controller said...284.9 (Runway 5R/23L at Oceana is a 12,000 foot runway)
1238: REACH 7169 (C-17A, 07-7169, 436th AW Dover) calling Dover Command Post...x5, no joy...134.1
1241: REACH 7169 makes contact w/Dover...ETA on the hour, has 42k on the fuel, is A-3 for AFCS panel not displaying...needs crew bus for 5...will park in spot Xray...134.1
1243: JOSA 469 (C-21A, 119th Wing ND-ANG Fargo) calling Andrews on MUSSEL Control freq 292.2...arriving in 15 minutes, 2 pax needs 3k gas...then asks controller if he should have called on 314.25 (201st AS freq).
1245: JOSA 469 then goes to PTD freq 372.2 and repeats that arrival message.
1250: JOSA 469 to ADW tower reports 9 miles out on the ILS for runway 19L for full stop...gear down...118.4
1252: REACH 6005 (C-17A, 96-0005, 437th AW Charleston) to ACY Approach, descending from 10 to 8,000 feet on approach for McGuire AFB...124.6
1255: REACH 6005 w/arrival message to McGuire CP...319.4

1306: TRACK 10 (C-21A, 84-0101, AFSSA, Tinker AFB OK) to Andrews CP with arrival message...30 minutes out, needs 450 gallons of gas and parking spot..gets 3-Row...378.1
1319: TRACK 10 w/TRACON on approach to Andrews...128.35
1327: TRACK 10 to ADW Tower for landing runway 19L...118.4
1328: Spanish Air Force flight AME 4540 (Falcon 900B, tail T.18.5, 451 Escadrille) into the area...descending....heading for Andrews...128.35 (Not sure of his flight number...he's difficult to understand...various times I've heard 450, 45H and 4540...I'm going with that last one)
1328: SAM 2014 (C-37A, 99-0402, 99th AS Andrews) w/TRACON...128.35
1337: Egyptian Air Force flight EGY 1123 (C-130H, tail 1293/SU-BKS) into the area and descending.
1342: SAM 2014 to ADW tower for landing....118.4
1351: Spanish AF flight AME 4540 to ADW Tower for landing runway 19L...118.4
1357: Egyptian Air Force flight EGY 1123 cleared to land at BWI on runway 10...w/Tower...119.4....then w/Ground Control 121.9 who has him make an immediate right turn, then left on taxiway Bravo...then right across runway 22 and left on Sierra.

End of log for now. Back later.

 

[BM82557]

First shift today is SONIC 31/32 and TANKER 05. 32 tanked at 0550 and 31 at 0554. 32's squawk is 4617 and 31 gave tail number to tanker as 4069. After 31 tanked at 0554 I heard something a little different. The tanker asked 31 for a "lookover of the right side of the airplane. Heard the thump and saw the flash right around the co-pilot's rear window" I didn't hear anymore about this as HUNTRESS went into fidelity drills with the fighters. This was all on 260.9

Hi,

A few from this morning...

1139Z 260.900 PT HUNTRESS - wkg SONIC 31/32 (F-22A 1st FW/94th FS) in the Guard Dog CAP.

1200Z 118.950 PT DEP - PAT 1202 (C-12T OSACOM/VA RFC shuttle) - @ 6000' req. ILS
rwy 32 @ Davison AAF.
1207Z 260.900 PT HUNTRESS - TANKR 05 discussing grey mark on fuselage as
possible damage with SONICs.
1210Z 342.000 Dover AFB Metro - brief xmsn with ID. Tremendous reception for me
near Davison AAF!

PT = Potomac Consolidated TRACON
ZDC = Washington ARTCC

Did anyone have any more info about this incident? This happened on the 21st and all I heard was what I posted but it would seem to indicate a collision with something other than the SONICs.

Brian

 

[TinEar]

Before starting the log, there was a DC 12 flight (KC-135R, 57-1487, 756th ARS Andrews) reporting airborne from ADW at 2254Z...378.1

1834: Sounds like a flight of Langley F-22s w/Norfolk TRACON...370.925
1836: Same flight of F-22As working Langley interflight...233.525
1841: ROYAL 60 (C-17A, 07-7170, 436th AW Dover) climbing out of Dover
1843: F-22A reports cloud deck from FL 220-250 but says he has 5 miles of visibility...233.525
1844: BACKY 12 (KC-135R, 60-0349, 77th ARS AFRC Seymour Johnson) across the area and climbing to FL 330...ZDC-VHF
1852: RUMBLE 21 (F-22A Langley) flight of three checking into W-386 with Giant Killer on mission V-2606...249.8
1854: RUMBLE 21 tells GK they'll be operating at reduced lighting and releasing flares...249.8
1854: NAIL (F-22A Langley) to SOF to report he is unable to receive Guard freq and asks that they be notified if anything is heard there...383.2
1856: RUMBLE flight switching to freq 39 Prime...249.8

1905: ARMY 1778 (C-37B, 04-1778) departs Andrews....TRACON...118.95
1909: EVAC 321 (C-130H, 94-7321, 328th AS) arriving ADW w/TRACON...119.3
1912: U/I aircraft checking in with Giant Killer to work W-72 1B-C as approved earlier from FL 220-230...233.7 (GRAYHAWK E-2C aircraft from VAW-120 NAS Chambers)
1919: F-22A flight working interflight reports RTB through Snow Hill...233.525
1920: EVAC 321 landing at ADW w/Tower on runway 19R...118.4
1021: NAIL 2 (F-22A) to Giant Killer to report 30 miles east of Snow Hill descending to FL 230...RTB Langley through Snow Hill...249.8
1923: NAIL 2 to ZDC-Cape Chareles on the way to Langley...256.8
1923: RUMBLE 21 flight of three to RTB Langley...249.8
1926: RUMBLE 21 flight in 4-mile-non-standard formation...RTB thru HEELS...249.8
1944: BACKY 12 (See ID above) to LIGHTHOUSE Control with Blackjack report...311.0

 

[freqhopping]

Earlier, 1830ish I think.
REACH-9946 to Wright-Patterson Dispatch on 372.2. Says they are turning around, have 30 min ETA. Was heading for Dover to drop off 11 of 14 pax, 3 are to go through to Mildenhall.

Also hearing the TRACON controller for BWI approach transmitting on 291.775 (ADIZ South) locally. Rather annoying. 125.125 also.

2019 -The guy I'm hearing controls 128.35 and hands them off to 119.7/118.4 MARINE-821 is working with him right now.
MARINE-821 was getting impatient for a response on PTD 372.2 earlier, said he needs to talk to approach.

 

[TinEar]

Earlier, 1830ish I think.
REACH-9946 to Wright-Patterson Dispatch on 372.2. Says they are turning around, have 30 min ETA. Was heading for Dover to drop off 11 of 14 pax, 3 are to go through to Mildenhall.

Also hearing the TRACON controller for BWI approach transmitting on 291.775 (ADIZ South) locally. Rather annoying. 125.125 also.

Had that REACH 9946 (KC-10A, 79-1946, 60th AMW Travis) trying to contact Andrews earlier too. He's been talking with everyone and logged everywhere from Offutt to Dover. He's apparently having a problem with the weather along the east coast.

Travis, I'm having that same problem with the BWI area TRACON controller. He's coming in all over the 225-300 mHz band. While searching that band, the scanner must have stopped 25 times on different freqs with him yakking. And, yes, it's VERY annoying -especially since I'm only about 3 miles away from his transmitter. I'm not sure what his signal is mixing with to produce that mess. His primary freq seems to be 119.7/291.425.

 

[Mark]

Earlier, 1830ish I think.
REACH-9946 to Wright-Patterson Dispatch on 372.2. Says they are turning around, have 30 min ETA. Was heading for Dover to drop off 11 of 14 pax, 3 are to go through to Mildenhall.

Guess he got nervous but a couple others into Dover tonite..
Some pilots more cautious than others I guess.

REACH 0179 C-17 62AW McChord 0115z
REACH 0460 C-5 Stewart arriving Dover 0205z
NAVY BD-491 C-130T Willow Grove Condors trying for WG from the South but may
head to McGuire instead.
First heard on ZDC Salisbury 120.975,Dover appch 132.425 then Philly appch 119.750.
and WG metro 344.600.
2050 WG metro tells BD-491 that their PAR (precision approach radar) is out so making plans for McGuire.

Mark

 

[TinEar]

This has been a great day for MilAir listening.

The DC-ANG F-16s flew a couple of times today (WILD/ANGRY/SCARY) flights - in the 0900 and 1300 hour.
An UGLY flight of PA-ANG A-10s was up in the 1300 hour. (Heard w/Harrisburg A/D 281.525)
Langley F-22A flights were very active today working the offshore areas with Giant Killer - both W-386 and W-72. The flights used 249.8 for W-386 and 233.7 for W-72 as expected for comms with Giant Killer. Among the callsigns heard were TIGER 01, RANCH 11, VOODOO 21, TBOLT 31, PECOS 41, BASH 51, MEXICO 51, TRAP 61. I don't believe the TIGER 01 flight was from Langley though. Today's mission was V-2707 for Langley. Most of the flights returned to Langley via HEELS and TURET. They were also heard with Norfolk TRACON 370.925. Langley interflight freqs 252.775, 257.075, 315.85 and 360.15 were heard active.
Navy fighters were doing ACM on 365.7 in the 1100 hour and again in the 16-1700 hours.

Navy refueling heard again on 123.525. They were in the Patuxent area. AF refueling on 238.9 out in AR-636. There were lots of KC-135s and KC-10As active today from all the usual places.

Managed to catch NAVY SD 102 (F/A-18E, 166421, VX-23 Pax) working the test track out in W-386 with Giant Killer on that special test track freq I found some time ago - 320.45 - which seems to be seldom used. He was in contact with "ECHO" while working out there. That was in the 1200 hour.

I can't tell you how many C-17s and C-5s were in the area today - but lots - to/from Dover and McGuire and, of course, Andrews.

Even though they weren't heard in this immediate area, there were three C-17s today about 400 miles to our west using callsigns MOOSE 41/42/43. MOOSE 41 was from the 437th AW Charleston and the other two from the 62nd AW McChord. That should make it a mission callsign rather than a unit callsign. I've never heard it used by C-17s in the past but will know to look for it in the future.

And my two biggest accomplishments of the day...I managed to catch the callsigns for two E-6Bs. 164410 was COBRA 61 heard contacting ZDC-Gordonsville on 133.725 at 1445 shortly after takeoff from Patuxent. The other one was 164386 using DING 58 to contact HUNTRESS on 364.2 for a modes and codes check. He reported 20 miles northeast of MTN at the time he called in at 1625. Both are VQ-4 birds. I was kind of disappointed with the COBRA callsign. They use one-time calls and they could have come up with something better than COBRA. The other one spelled his DING callsign and it's a good thing because I wasn't sure exactly what it was the first couple of calls.

Around 1600, JOSA 465 came into Andrews. He identified as a home station C-21A with tail 84-0118. This changes his unit affiliation to the 457th AS at Andrews. (Submitted to Scramble)

1741: REACH 2108 (C-17A, 02-1108, 62nd AW McChord) on tanker interplane Victor asking if any of his tankers are up on this freq. Apparently not - no reply to two calls....139.875
1745: The Navy ACM activity still going strong on 365.7
1758: DC 23 (KC-135R, 57-1487, 756th ARs Andrews) reports to LIBERATOR he's airborne at 2256Z...378.1

1822: JEDI 02 (EA-6B, 161118, VAQ-209 Andrews) on the approach to Andews w/TRACON...335.5
1827: JEDI 02 calls ADW Tower...118.4 (expected him on 349.0 but nothing there and he isn't getting a reply here either)
1827: BLACKJACK 1 (HH-65C US Coast Guard) calling PIT BOSS for "Radio check FM" on Marine Channel 21A...157.05 (4 calls, no replies)
1840: German Air Force...GAF 866, A-310-304, tail 10+21, departs Dulles...heading east, then northeast for home...TRACON

1904: STATE 1 (spells callsign)..."STATE 1 and (or "in") flight at 1000"...reports 8 miles west of Annapolis...w/TRACON...128.35 (It's a helo but I have no other ID for him)
1907: STATE 1 handed off to ADW Tower 118.4....128.35 (But not heard checking in there)
1907: CRAB 54 (C-130J, 97-1354, 135th AS MD-ANG) airborne w/CRAB Ops arriving home...384.1
1911: CRAB 54 w/MTN Tower for landing runway 33...121.3
1912-19: JOSA 309 (C-21A, 84-0095, 457th AS Andrews) trying to call Andrews...many calls, no joy....378.1 (Just departing Andrews - wants to give departure time)
1913: Langley interflight active w/F-22A activity...233.525

 

[freqhopping]

A few minutes ago there were some F-22s heading home. First heard on 228.45 mentioning 'no flow'. Then with SOF 383.2. I may have heard a callsign of LIGHTNING.

OPEC-28 is currently on 319.7 doing some coordinating. They are on-time. Whoever they are meeting is already at the IP. 70124 is read back, presumably the tail number of who they are refueling. This is the clearest I've ever heard AR activity.

2002-Raptors are still on 233.525.
2020- TESTER-02 an F-18 just came off VR-1754 near Luray. Is 90mi NW of Brooke VORTAC.
Requesting VFR following back to PAX 335.5 Handed off to 121.05 and he did come up there and not UHF 343.7. Requests relief on speed restriction. On his trip through there about an hour earlier ZDC got a little upset with his speed.

2030- AR coordination for AR206 low 235.1 IP at 0144Z.

 

[TinEar]

They came, they talked, they got on their planes, they're leaving...

2017: Spanish Air Force (Falcon 900B, tail T.18.5, 451 Escadrille)
2027: Canadian Air Force (CC-144, tail 144615, 412 Squadron)
2042: Italian Air Force (A-319, MM62174, 306 Gruppo)
2105: Hellenic (Greek) Air Force...HAF 678 (G1159D - Gulfstream 5, tail 678)

And earlier...
1440: Russian Government SDM 9005 (IL-62M, tail RA-86540)

Ref Below:

Just had a JEDI 10 doing touch and go's at Dover with UHF tower then departed westbound with Balt/Pot appch 317.450 then heard with Andrews tower 118.400 for the overhead. I don't think this is a McGuire C-17?

It's more than likely EA-6B types from VAQ-209 at Andrews. They changed from COBRA to JEDI callsign recently.

 

[Mark]

2120 had a JEDI 10 doing touch and go's at Dover with UHF tower then departed westbound with Balt/Pot appch 317.450 then heard with Andrews tower 118.400 for the overhead.
I don't think this is a McGuire C-17?

Mark

Ref above: Thanks TIN....He had odd mix of VHF/UHF freqs.
Dover appch VHF,Dover Tower UHF,then upon departure,Potomac appch UHF,Andrews Tower VHF.

 

[TinEar]

Shortly before 1400, there was a Cessna 152, registration N64971, declaring an emergency on Guard freq 121.5. He apparently landed in a field somewhere. There was a Delta 515 relaying for him. That registration shows...
N-number : N64971
Aircraft Serial Number : 15281505
Aircraft Manufacturer : CESSNA
Model : 152
Engine Manufacturer : LYCOMING
Model : 0-235 SERIES
Aircraft Year : 1978
Owner Name : RARITAN VALLEY FLYING SCHOOL
Owner Address : PRINCETON AIRPORT RT 206
PRINCETON, NJ, 08540
Type of Owner : Corporation
Registration Date : 13-Apr-2001
Airworthiness Certificate Type : Standard

I guess it was a Potomac TRACON ground station that was getting the info from the Delta aircraft and trying to get more about the landing location. Nothing followed after the Delta said he landed in a field.

Small plane makes emergency landing off Long Pond Road (updated 3 p.m.)
November 28, 2007

A two-seater single engine Cessna made an emergency landing into a field off Long Pond Road around 2 p.m. No one was injured.
A student pilot and instructor flying out of Princeton, N.J. encountered mechanical problems.

We have a reporter and photographer on the scene and we will have a complete story and photos later.
http://www.poconorecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071128/NEWS/71128004/-1/NEWS01
*****************************************************************

1406: REACH 7029 (C-5B, 87-0029, 436th AS Dover) to Dover Command Post...just after takeoff, the pilot reports the nose gear will not retract and he's returning to the field. By 1415, the aircraft is reporting they're still working on the problem in the air...349.4
1420: REACH 7029 reports they resolved the problem in the air...it was a loose wire...say they're going to press on to Charleston...349.4
1421: ROYAL 50 (C-17A, 07-7170, 436th AS Dover) to Dover CP with arrival message...arriving 40 past the hour, will park on taxiway Charlie to offload two vehicles...A-1...349.4
1422: SLAM 1 and 2 (unknown types/unit) have been working with ECHO Control and BayWatch at Patuxent for the past hour or more...simulating weapons firing at unknown type targets...310.55
1423: Langley F-22s have been working offshore in W-386 and W-72 for most of the day with Giant Killer...freqs are 249.8, 238.1, 233.7 - all are busy.
1429: RACK 41 flight (F-22A Langley) to Giant Killer for W-386A at FL 230 on mission v-2810...249.8
1431: NJ-ANG DEVIL F-16s active on interflight...138.425 (Believe they are out in W-107 with GK on 255.0 and working freq 312.3)

1516: The SLAM flight finishes at Patuxent with ECHO Control and says they're heading for Flat Rock and Dyess...310.55 (Could these by B-1s?)
The SLAM flight was up way too long to be fighters. They would have had a fuel problem a couple of hours ago.
1519: SLAM to ZDC-Calvert , checks in as a two ship flight in non-standard formation at FL 240 and 250...281.4
1522: Heard SLAM signing off with a Northrup Grumman flight on NG freq and said they'll see each other in the morning...123.225 (We've had NG aircraft working previously with a bomber up in W-107 about a year ago. I can't remember the callsign that was used at that time though.)
1527: SLAM 1 flight handed off to ZDC-Hopewell and check in there...323.225
1529: SLAM 1 flight handed off to ZDC-Montebello and check in non-standard 240 and 250...284.7
1537: SLAM 1 flight handed off to ZDC-Shenandoah and make the same check in there....270.35 (Starting to fade here)

1523: I have a new Potomac TRACON UHF freq working. I can hear the ground station loud and clear so it's no doubt transmitting from the Chesapeake Area of Potomac TRACON at BWI. The controller is working with commercial aircraft that are obviously on the VHF side so I can only hear the ground transmissions....342.425
I'm not able to match up the transmissions with any of BWI area Potomac TRACON VHF freqs. This guy sounds like he's in my back yard. Ground is identifying as "Potomac Approach"
I've checked 119.0-119.7-124.55-125.525-126.75-128.7-133.75 for the VHF side of this controller and none of those freqs match. That should mean there's a new VHF freq out there somewhere also.
Just thought of something...I wonder if this might be a new Potomac ADIZ East freq replacing 291.675? If so, it's not simulcasting the old VHF side 126.75 but I think that one was supposed to be replaced also.
Okay, found it. The VHF side of this pair is 132.775. It quite possibly does replace the 126.75/291.625 Potomaz ADIZ East pair.
After listening for a bit, all this controller seems to be doing is ensuring the aircraft have the correct transponder settings which should confirm this as a new freq pair for Potomac ADIZ East control replacing the earlier pair mentioned above.

 

[Mark]

1918 EXEC JET 626 Airliner on ZDC Salisbury 120.975 reports flare sighting he guesses about 25 miles offshore Atlantic Ocean.
The Langley F-22 fighters are out there tonite doing ACM work so he probably saw
one of them.
It's happened before..
1926 EXEC JET 626 back on ZDC Salisbury asking if Mil Air Northeast of Richmond is hot tonite?
I think he got affirmative reply.
Flightaware has him enroute Richmond Va.He must have been looking out his left window..

1935 Another Antonov A-124 coming up the coast from KCHS VDA 4348 enroute Philadelphia.
Those A-124's have been busy last few weeks out of KCHS.

F-15 A-D models are grounded again.. http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123077347

Mark

 

[TinEar]

The Langley F-22 fighters are out there tonite doing ACM work so he probably saw
one of them.

1935 Another Antonov A-124 coming up the coast from KCHS VDA 4348 enroute Philadelphia.
Those A-124's have been busy last few weeks out of KCHS.

Mark

Langley F-22s busy on interflight freqs 233.525 and 262.025 along with Giant Killer's tac freq 391.2 mid-1900 hour. RACK is one of the callsigns. Add SLAM and MAI TAI.

One or two of those humongous Russian AN-124 transports through the area every day.

Active at 1940...
Couple of MD-ANG C-130Js active...CRAB 54 and 57 (97-1354 and 98-1357) w/CRAB Ops 384.1
BATON EC-130J (01-1935) from the 193rd SOW PA-ANG Harrisburg up
FBI's top dog active in his Gulfstream 5 (N596GA) overhead the area.
REACH 1197 (C-17A, 01-0197, 437th AW Charleston)
REACH 5144 (C-17A, 05-5144, 729th AS March)

Aircraft Dedicated To Purple Heart Recipients
http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123077213
This is one we see very often coming into Andrews as EVAC 33113 (C-17A, 03-3113, 183rd AS MS-ANG Jackson)

 

[Mark]

Langley F-22s busy on interflight freqs 233.525 and 262.025 along with Giant Killer's tac freq 391.2 mid-1900 hour. RACK is one of the callsigns.
REACH 5144 (C-17A, 05-5144, 729th AS March)

Rgr TIN Langley guys I also heard on 228.450 and 391.200..Busy out there.
A SPEEDBIRD British Airways jet also just reported flares on ZDC Salisbury.
Guess those F-22's are shooting them off in A/A intercepts...

Heard REACH 5144 on Balt/Pot appch 124.550.Not sure if Westbound or Eastbound.

0145z REACH 6165 C-17 depart Dover eastbound 132.425 to ZDC Sea Isle 127.700,ZNY 128.300
0200z BOLAR 71 C-5 Dover looking for TOPCAT 02 KC-135 McGuire on AR -220 on 274.450,prob up over Pennsylvania
0203z CRAB 10 MD ANG C-130J's continue into Phillips AAF with bag drops 126.150 like they have all night.

Mark

 

[ka3jjz]

I just checked the 126.75 and 291.625 pair and as of 8:25 they're still up. Nil on 342.425. Perhaps they're testing a new pair, but not yet ready to make the change. The PCT website doesn't list the new 132.775 freq either - of course, seeing it's the government, they could be behind the times (nothing new there)...anyway, the new PCT website is here

Gotta change the Wiki back...grrr...

73s Mike