Sticky Thread for MilAir II

[trainman111]

Hey everyone. I just wanted you all to know that I'm still alive. I've been extremely busy lately and I haven't had much time for milair unfortunately. Tomorrow, however, I'm planning on logging again. As with everyone else, I'm having amazing results on both VHF and UHF so I can't wait to get going again. Hopefully it stays like this!

 

[dparana]

Dave, UGLY flight of three PA-ANG A-10s coming your way....w/Philly 263.125 > ZNY-Pottstown 278.3 > ZNY-Williamsport 338.3 at 1324. Interflight 143.25.
Snip///
Wouldn't it be great to have a radar scope to follow these fighter flights from takeoff to their mission location and back home again?
Snip///

Sorry I missed the UGLY flight, I was out on a jobsite all afternoon. Do any of you guys remember probably 6 or 7 months ago when military flights were showing up on flightaware.com? I remember going to the SUA website and finding what airspace was active, I would go to an airport near that airspace on flightaware, and then click on the local radar for the vicinity of the airport. I saw a tanker with two aircraft up in Washington state, a DEMON flight up in the Pike or Steelhead MOA by Michigan, various TESTER Aircraft at Pax, and alot of transports flying around. It was awesome, unfortunately it only lasted for a few days until flightaware noticed it.

Dave

 

[trainman111]

So far there's only 1 military aircraft I've been able to track on flightaware and that's VOODOO 1. You've got the option of searching for the "Air Mobility Command" a/c but it shows no results. I wish there was some site out there that would let you track military a/c. It would make things MUCH easier!

 

[TinEar]

1921: Refueling op about to begin on freq 235.1...no callsigns heard but caught the tail numbers as they swapped them. One is 62-3527 which makes him a KC-135E from the 108th Aerial Refueling Wing at McGuire. The other is a female 03-3127 which makes her a C-17A from the 6th Airlift Squadron at McGuire.
1928: CRAB 53 (C-130J, 97-1353, 135th Airlift Squadron MD-ANG) taking off from Martin State Airport...385.9
1931; JINX 44 reports takeoff at 20 after the hour to McGuire CP...319.4
1935: BOXER 254 (C-38A, 94-1570, 201st Airlift Squadron DC-ANG Andrews) out of Andrews...119.85-I think (not sure which TRACON freq he used-too slow looking over at the scanner)
1939: REACH 2112 (C-17A, 02-1112, 183rd Airlift Squadron MS-ANG Jackson) arriving Andrews...1 Space A pax and need transportation for a crew of 3...378.1
1941: MAD HOG (A-10 PA-ANG Willow Grove) giving a PIREP to Willow Grove Base Ops...343.0
1942: PA-ANG A-10s active on interflight freq...143.25
1943: PA-ANG A-10s active with Philadelphia TRACON...343.725
1949: MAD HOG flight with ZNY-Pottstown...278.3
1950: MAD HOG handed off to ZNY-Williamsport and check in at 16,000 feet...338.3
Here they come again Dave to The Duke if you're reading.
1952: UGLY flight of PA-ANG A-10s with Philly TRACON...343.725
1955: UGLY flight with ZNY-Pottstown...out of 11,500 for 13,000...cleared up to 17000 feet...request direct Slate Run...278.3
And another flight going to The Duke MOA. Dave, you're the only one on this thread that can copy the aircraft while in The Duke so we're relying on you.
1956: UGLY flight cleared direct Slate Run...278.3
1956: UGLY flight on interflight freq...142.25
1959: Refueling activity on ...228.0 (Just out of my listening range...lots of chat - can't understand a word of it.)

2001: MAD HOG on Ops freq...141.8
2001: UGLY flight handed off and "Push 17" to ZNY-Williamsport...338.3
2016: NIGHTHAWK 5 with Andrews Tower...over Greenbelt...118.4

NOTE: When the 142nd Airlift Squadron DE-ANG C-130H aircraft call their Base Ops at New Castle County Airport on 343.0, they call "CB" which I've been assuming stands for "Carmen Base" since they most often use the CARMEN callsign. Does anyone know for sure?

One final addition to this log for the plane-spotters among us....
Today's Foreign Aircraft Visitors To The Baltimore-Washington Area:
When there are two flight numbers - such as the bold line below - those are the inbound and outbound flight numbers.

Country, Registration, ICAO Acft Type, Flight Number (if noted)
Portugal, CS-DFL, F900,
Canada, C-GSAT, A310, TSC 360
Jamaica, 6Y-JAF, A320,
Germany, D-AIGI, A343, DLH 444/445
Ireland, EI-CRF, B763, AZ 8944
Austria, OE-LAY, B763, AUA 93/94
United Kingdom, G-VAIR, A343, VIR 21/22
Germany, D-AIGM, A343, DLH 428/429
France, F-GGVB, FA50,
United Kingdom, G-VIIS, B772,
Mexico, XA-UBZ, A318,
Germany, D-ABVO, B744
France, F-GISC, B744, AFR 388
Mexico, XA-APB, B763, AMX 409
Mexico, XA-BVG, GLF4,
Germany, D-AIGA, A343, DLH 417
United Kingdom, G-CEFG, B763,
United Kingdom, G-BXKC, A320, 180
South Africa, ZS-SNG, A346, SAA 208
Switzerland, HB-IIO, B737, PTI 307
United Kingdom, G-BNWN, B763, BAW 229
France, F-GEXA, B744, AFR 434
Netherlands, PH-AOF, A332, KLM 652
Netherlands, PH-AOB, A332, KLM 622
Mexico, XA-UBZ, A318, MXA 003
France, F-OJTN, A343, THT 003
Germany, D-ABVO, B744, DLH 419
Barbados, 8P-MAK, GLF5, KGE 5963

United Kingdom, G-OXLA, B738, REACH 720
UK aircraft of Excel Airways with American pilot..lands at BWI around 1915

Iceland, TF-FIR, B752, ICE 643
United Kingdom, G-CIVH, B744, BAW 6W
France, F-GSPJ, B772, AFR 033
Luxembourg, LX-LCV, B744, CV 778
United Kingdom, G-VGAL, B744,
Germany, D-AIKJ, A333, DLH 415
Jamaica, 6Y-JMD, A321,
Ethiopia, ET-ALJ, B763,
United Kingdom, G-BNWN, B763, BAW 228
Saudi Arabia, HZ-AIU, B742, SVA 0905
France, F-GIUD, B744, AFR 6418

There is a NOTAM in effect for McGuire AFB as follows:
M0160/07 - TRANSIENT AIRCRAFT MAY EXPERIENCE DELAYS DUE TO PRIORITY ELEPHANT WALK MISSION DEPARTURES. 06 APR 13:30 UNTIL 06 APR 14:30 (0930-1030 local time)
There is no indication of the size of the elephant walk or the types of aircraft involved. The last one in this area that I know about was at Charleston AFB last year when 17 C-17A aircraft took off back-to-back (and did a number on some air traffic controllers at a couple of positions out at ZDC when they passed through their areas.) This could be very interesting.

And that's going to be it for the logging posts until some point in the future. Many thanks to everyone for your help and contributions.

 

[CitationJet]

04.04.2007 pm

2046Z 118.950 Potomac DEP - COAST GUARD 2120 (Hu-25 2120 CGAS Mobile) - deps DCA to 9000'.
2057Z 118.950 Potomac DEP - SPAR 29 (C-37A 01-0029 310th AS MacDill) - deps ADW to 17000' QSY ZDC-Linden 120.650.

2103Z 118.950 Potomac DEP - JOSA 509 - deps ADW to 17000' dir GINYA join J149 QSY 118.675.
2106Z 378.100 GRIFFIN CP Andrews - JOSA 509 - t/off time 2055Z.
2114Z 378.100 GRIFFIN CP Andrews - JOSA 509 - reqs GRIFFIN contact 457th AS and tell them to come up on Caribou Ops channel 20.
2117Z 378.100 GRIFFIN CP Andrews - JOSA 509 - reqs phone patch to JOSAC DSN 779-#### and pp commences @ 2119Z. 509 says we were told to contact you immedaitely asks if current mission ADW-FFO-ADW still stands. JOSAC informs 509 that they will need to modify the mission to include a stop at PIT. 509 informs JOSAC that in order to stop at PIT, they will have to hold and burn fuel for 1 hr. 509 is informed that their mission has changed and they can route FFO-PIT-FFO-ADW instead to fulfill pax requirements.
2125Z 118.950 Potomac DEP - PAT 2403 - deps DAA join V376-GRUBY.
2152Z 139.700 HUNTRESS - BLACKJACK 2 - ready for RTB.
2153Z 378.100 LIBERATOR - DC 91 reports 25 mins out.

 

[freqhopping]

For anybody within range of low altitude stuff at Quantico, some helos are scheduled to do an extract of TBS students at LZ Peacock at 2200 hours tonight.

 

[CitationJet]

Re: VOODOO 1

VOODOO 1 is actually the static callsign for Boeing 727 N289MT operated by Raytheon Flight Test Operations.

Best regards,

Tony

So far there's only 1 military aircraft I've been able to track on flightaware and that's VOODOO 1. You've got the option of searching for the "Air Mobility Command" a/c but it shows no results. I wish there was some site out there that would let you track military a/c. It would make things MUCH easier!

 

[dparana]

And another flight going to The Duke MOA. Dave, you're the only one on this thread that can copy the aircraft while in The Duke so we're relying on you.

You nailed them again Tin....

MADHOG flight of two and UGLY flight of two were up in the DUKE MOA beginning about 2000.
They were refuelling with TAZ 70 (Rickenbacker AFB, OH) on 301.60 and then did some bomb runs on the Slate Run VOR. I believe they were using 143.25 A2A. UGLY Flight was A2A on 138.30. UGLY 2 was just going to the tanker when I had to go over to my neighbor's house so I didn't hear what other work they may have done. The last few nights in the DUKE have provided some great listening....kind of made me think how quiet it is going to be when Willow Grove is totally BRAC'd.

Dave

 

[BM82557]

Activity 04052007

10:18 - MUSSEL 03 to Martinsburg tower, 12 miles to the north, transitioning the airspace north to south at 1000 agl - 124.3
10:34 - MUSSEL 03 to Martinsburg tower, clear of the airspace to the south, frequency change approved - 124.3
11:43 - BATON 20 (EC-130J, 193rd SOW PA-ANG Harrisburg) level at 9000 ft - 295.8

 

[CitationJet]

MUSSEL 01 on 321.0

Had MUSSEL 01 Flight up on 321.000 @ 1404Z this morning, clg "Ops" but could not make out the rest. They were i/b for landing. I might have missed what Ops is on this frequency, any ideas?

 

[BM82557]

MUSSEL 01 on 321.0

Had MUSSEL 01 Flight up on 321.000 @ 1404Z this morning, clg "Ops" but could not make out the rest. They were i/b for landing. I might have missed what Ops is on this frequency, any ideas?

Tin had a post, http://www.radioreference.com/forums/showpost.php?p=439740&postcount=956 which has "The 321.0 freq, along with 311.0, are very common Command Post freqs at many, many bases around the country so it's hard to tell who he might have been calling."

 

[trainman111]

VOODOO 1 is actually the static callsign for Boeing 727 N289MT operated by Raytheon Flight Test Operations.

Best regards,

Tony

That's weird. How come when you type it in to flightaware it shows as an F-16?

 

[CitationJet]

Re: VOODOO 1

Beats me!

I quote from my posting from IAD 09.21.2006:

"Actually, I thought it was departing, but it parked up on J1 @ Signature,
arriving with callsign VOODOO 1. Still there when I left."

> In case someone is planning to go to IAD to catch 727 N289MT, our reporter
> on the scene Tony Orr says that it is readying right now (4:23PM) for
> departure.

That's weird. How come when you type it in to flightaware it shows as an F-16?

 

[Mark]

1745 local,odd callsign PARRO 01 flight of at least 3 A-10's heading for Westover A/A 138.100,138.200 then finally settled on 138.150.
Mentioned contacting Westover ground on 275.800

1940 local FLYER 1 flt of 2 headed Northwest again climbing to 13k ZNY 278.300 A/A 143.250
1941 UGLY 1 flt of 2 heard Philly dep 291.700>343.725>ZNY 278.300>ZNY 338.300,guess will be joining FLYERS.A/A 138.300 now 138.500
yakking about the Airlines they work for.. Nice to know that your Airline pilot could barrel roll your Airbus 310 and enjoy it... LOL
2010 CRAB 53 doing drops with Phillips tower 126.1500,3 drops,1 lights on,2 others with NVG lights off.racetrack circles over triple bridges
on Susquehanna.
2045 FLYER 2 rtb at 5k on 397.900 ZNY Lehigh Valley.
2055 FLYERS checking in 343.00 base ops,One is code 2 for victor radio.
2045 Langley fighters callsign VIKING flt of 5 on 296.900 and JOKERS on 315.850 working offshore tonite and heard Airline captain
report on ZDC Salisbury 120.9750 says he is seeing airbursts.
"Is the military working out there?' He may have spotted some flares more likely.
2120 ROMAN 55 FA/18 Oceana decending to 240 from 260 with ZDC Blackstone 235.025
Never did hear the UGLIES rtb WG,maybe they were headed elsewhere.

Mark

 

[trainman111]

Beats me!

I quote from my posting from IAD 09.21.2006:

"Actually, I thought it was departing, but it parked up on J1 @ Signature,
arriving with callsign VOODOO 1. Still there when I left."

> In case someone is planning to go to IAD to catch 727 N289MT, our reporter
> on the scene Tony Orr says that it is readying right now (4:23PM) for
> departure.

Thanks for that then Tony! I just went and checked flightaware and now it says that it is indeed a 727-200. It's weird that it changed like that. It used to say it was an F-16. Either way, thanks for that catch Tony!

Nick

 

[TinEar]

1745 local,odd callsign PARRO 01 flight of at least 3 A-10's heading for Westover A/A 138.100,138.200 then finally settled on 138.150.
Mentioned contacting Westover ground on 275.800
Mark

I heard them as PHARAOH (pronounced "FARE-oh").
They were also heard by New England listeners as they arrived at Westover. Someone provided the ID as the 355th Wing at Davis-Monthan AFB Arizona.

Alan

 

[Mark]

0852 DRAGO 51 getting ready for flyby on Pot appch 279.575 3 Shaw F-16's
A/A was 143.800 but was getting interference so switched to V-9 141.750.
Now one of the F-16's has engine problems so will land Andrews to reset.
0915 DRAGO 53 departing area on ZDC 284.700
0925 MADHOG heard up on Philly appch 291.700 climbing to 6k on 319.150 Phil appch
0927 TESTER 00 from Pax heard at Sea Isle 285.400
0935 MADHOG up on 317.550 Phily appch,must be headed South.
0939 MADHOG1 with Smyrna ZDC 354.150
0952 MADHOG 1 single A-10 checks in with Bay Watch 354.800,was wondering why so quiet on trip down.
1005 BOLAR 71 off Dover 349.400 looking for Tankers SLUFF 61 and later TAZZ 51,52.
1007 DEVIL 11 flt of 2 F-16,s with Dover appch 257.875 and tower 279.625 couple Tacan appch's runway 19.
1029 RAVEN 1 flt of 2 A-10,s with Dover apch 257.875 at 7.5k VFR eastbound 15 miles Southwest of Dover headed for Atlantic City.
1132 RAVEN 1 rtb Martin State 317.425
1145 MADHOG 1 with WG tower 340.200 landing as test flight.
1148 TEAM 55 arriving McGuire Alpha 3 like Tin said below all kinds of galley/lav electrical problems.
1203 WOODEN 41 KC-10 alpha 3 arriving Mcguire,6 various writeups.16 pax.
1230 SENTRY 60 E-3 off Dover.
1240 DRAGNET (prob Sentry 60) to GRUMPY 51 on 305.200 Pax soon ready to join the fight.
1242 UGLY's back up on 291.700 push button 6 319.150 direct Pottstown to 12k feet,must be headed for Duke MOA again.
1245 DRAGNET to GK 249.800 unable to do VHF.
1246 DRAGNET sw to 251.600 will be working W-122 with GRUMPY 51 and ALOFT sounds like also on 305.200
1255 Strange occasional digital data burst on 320.950 and loud voice com heard on 297.000,"will check in on you later"
1259 REACH 5008 departed Dover at 55 past hour on 349.400

 

[BM82557]

Activity 04062007

08:50 - interflight chatter ending with "reserved for Shaw, push VICTOR ? - 143.8
09:00 - talking about location of Alexandria - 141.75
09:01 - "punch tanks off on the east side of the field" - 141.75
09:03 - chatter about "Runway 1 Right ... in front of the Vipers is where they'll park us" - 141.75
09:05 - going over RTB clearance "Nottingham to Richmond, J52 to ?" - 141.75
09:18 - "land Runway 1 Right, ... maintain chase ... normal final" - 141.75


Ref Mark above: I think this is the same thing he posted.

10:35 - 10:45 - unid ac talking about block 24, going to try to contact GIANTKILLER - 143.825

 

[TinEar]

08:50 - interflight chatter ending with "reserved for Shaw, push VICTOR ? - 143.8
09:00 - talking about location of Alexandria - 141.75
09:01 - "punch tanks off on the east side of the field" - 141.75
09:03 - chatter about "Runway 1 Right ... in front of the Vipers is where they'll park us" - 141.75
09:05 - going over RTB clearance "Nottingham to Richmond, J52 to ?" - 141.75
09:18 - "land Runway 1 Right, ... maintain chase ... normal final" - 141.75


Ref Mark above: I think this is the same thing he posted.

10:35 - 10:45 - unid ac talking about block 24, going to try to contact GIANTKILLER - 143.825

Correct Brian...the 141.75 freq is the same flight Mark posted - the DRAGO 51 three ship F-16 flight. DRAGO 53 went back to Shaw, DRAGO 51 (with the problem) landed at 0933 and DRAGO 52 landed at 0944 - both at Andrews on 349.0

The 143.825 stuff is a McGuire tanker interplane freq. It's a flight of four KC-10A types from McGuire. They are TEAM 54 and 55 along with HOIST 90 and 91. They all left McGuire together, flew to AR-636 and are now splitting up with HOIST 90 and 91 going to Shaw. They have been coordinating flight levels and clearances to Shaw on Giant KIller's 238.1 and 249.8 freqs. The TEAM 54/55 pair will refuel DAGGER/MARLIN/BANK flights (all Langley F-22A types) in AR-636 - probably on 238.9 where they established contact.

TEAM 55 (at 1145) is going back to McGuire with multiple problems in A-3 maintenance status. He's 20 minutes out and talking with McGuire Command Post on 319.4...his main problems are (1) boom door won't open electrically or manually, (2) PPU #2 is inoperative, (3) multiple circuit breakers opened right after takeoff, (4) lav circuit breaker popped in flight, and (5 - can't forget this one) the "hot cup" is always on even with the switch off ...he still has 140,000 pounds of fuel on board

TEAM 54 just contacted (at 1207) the MARLIN 41 flight on 249.8 to let them know they're up on 238.9 for the AR. The BANK flight of F-22As already completed their flight and went back to Langley. Their interflight was 238.825. DAGGER has also completed their flight out in W-386/AR-636 and returned home to Langley.
TEAM 54 ready to return to McGuire per transmission to GK on 249.8 at 1247. At 1258 he's checking the weather back at McGuire on McGuire Metro freq 239.8. Several minutes later he's with McGuire CP on 319.4 and with Atlantic City Approach on 124.6 descending for his approach to the McGuire runway.

There's a DRAGNET E-3 AWACS from Tinker AFB OK getting ready to work in W-122 at 1245. He's with Giant Killer on 251.6 and will control IFF only above FL 180 with a GRUMPY flight of F-15s from Seymour Johnson when aloft.

Clearance Delivery at MTN passing route clearance to A-10s still on the ground at 1333...expect them up shortly on 290.475 departure freq. (It's a COLT flight airborne at 1343)(And RAVEN flight airborne at 1350)
They both go to the Patuxent Range area around Vienna MD.

BICEP 11 flight of two F-16s from Atlantic City calling Any Radio on FSS 255.4 at 1352 to announce entering VR-1709 for 20 minutes at 500 feet and 500 knots...their interflight is 138.425

BOOGIE 51 flight (more than likely the broken DRAGO 51 and his wingman that landed at Andrews this morning - or possibly just the wingman) returning to Shaw midway through the 1400 hour. Latest check in is with ZDC-Montebello 284.7 at 1439. There was no mention of a two ship flight so it's difficult to tell if it's both F-16s or just the "unbroken" one.

Coast Guard 2003 (HC-130J, Aircraft Project Office, Elizabeth City NJ) calling "Maintenance" on 379.05...a couple of calls between 1709 and 1738. In the first call, he said he was 45 minutes out and had 22,000 pounds of fuel. He added, "The plane is clean."

Just heard a ROCCO 84 (KC-135E 108th ARW McGuire) calling TORCH Control on 303.0 at McGuire at 1754. He was giving a "Blackjack Report" which is sort of a mission accomplishment report upon their return home. I've heard several of these over the past few days. There is generally a T, U, V, W line in the report. This one gave the T as C (Charlie), U as 40 (fuel remainder in thousands of pounds I would guess), V as 2230 (ETA I suppose-- and I've heard them add things like "plus 15" which should mean the time in minutes beyond their fragged time). There was no W that I heard in this Blackjack Report. I've heard these reports used in other parts of the country but only recently around here - or maybe I just never stumbled on them until recently. I've never heard them called "Blackjack Reports" though until this unit started doing it a couple of weeks ago.

And midway through the 1900 hour, there was a Saudi Arabian Air Force Airbus 340 with tail HZ-124 (that was also being used for a callsign) that came into the area. I'm not sure if we're suddenly seeing more foreign Air Force aircraft in this area for some reason - or if I'm just suddenly noticing them more than I have in the past.

I don't think I mentioned we had a Luxembourg Air Force E-3 AWACS plane in the area yesterday. His tail number was LX-N90456 and used callsign NATO 06. Add to that an Italian Air Force Airbus 319, tail MM62209, Italian Air Force 2209 callsign.... and a German Air Force Airbus 310-304 with tail 10+21 and callsign German Air Force 206 also flying our area's friendly skies yesterday afternoon.

 

[md_p97]

This may be old news, but I came across this blurb in this mornings Frederick News Post:

Kalitta Charters of Ypsilanti, Mich., won the Pentagon contract to bring the war dead home, and has returned 143 bodies since Jan. 1.
More than 3,500 Americans have been killed in Iraq and Afghanistan. Before the new law was passed by Congress, the dead that arrived from overseas at the military mortuary in Dover, Del., were then typically flown to the commercial airport nearest their families.