Sticky Thread for MilAir II

[TinEar]

Current time 1442: For the past 40 minutes or so there has been ACM activity on HUNTRESS freqs 234.6 and 288.4. I'm fairly sure they are F-16s from the VA-ANG at Langley. I heard them coming up as a TBOLT flight on interflight 141.875, with Norfolk TRACON 370.925 and with ZDC-Irons 360.85 before starting their ACM on the two HUNTRESS freqs. However, while on 234.6 and 288.4, they are using callsigns HEAP and CRATE. There are least four of them and perhaps more. Flight leader mentioned going to Oceana when done.

 

[briano]

about 15 minutes ago. HUNTRESS was talking (on 228.9) to a CHEVY callsign. active scramble. a 737 heading to JFK they do not know if the cockpit is secure. they denied CHEVY to go supersonic. I am in Michigan near Selfridge AFB
I missed the tail # they gave #x of crew and #x of passengers, and #x of air marshalls on board.

 

[trainman111]

Alan,
Are you sure those F-16's weren't from RIC? I had them quite strong for a bit on 141.875 which makes me believe they started over this way. I know there's still some F-16's left here. I also thought that the F-16's weren't going with them to Langley.

 

[TinEar]

Alan,
Are you sure those F-16's weren't from RIC? I had them quite strong for a bit on 141.875 which makes me believe they started over this way. I know there's still some F-16's left here. I also thought that the F-16's weren't going with them to Langley.

I don't know Nick. I know eventually the F-16s are going away. I was under the impression they moved them to Langley for the interim. However, you might be totally correct and they're still at Richmond. In any case, they're still known as the VA-ANG.

Langley - Richmond - it's all the same place.

about 15 minutes ago. HUNTRESS was talking (on 228.9) to a CHEVY callsign. active scramble. a 737 heading to JFK they do not know if the cockpit is secure. they denied CHEVY to go supersonic. I am in Michigan near Selfridge AFB
I missed the tail # they gave #x of crew and #x of passengers, and #x of air marshalls on board.

Got any more info for us Briano?

 

[briano]

no more news. they were heading away from me pretty fast. i wish i would have got the tail #. i think this originated from a female voice from selfridge tower telling the fighter "new assignment new assignment." and gave the heading. has anyone heard anything over there?

 

[TinEar]

no more news. they were heading away from me pretty fast. i wish i would have got the tail #. i think this originated from a female voice from selfridge tower telling the fighter "new assignment new assignment." and gave the heading. has anyone heard anything over there?

I haven't heard a thing. I put a radio on 228.9 as soon as you posted but nothing from my location anyway. If the plane was heading to JFK from your area, it would probably be on a route farther north than I could hear.

 

[Gemini]

1646: 290.425 - JAWS 21 up with WASH CTR. Said they will be orbiting Restricted AREA 5311 for 45 minutes.

 

[TinEar]

2142: An ETHYL 99 (tanker) called Andrews Command Post to ask about a phone patch. Not sure what he was told by ground but apparaently Andrews couldn't do it and the tanker flew off. I didn't hear him try with any other of the bases within listening range....141.55
2202: ETHYL 99 back to Andrews CP to say he's the tanker for REACH 777T and wants to know if the REACH aircraft is rolling yet...141.55
2221: ETHYL 99 back to ACP to again ask about the status of REACH 777T...378.1
2228: U/I aircraft talking to "502" on Andrews' VAQ-209" squadron freq...280.2
2231: COBRA 10 (EA-6B, VAQ-209 Andrews) to ADW Twr for landing...118.4 (same guy from 280.2)
2239: Jordanian government Airbus 342, callsign RJA 001, out of Andrews I think. He's flying northeast out of the Andrews area and then turning east toward the eastern shore.
For lack of anything better to do...I'm listening for foreign registry aircraft (another niche listening category)...Mexican Gulfstream 4, callsign MXA 864 in the area...Air France Boeing 777, callsign AFR 027 out of Dulles and heading across the pond.
2253: ETHYL 99 back with Andrews and repeats a message from ground..."0630Z at the IP for REACH 777T"......he repeats that he's ETHYL 99, tanker for REACH 777T that will be at the IP at 0630Z...378.1
ETHYL is used frequencyly by KC-135s from the NY-ANG at Niagara Falls but also by KC-10s at other places so it's difficult to tell which this is unless he gives us something more to go on.
2257: ETHYL 99 to Andrews and says..."I understand REACH 777T is off the ground now?"...378.1
2257: REACH 2112, tail 02-1112, C-17A from the 183rd AS MS-ANG in the area (missed freq)

1100: REACH 777T [female] reports off the ground to Andrews...378.1
1101: ETHYL 99 pipes in to say he understands REACH 777T is off the ground
REACH 777T is a C-17a, tail 02-1106, of the 62nd Airlift Wing McChord AFB WA
Also have a Chinese B746-400, callsign CPA 889, tail B-HKD in the area.
1108: REACH 777T explaining reasons for takeoff delay to Andrews...deicing, etc (usual reasons all day today)...378.1
1113: AR freq active...it's REACH 234 talking to a U/I aircraft (thought it was our R777T and ETHYL 99 but it's not)...341.75
1116: REACH 234 asks ETHYL tanker for squawk...they swap squawks...341.75
1119: The pair on the AR freq are REACH 234 and ETHYL 04...they're chatting about altitudes, etc...341.75
1121: REACH 234 tells ETHYL 04 he's waiting to get cleared by ATC for the AR...341.75
Boeing 747-400 from Luxembourg, tail LX-NCV, callsign CLX776 around the Philly area and then down across MD and into VA...and an Airbus 319 from Mexico, tail XA-UAQ somewhere around this area. Also, a B747-400 of British Airways, tail G-GSSB, callsign BAW3571 flying across MD and into VA near Dulles.
After listening to ETHYL 99 pouncing like a hawk on the REACH 777T aircraft awaiting takeoff and their refueling op, I've not heard a word on any AR freq I monitor from them.
1128: REACH 44 [female] to McGuire CP with arrival msg...30 minutes out, A-1, says they'll park on Xray row for their ground ops...319.4
1131: REACH 482 calling Andrews CP...378.1
1136: REACH 482 to Andrews with arrival message...has 16 crew and 7 pax...378.1
British Airways BAW292, tail G-YMMK, B777-200 up from Dulles heading east....as is a Panamanian airline B737 with tail HP-1369CM.
1152: REACH 482 asking Andrews if he has info on their upload yet....378.1
This should be a C5B, tail 87-0040 from the 60th AMW at Travis CA

0005: JOSA 804 to Andrews with arrival message...20 minutes out, home station C-21, tail 84-0129...378.1
0009: JOSA 804 with TRACON on approach for ADW...119.85

Enough for tonight...log ends.

 

[Gemini]

296.9

Sitting here reviewing my audio of the day. Have FURIES, flight of 4 in RED/BLUE excercise starting at around 0800 Wednesday Morning. After they played a bit, 'BEAR' showed up. I suspect HAWKEYE out of NORFOLK judging by the prop noise. BEAR directed FURIES in RED/BLUE excercise again.

I am just starting to review the audio but from my time stamps the freq stayed busy up unitl about the 1600 hour today. I'll likley post more about what my recorded audio brings back as the night goes on. I figured I would make a specific post about this as a quick search of the thread showed no previous history on the 296.9 freq.

For the first iteration, When they were done with the RED/BLUE Ex. FURIES thanked BEAR for the work and kept the freq. YODA 41 chimed in from somewhere and appeared to have been involved in the excercise but I never heard him until it was all over and done with.

Later in the day fad VODKA Flight of 4 in ACM on the freq.

 

[Mark]

1015 AXEMAN 1 with ZNY 338.300 says headed for Duke Moa.

Mark

 

[TinEar]

RAVEN and AXEMAN flights of A-10s from MTN landing back home at 1143 and 1153. One of the flights, I believe AXEMAN, used 140.0 for interflight. I had this in the rotation but haven't heard it used in a very long time.

There is also a HAGAR 70 (C5B Dover) and OPEC 43 (KC10A McGuire) getting ready for some refueling training. HAGAR came up from Dover at 1210 on 349.4, went to McGuire CP 319.4 to inquire about his tanker and then met up with him on AR freq 228.0 where they are now. Meeting at the IP was scheduled for 1745Z but they're going to be about 5 minutes early. HAGAR 70 is going to try AR with auto-pilot both on and off and other procedures once they start.

MAPLE 39 (F-16 VT-ANG) left the Detachment at Langley about 1150 on his way back to Burlington. Heard him with Norfolk TRACON on 370.925, then on ZDC freqs 281.45/257.7/256.8, over to ZNY 290.2 and finally to ZBW 290.35 before losing him at 1221.

There are also the usual assortment of tankers and transports flying here and there.

1258: SCARY flight of F-16s from Andrews airborne...interflight 143.6

1500 hour: I've been unable to log today because of other things happening but what an incredibly busy day this has been for MilAir listeners. All the local fighters units within listening range have been up. There have been several out-of-area fighter flights flying through and chatting all the way on their interflight freqs so many have been busy. I also noticed the MTN A-10s using the Bollen Range VHF freq (142.45) for interflight use today. Unusual.

By the way, another callsign correction that makes no sense to me but....the KC-10A flights from McGuire that we have as DEUCE are actually spelled DUCE. No idea why they do this but that's the way they enter it. It isn't because they have to shorten it since the full DEUCE would fit. At first, I thought it might just be one guy that can't spell but all of them use DUCE. On the other hand, there's an Andrews guy that spells VENUS as VENIS so there you go.

Just heard (1524) a couple of NJ-ANG F-16 pilots working at Pax mention an Osprey flying and they're trying to get a look at it.

And almost forgot to mention...I heard a couple of Army National Guard copters chatting on the Weide AAF freq....they mentioned going to FM and then even gave the freq as 38.4. They also mentioned freq 246.275 but I'm not sure who that one belongs to and I didn't have time to go check it out at the time. But I'm going to add both to my scan rotation.

 

[freqhopping]

Hearing some tankers chatting on GK 118.125, enroute to IP. One is OPEC- (49 maybe), the other ROCCO-61

One asked if the other was refueling a JEDI flight. Negative, a Navy E-6 with the c/s TOXIC. Says it's a standard Thursday night thing.

Now hearing JEDI-52. He wants FL200 for AR.

1837- JEDI-52 on 319.7 and he's coming in stronger now.
1839- It's TOXIC-43, mentioned 238.0. Maybe he meant 238.9, at least I've heard static there.

2034- TP-00 flight of 4 working RTB at FL115 on 343.7


2039- unidentified tanker will be at the IP in 8 minutes, descending to FL190. 352.6

 

[TinEar]

2106: THUG 01 to McGuire CP to report arrival along with THUG 02...IDs as two C-17s with tail 107 for THUG 01 and 183 for THUG 02...01 is A-1 but 02 is A-3 for a bird strike on the radome on the co-pilot's side....319.4
Tails should be...THUG 01 02-1107 and THUG 02 00-0183 from the 62nd Airlift Wing at McChord AFB WA
2111: DC 44 (KC-135R Andrews) to LIBERATOR at Andrews reports 30 minutes from landing...378.1
Tail for DEECEE 44 is 57-1512. He left Andrews about 3 hours ago for his mission.

2313-16: ASCOT 6611 calling "Command Post"...134.1 (He hasn't specified McGuire or Dover)

 

[Mark]

Rgr Tin ASCOT 6611 is arriving Dover now on Dover appch 132.425 and CP 134.100.
Req 120k fuel..A lot of fuel, May be a VC-10 type possibly but unusual hearing them on VHF.
I almost always hear those RAF guys on UHF.
I didn't hear any Customs req so maybe moving some RAF types later back across the pond from Nellis
Red Flag exercises.

Mark

 

[Gemini]

Sitting here reviewing my audio of the day. Have FURIES, flight of 4 in RED/BLUE excercise starting at around 0800 Wednesday Morning. After they played a bit, 'BEAR' showed up. I suspect HAWKEYE out of NORFOLK judging by the prop noise. BEAR directed FURIES in RED/BLUE excercise again.

I am continuing this post .

Thursday I again had the VA ANG up on this freq using as INTERPLANE for ACM. I Am trying to figure out if this is a GK Freq, One of the HAWKEYE Squadron Freqs, or it is a VA ANG FREQ. Yesterday I did copy a BEAR come up on the freq to coordinate an ACM. I never heard anyone talk to GK. I am still reviewing todays audio but at this point only here BASH C/S being used.

Does anyone else have any history on this freq?

 

[TinEar]

0900 hour saw WILD and SCARY flights of F-16s take off from Andrews (around 0930) and head out to W-386 with Giant Killer. They mentioned they would tank and are now doing so (starting 1010) with DC 51 (KC-135R, tail 57-1487, Andrews) on 288.0. The F-16s are working 139.15 and 143.6 interflight and on 312.3 for a common freq. I heard DC 51 take off at 0900 from Andrews.

There was also a RAVEN flight of A-10s off from Martin State rerporting airborne at 0950. I heard Raven Ops mention something about Atlantic City for them while they were still on the ground.

1015: DEUCE 52 (KC-10A McGuire) calling Giant Killer on 135.725, then 249.8 and finally 255.0 to enter
W-107 in altitude block 250-270.
Somehow, I just can't bring myself to spell it DUCE.
1015: DC 53 taking off from Andrews...378.1

1020: Think we've also got a scramble of F-16s from Andrews...BRAVE 61 (and maybe 62) on 139.7
1022: Confirmed...BRAVE 61/62 up on 139.7 with HUNTRESS chasing down a TOI.
1023: BRAA to TOI is 155/59/3000/north...139.7
1025: BRAVE flight looks to be training only...one of the BRAVE F-16s is playing the role of HUNTRESS...139.7
1035: DEUCE 52 Heavy tells Giant Killer he's leaving...heading for Atlantic City...249.8/255.0
1038: TESTER 00 (USN Test Pilot School, Pax NAS) with Pax...354.8
1040: NJ-ANG F-16s also up on interflight...138.425
1047: BRAVE 61/62 call CAPITOL back at the squadron to report they're coming home...both Code 1...61 will land first, 62 will hold for about 10 minutes over Nottingham....139.7 (repeat on 335.5 TRACON)
1052: BRAVE 61 with ADW Twr for landing...349.0
1052: BRAVE 62 with TRACON for 10 minute hold...335.5
1054: BRAVE 61, gear down, cleared to land runway 19L...349.0
1056: NJ-ANG F-16s in W-107 with Giant Killer doing simulated DARKSTAR AWACS TI activity...255.0

1104: BRAVE 62 landing...249.0
1104: DEVIL 11 (the NJ-ANG F-16 flight that was out in W-107) reports RTB to Giant Killer...255.0
1106: DEVIL 12 to Devil Ops to report return...261.0
1106: SCARY flight reports RTB...so does WILD to Giant Killer...249.8
1112: WILD to SENATE SOF with in flight report in the blind...69 miles out, both Code 1...139.9
1123: WILD and SCARY flights both with TRACON for approach to Andrews...270.275
1130: WILD/SCARY over to ADw Tower for landing...349.0
1132: RAVEN flight coming home to MTN...10 minutes out, both Code 1 as reported to Raven Ops...347.2 (Mama Hawg sounded delighted to hear from them)
RAVENs still on interflight 142.3
1138: AXEMAN flight reporting 10 minutes out, both Code 1...347.2
(Didn't even know an AXEMAN flight was out there...missed their takeoff)
1140: AXEMAN flight working interflight...140.0
1144: RAVENs with MTN Tower for landing...297.2
1145: AXEMAN to MTN Tower for landing...297.2
1145: RAVENs touch down...297.2
1146: AXEMAN on a 6 miles straight in approach to runway 15....297.2
1152: AXEMAN flight touching down...297.2

1214: REACH 9012 with arrival msg to Dover CP...IDs as a C-5, 30 minutes out, A-1, has 10 pax so will need airstairs...5 of those pax are going on to Ramstein and the other 5 are looking for a ride to California...349.4
1216: VENUS 24 to Griffin Command at Andrews to say he took off on the hour and will be up for 2.5 hours...he's going to Wallops and then back to Andrews...378.1
1248: DC51 [female] with arrival message to LIBERATOR at Andrews...15 minutes out, A-2 for minor writeups...parking in Spot 2, no fleet services required...378.1
1250: REACH 8005 with Andrews CP...378.1
1254L DC 51 reports gear down, cleared to land runway 19L...118.4

1300: Heard a few (at least 3) CARMEN C-130s from the DE-ANG taking off an hour or so ago on their Ops freq 343.0. They've been chatting up a storm on 303.0 which they seem to be using for an interflight freq. There's a CARMEN 5 and a 7 and I haven't heard the number for the third one yet.
1300: COBRA 30 with ZNY-Lancaster 239.05 at 15,000 feet and then with ZNY-Modena 335.6...stating direct Baltimore at 1304
1351: AXEMAN flight reports airborne at 50 past the hour to Raven Ops...347.2
1351: AXEMAN using interflight freq...142.3
1355: AXEMAN to Pax...314.0
The MTN A-10s seem to always use 314.0 to check into the Pax area. Just about everyone else uses 305.2.

1417: JOSA 306 (C-21A tail 84-0100) arriving Andrews 15 minutes...378.1
1428: WATERBUG 473 with Pax...270.8
1430: U/I flight (Probably NJ-ANG F-16s) into Giant Killer's W-107 area...255.0 (heard the end of a transmission on their Ops freq 261.0 right after this and sounded like the same voice which is why I say it's NJ-ANG)
1433: Naval fighters (based on terminology) in ACM activity on Pax discrete freq...256.5 (One of them is TESTER 03...the other two are TESTER 11 and 12.)
1446: NJ-ANG also working 138.875 interflight.
1450: JEDI 62 to McGuire CP with arrival message...30 minutes out, A-1, no cargo, medevac crew of 15, flight crew of 4...319.4
1453: REACH 506 to Andrews CP with arrival msg...20 minutes out, A-1, 2 pax to download, need parking...378.1
1455: BICEP 11 is the NJ-ANG flight that has been up...now with ACY Approach...327.125

1510: The TESTER bunch working 256.5 at Pax has decided there is static on the freq and request a new freq from BayWatch...they get 291.15 and switch there. This is TESTER 03 who describes TESTER 11 and TESTER 12 as T-38 types.
1527: TESTER 03 tells TESTER 11/12 they're done...TESTER 11/12 will RTB as a flight...291.15
1528: TESTER 03 asks BayWatch to climb to an altitude of 42,000 feet and below....291.15
1534: AXEMAN flight of two A-10s reporting RTB to BayWatch...354.8
1540: AXEMAN to Raven Ops to report 10 minutes out, two Code 1s...347.2
1548: RAVEN to Raven Ops to report 10 minutes out...347.2
1548: AXEMAN flight with MTN Tower for landing...297.2
1549: Belgian Air Force flight - BAF 608 - a C-130H, Tail CH-09, 20SM Squadron on approach to Andrews...heard at 1515 on 141.55 and now with TRACON 119.3 (Female...had a lot to say on 141.55 but the heavy accent made me shut her out...sort of like you do with your wife/girlfriend when she wants to be chatty during the game you're watching on TV.)
1553: AXEMAN flight landing at MTN...297.2
1553: RAVEN flight also with MTN Tower preparing to land...297.2
1559: BAF 608 landing ADW...118.4
1559: EVAC (33)115 (C-17A, tail 03-3115, 183rd Airlift Squadron/172nd AW MS-ANG) to Andrews CP with arrival message...40-50 patients...need a pallet taken off first so will need a forklift...will need 20-30,000 pounds of fuel...parking in spot 1-B...378.1

1613: EVAC 33115 with ADW Approach...119.3
1627: A boomer of a ground station comes up on Guard 121.5 and calls REACH 791...says if he's listening to get over onto 119.85....REACH 791 then comes up on 119.85 and says, "We've been listening but haven't heard a call."
1628: REACH 5144 (C-17A, tail, 05-5144, 729th Airlift Squadron) calls Andrews...378.1
1628: PAT 24 calls Davey Ops (Davison AAF) and gives tail as 264...wants gas...139.4
1636: REACH 791 with ADW Approach...119.3
1638: REACH 791 with ADW Tower for landing...118.4
1639: DEECEE 53 (ugh...DC 53)...to LIBERATOR at Andrews with arrival message...20 minutes out, A-1, will hae 25,000 pounds of fuel upon landing...141.55

THE END

Ref above: Jeff, I've got nothing on 296.6 in my records.

 

[CitationJet]

03.09.2007

03.09.2007

2215Z 378.100 SAM CP Andrews - COBRA 70 (0C-135W 61-2670 45th RS) - arr. msg 20 mins. out req. parking, gets 11A.
2228Z 119.850 Potomac APP - COBRA 70 (0C-135W 61-2670 45th RS) - @ ELDEE 080 heading out of ELDEE.
2228Z 378.100 SAM CP Andrews - JOSA 217 (C-21A 84-0077) - home station C-21A tail #40077 25 mins. out status A1 2 Space As, need Space A bus and bus for two duties.

 

[TinEar]

2239: Just heard BLACKJACK 1 and 2 (Coast Guard HH65 Helos) tell Andrews Approach they would be operating in the area around Andrews - both north and south of the airfield doing some practice...119.3
2241: And here they are on 139.7 doing practice intercepts against each other. I don't hear HUNTRESS involved yet...just the two BLACKJACKs. First one will be a head on intercept.
2248: BLACKJACKs are starting yet another intercept...one is at 2000 and the other at 2200 feet...they'll operate at 120 knots speed...139.7
Usually, when they do this practice without HUNTRESS being involved, they use one of the Marine channels so it's a little different tonight to hear them on 139.7.

Question: There is a C9B from VR-52 at Willow Grove that makes many runs between there and Andrews - back and forth trips. The aircraft carries Bureau Number 160049. Does anyone know what they use for a callsign for that flight?

2102: HOIST 91 (KC-10A,305th AMW McGuire AFB NJ) after many attempts to contact McGuire CP finally does and gives his arrival message...30 minutes out, A-2, no pax or cargo...And the reason for A-2? Seems his #2 engine oil quantity guage shows 17 quarts during idle flight...I'm glad I know that now...319.4
2116: Sounds like BLACKJACK 1 and 2 are done with their training. BJ2 says he's going down Route 3 (helicopter route) to the Wilson Bridge area...139.7 (They'll eventually plunk down at their nest at DCA)
2122: BLACKJACK 2 to HUNTRESS to say he'll stay up another 10-15 minutes to do an approach and then RTB...139.7

2215Z 378.100 SAM CP Andrews - COBRA 70 (0C-135W 61-2670 45th RS) - arr. msg 20 mins. out req. parking, gets 11A.
2228Z 119.850 Potomac APP - COBRA 70 (0C-135W 61-2670 45th RS) - @ ELDEE 080 heading out of ELDEE.

That was the Open Skies aircraft coming into Andrews in the 1800 hour. He left again about 2120 heading northeast from Andrews.

 

[Mark]

(News article)

It's the end of an era for one reserve squadron at Dover Air Force Base.
The 326th Airlift Squadron's last training flight using C-5 Galaxy cargo planes takes place Saturday morning.

First Lieutenant Marnee Losurdo says the squadron will soon be flying the C-17 Globemaster 3, a newer plane which, although smaller than the C-5, has its advantages.

Losurdo says the 326th's sister squadron, the 709th, will continue to fly the 30-plus-year-old C-5's, because they're still suitable for situations where a larger amount of cargo has to be moved from one place to another.

Wonder if it will be a HAGAR or BOLAR flight?
0845 HAGAR 99 is up with Dover..doing locals so far with tower 126.350 and apch 125.900
1700 BOLAR 99 arriving Dover with some cargo from KCHS.

Mark

 

[TinEar]

Not much of anything happening today but there was one thing I want to mention. There were three C-130H aircraft (tails 92-3284/3283/3288) from the 328th Airlift Squadron AFRC in Niagara Falls NY that came into Andrews today. One arrived around noon and the other two about an hour later. They were using callsign BISON. The first one in mentioned staying overnight for a mission tomorrow.

Other than that, all I've heard have been the normal assortment of transports around the area into Andrews/Dover/McGuire, along with a Czech Air Force CEF 01 (Airbus A319, tail 2801) and a German Air Force (C-160, tail 50+84). Quiet otherwise.

The new Airport/Facility Directories effective March 15 are now available. It comes in seven versions for different parts of the county. The one for the Northeast U.S. is 632 pages long. They only cost about 4 bucks each from the FAA. I received the whole set of seven today which they sell for 25 bucks. Those are the best buys around.

Almost forgot...had PUGET 99 (EA-6B VAQ-129 Whidbey Island, WA) depart Andrews at 1043...lifted off with departure (TRACON 257.2) over to ZDC-Linden 319.1 and finally to ZDC-Blue Ridge on 285.6 where I heard him for the last time at FL240 when he checked in there at 1058.