Sticky Thread for MilAir II

[CitationJet]

02.23.2007 drive-home

Hi guys,

A few from the horrendous commute home yesterday afternoon...

2239Z 126.300 Davison AAF TWR - PAT 2403 (C-12T Davison pm shuttle) - deps DAA QSY 118.950 @ 2000' cleared to 5000' join V376.
2242Z 141.550 Andrews AFB CP - MARINE 664 - 15 mins.out with a Code (he sounded pretty serious when he said that... )
2257Z 118.400 Andrews AFB TWR - MARINE 664 - lands rwy 1L.
2258Z 118.400 Andrews AFB TWR - JOSA 360 - 10 nms. out for landing rwy 1L.
2258Z 118.400 Andrews AFB TWR - COBRA 72 (OC-135B 61-2672 45th RS) - lands rwy 1L.
2258Z 378.100 SAM CP Andrews - COBRA 72 (OC-135B 61-2672 45th RS) - landing ADW @ 2257Z pls pass to KOFF CP.

2310Z 119.850 Potomac APP - SAM 1139 - 10.3 for 8 req ILS 1L @ ADW. QSY 119.300 and finally over to Andrews AFB TWR 118.400 for the landing @ 2320Z.

 

[TinEar]

Hi guys,

2310Z 119.850 Potomac APP - SAM 1139 - 10.3 for 8 req ILS 1L @ ADW. QSY 119.300 and finally over to Andrews AFB TWR 118.400 for the landing @ 2320Z.

SAM 1139 was a C-40B with tail number 01-0041...just in case you wanted to know.

 

[TinEar]

1214-1220: British accented speakers...no callsigns, just two of them chatting...sounds like an interplane freq...335.525 (Tipped by a listener in NY who heard them about an hour before this.)
1220: JOSA 572 calling RAYMOND 16 (Langley 1st FW) on Langley's PTD freq...no joy...141.75
1235: U/I on 301.325. Too weak for me to copy. Maybe someone else can get it.
I'm hearing some aircraft due into area airports diverting to Norfolk. Snow is scaring them away.

 

[BMT]

335.525 ATC on this side of the pond.

BMT

 

[TinEar]

335.525 ATC on this side of the pond.

BMT

Yup...it's a ZOB freq on my maps for Sector 45 high - out near Sandusky Ohio.

Seems these guys either stayed on the freq and used it for interplane or it's one of their own interplane freqs from back home.

BWI Airport still active in spite of the heavy snow (now up to about 4 inches at my house). Ground controller there is getting a bit crazy trying to keep up with many aircraft trying to move around, delayed for their gates and snow removal equipment moving all over the taxiways and one of the main runways. It's a fun job on a day like this.

And Jack I know it's up a bit over 80 degrees at your house so don't rub it in.

Edit: Right after I typed the above, a female replaced the ground controller at BWI. She's been in the seat for about two minutes and already is frazzled trying to keep up with it. She's trying to get some of the snow removal crews moved and they're telling her they have a job to do and have to finish what they're doing. As a result, she's trying to figure out what to do with everyone. Access to main active runway is currently blocked by snow removal trucks. This is getting funny to listen to but I bet it sure isn't humorous from her perspective.
Currently active runway 10/(28) has 3/4 inch snow with crews working the taxiways to it...runway 15R/33L is closed with crews working all over it. All the snow removal trucks at the airport are perfectly readable from here today. They are talking to the Ground Controller on her freq - 121.9. The snow crews are working among themselves on 154.98 and maybe 156.195 but I haven't heard that second one yet.
De-icing ops are on 131.075 and 130.175 with both very active.

I've got to add that after the first few minutes in the Ground Control position, this woman took over the ground ops and is doing a hell of a job. She's choreographing the aircraft, the plows, the tugs, all the pilots complaining about gate assignments and providing weather info to many people asking. She's using FROSTY 1 as a callsign for the snow removal leader. Over on the Signature De-Icing 131.075 freq, they're using ICEMAN as a callsign...ICEMAN 5, ICEMAN 8, etc.

Tower and Ground Control just told all snow/ice crew to work the backup Ground Control freq - 120.2 and they're now all there. Tower got snippy with one plow driver - told him he wouldn't answer him on the Tower freq 119.4 and to get himself on over to 120.2 if he wants to talk to him. The female controller is now strictly working the ground crews on 120.2 and a male has taken over the duty on Ground Control 121.9.

 

[Spleen]

Hey TinEar!

You know I'm snowbound when I'm messing around with military aviation with a system that's almost deaf to that range, but I saw your post about the de-icing....for whatever reason, my Winradio frequency list has 130.175 listed as "Midway - ARINC"....is that actually a BWI ground ops frequency?

 

[TinEar]

Hey TinEar!

You know I'm snowbound when I'm messing around with military aviation with a system that's almost deaf to that range, but I saw your post about the de-icing....for whatever reason, my Winradio frequency list has 130.175 listed as "Midway - ARINC"....is that actually a BWI ground ops frequency?

That freq has always been used at BWI for de-icing - at least for the past several years. They refer to it as "company de-icing" so it must be run by someone like Southwest but it seems other airlines are using it too. The other freq - 131.075 - is called "Signature De-Icing" so not much doubt about that one.

Wish the race would get started so I can stop messing with this stuff.

 

[Spleen]

Ok....I figured it out.....130.175 was the old ARINC frequency assigned to the now-defunct Midway Airlines...Signature Flight Support ( http://www.signatureflight.com ) apparently took it over back in '03 or '04.

Which matters not to me, because there's no way I'm going to pick up their radios here in the City anyway.... :-(

 

[trainman111]

1913: PAT 835 cleared to land Rwy 16 @ RIC. He said they were going to the hole and he mentioned that now they're at home, which makes me believe he's based here at RIC. <121.1>

 

[TinEar]

Very quiet this morning.

0947: JOSA 649 reports airborne from Andrews at 1445Z...378.1
1001: REACH 447 (or 0447 which he used just once out of 5 transmissions) arriving Dover...349.4
1042: DC 11 (KC-135 Andrews) to LIBERATOR to report airborne at 1535Z...378.1
Speaking of tankers..this just reminded me that the KC-10A callsign used by McGuire that we carry as DEUCE is on their flight plans as DUCE. At first I thought they just shortened it but since there are 7 characters allowed for the callsign, they could still fit DEUCE with a 2-digit suffix in if that was the correct spelling. They don't. I'm not sure if it's just that someone doesn't know how to spell DEUCE or what the reason may be for using DUCE instead.
1048: Giant Killer's tac freq active...373.1 (Sounds like Langley F-15s)
1056: GIant Killer's tac freq active...292.3 (More F-15s)

1100: CHALICE (E-3 AWACS Tinker AFB OK) to Giant Killer mentions STEEL 73 (KC-135R PA-ANG Pittsburgh) working two F-15s...249.8
1101: Refueling activity on AR-636 primary freq....tanker gives tail as 84-0192 which makes him a KC-10A from McGuire...and, speak of the devil, this tanker is DUCE 25...238.9
1102: JEEP 93 (F-15 Langley) to GK to request RTB Langley...IDs as a single ship...due to fuel has to RTB direct dart to Langley...239.8
1104: STEEL 73 with Giant Killer to leave the area...249.8
1109: JEEP 93 with Norfolk TRACON reporting direct Langley...370.925

Appointment time...have to leave just as the activity is picking up.

 

[CitationJet]

Re: PAT 835

Hi Trainman,

I have a hunch that this is C-12T 85-1264 which used to be based at RIC, was up at DAA last year based, and might be back at RIC again after re-org.

I'll have someone keep an eye out for it down there...

Tony

1913: PAT 835 cleared to land Rwy 16 @ RIC. He said they were going to the hole and he mentioned that now they're at home, which makes me believe he's based here at RIC. <121.1>

 

[CitationJet]

02.26.2007

02.26.2007

1639Z 118.950 Potomac DEP EVAC 00320 (C-130H 80-0320 158th AS GA ANG) - deps ADW @ 1300' for 3000' then cleared to 16000' dir JERES QSY 123.825.
1658Z 118.400 Andrews AFB TWR - AVALON 75 (C-9C 932nd AW/73rd AS AFRC) - deps ADW QSY 119.300 reporting 1500' for 3000' then gets correct freq 118.950 and checks in, cleared to 17000' dir LDN QSY 118.675.

1818Z 118.950 Potomac DEP - REACH 2112 (C-17A 02-1112 183rd AS MS ANG) - deps ADW to 2000' then cleared 15000' dir FLUKY.
1859Z 118.950 Potomac DEP - NAVY JU 103 (C-9B VR-56 NAS Oceana) - deps ADW 2400' to 3000' then cleared 11000' dir GINYA then cleared to 17000' QSY ZDC-Linden 120.650.

1913Z 119.300 Potomac APP - AVALON 74 (C-9C 932nd AW/73rd AS AFRC) - 3900' for 3000' then recleared down to 2000' cleared ILS app to rwy 1L @ ADW QSY ADW TWR 118.400.
1924Z 118.400 Andrews AFB TWR - VENUS 49 - 5 DME out for rwy 1L.

 

[TinEar]

1400: AVALON 74 (C-9A Scott AFB IL) to SAM Command at Andrews with arrival msg...ETA 1930Z, 23 SOB, needs 10K fuel and parking...378.1
1403-12: REACH 500 calling McGuire Command Post many, many times with no joy...349.4 (Try 319.4 Mr. 500)
1414: CHALICE (AWACS from Tinker AFB OK) to Giant Killer to say Coast Guard 1501 is trying to call him on this freq...233.7
1415: CHALICE to Coast Guard 1501 to say he'll relay for him if he wishes...he doesn't...something about trying on VHF...can only hear CHALICE, not the CG aircraft...233.7
I show Coast Guard 1501 to be an HC-130H from Elizabeth City NJ.
1418: STUD 41 (F-22A Langley) with Norfolk TRACON requesting descent from 22.5 to 20(000) feet...370.925&#9834;
1418: STUD 41 to Giant Killer...IDs as a flight of two F-22s to enter W-386 A-J for the next 40 minutes and will be MARSA with RAMBO and JAKE....249.8
If JAKE appears as F-22A type, it will be a new addition to the F-22A callsign list. (It did and it was.)
1420: Coast Guard 1501 to Giant Killer but too weak to copy...118.125
1422: (NAVY) TP 16 with ADW Approach...335.5
1425: JAKE 61 with Norfolk TRACON leveling at FL 210...370.925
1425: JAKE 61 to Giant Killer to enter W-386 G on mission V-2609 for 15 minutes, a flight of two (F-22As)...249.8
1426: TP 16 to ADW Tower...349.0
1426: REACH 0456 to Dover CP...arriving 2000Z...wants quick turn...says it's been a long day...needs Prime Mover and Customs/Ag to meet the plane...349.4
REACH 0456 is probably a C-5A based at Lackland AFB TX, tail 70-0456. He was heard in the U.K. around 1200Z earlier today and around Frankfurt Germany an hour before that.
1428: DC 11 (KC-135 Andrews) announces full stop in 10 minutes...378.1
1431: TP 16 (Tango Papa) back to Approach freq...mentions back to runway 32 (Pax)...335.5
TP 16 should be a TESTER (USN Test Pilot School) aircraft from Patuxent NAS
1434: TP 16 handed off to Pax Approach and checks in there at 3000 feet for runway 32...281.8
TP 16 pilot has a bit of an accent (English speaking country) I can't quite place, perhaps South African.
1437: TP 16 cleared from 3000 to 4000 feet and he requests 15000...he's cleared to only 7000 for now...281.8

And then it got quiet for the next 30 minutes.

1509: RAMBO 51 (F-22A Langley) with Norfolk TRACON at FL 230...Push 7...370.925
1510: RAMBO 51 to Giant Killer to enter W-386 G-H on mission V-2609 for the next 20 minutes...wants to know if test track is active...238.1
So...STUD, JAKE and RAMBO all turned out to be F-22A Raptors from Langley.

Did everyone read that story about the 27th FS F-22As on their trip to Kadena from Hickam HI? They had to turn around and go back to Hickam when they hit the International Date Line. Their on board computers weren't programmed to handle it and so their avionics became useless. Oops.

1639Z 118.950 Potomac DEP EVAC 00320 (C-130H 80-0320 158th AS GA ANG) - deps ADW @ 1300' for 3000' then cleared to 16000' dir JERES QSY 123.825.

He's otherwise known as DAWG 320 when not flying the Evac missions. The 158th Guard Dawgs is on their patch. Not sure where he was going today but he was heard by a Toronto listener about an hour after takeoff from ADW.

1629: REACH 7044 with arrival msg to Dover CP...15 minutes out, A-1, downloading 5 pallets with 16,000 pounds, 3 pax, needs airstairs...wants to know upload...349.4
REACH 7044 is probably a C-17A, tail 97-0044, from the 437th Airlift Wing at Charleston AFB SC.
1630-33: REACH 2108 calling both Dover Command Post and Palmetto Ops...349.4
Anyone know where Palmetto Ops belongs?
1636-38: REACH 2108 now calling Palmetto Ops on VHF...134.1...and then back to 349.4
I'd guess Palmetto Ops has to be somewhere in Florida. WAG time.
1639: REACH 2108 now calling Dover Command Post again...349.4
Of about 15 calls, only two have been to Dover CP. The rest have been to Palmetto Ops.
1644: REACH 2108 calling Palmetto Ops yet again...134.1
REACH 2108 is probably a C-17A, tail 02-1108, from the 62nd Airlift Wing at McChord AFB WA
1646: (NAVY) BK 262 with ZDC-Cape Charles...256.8 (About 15 minutes earlier I heard a BK 589 with Giant Killer on 249.8) (BK unit may be P-3 type aircraft from Brunswick Maine)
1649: REACH 2108 finally makes contact...a few seconds after calling Palmetto Ops again...says he's now 12 minutes out, A-1, has 3 pallets, one T-2 (missed) for throughload...wants info on his upload, needs "150 on the gas" (150,000 pounds) and needs crew transportation...349.4

 

[Gemini]

1442: - 391.2 - Fighters using this as Interplane for apparent ACM. Suspect in GK area. Also suspect 1st FW. No C/S heard as yet. I thought I heard JEEP but may very well have been your JAKES Tin
1449: - 285.15 - JAKE just comes up on someone else's AUX. I have this freq for the 1st as well
1740: - 135.025 AXEMAN 1 up with PAX requesting tunnel to Martin State. AXEMAN 1 was a female. It caught her late in the game but suspect she was a single doing touch & goes at PAX

 

[freqhopping]

MONKEY-1 calling INDIAN HOLE on 267.35 FM for comms check.

About 1850, after 5 calls apparently INDIAN HOLE answered. Nothing since then, though MONKEY-1 may check in again prior to RTB.

Another call at 1857, says they have weather issues, can't get a clear track that won't ice the wings. Now RTB.

If it's weak where you are Jeff, then that actually supports an idea I got today about where Indian Hole is. Doing stuff with Google Earth I found an underground 'facility' in western Maryland and there is a road nearby with Indian in the name. If so, this plane would likely land at either Hagerstown or Martinsburg.

 

[Gemini]

MONKEY-1 calling INDIAN HOLE on 267.35 FM for comms check.

1854: I just brought it up but nothing heard as yet. Sitting on it with the R-8500
1859: I have them Weak now. I think I caught "We are RTB at this time. Over"

 

[BMT]

&quot;palmetto Ops&quot;

Charleston Air Force Base Command Post Has Designated A New Call Sign "palmetto Ops" Uhf Frequency 349.40/vhf Frequency 134.10

Bmt

 

[TinEar]

Charleston Air Force Base Command Post Has Designated A New Call Sign "palmetto Ops" Uhf Frequency 349.40/vhf Frequency 134.10

Bmt

Good eye Jack. Many thanks. I just looked up Charleston AFB in the NOTAMs and it shows the Palmetto Ops being in use there. They seem to be having problems. They say the 349.4 freq is intermittent and you have to be within 15 miles to be heard. They also have a new Clearance Delivery freq and one of their Approach freqs is listed wrong in the maps.

 

[BMT]

&quot;palmetto Ops&quot;

TIN EAR ALWAYS REMEMBER: Don't mess with old farts...age and treachery will always overcome youth and skill! Bull**** and brilliance only come with age and experience.

BMT

 

[Mark]

Yes I caught that Palmetto Ops call also.I figured it was KCHS but hard to believe at this distance they could hear them.
Maybe those C-17 guys were tired and thought they were closer.
I did have another KCHS crew earlier with REACH 500 arriving McGuire.
Said they were a KCHS crew bringing back a McGuire tail.
Also heard a VIPER 1 on unknown ZDC UHF freq as was taping..

Mark