Sticky Thread for MilAir

[TinEar]

Isn't that the truth Paul! All four of my 785s are just constant with activity and I've only recapped about a quarter of it above. Just no way to keep up with it all. When all the receivers are going at once, it's impossible to pick out details on all of them. I've never heard a day this busy with milair. All the transport freq and helo freqs are constantly busy also but who has time for them?

Alan

 

[md_p97]

If I was to drive over to the eastern shore of the Bay...oh...say Still Pond perhaps....would I be able to see any of the activity at the proving ground? Or does anyone know of a good location I could sit and pearch at on a sunny afternoon?

Paul

 

[TinEar]

Don't think so Paul. Too far away considering this is all low level stuff at Aberdeen. Best way would be to use your military ID card if you have one and sit somewhere on the military property and watch. I've been promising myself to do that one of these days but you never know when they'll be up and working the range so it's unlikely to really happen.

[Edit] Before I go...about 1528 two RAVAGE F-16s from Andrews diverted to a target in the zone...ID it as a Citation. Working on 143.15.
At 1534 - "Did you see that blue balloon that just flew over my canopy?" Negative says 2. Must be low.

1537 Copter 24022 with Weide 126.20 reports over Bush River (must be the yacht club in Harford County) and railroad tracks coming in for landing.

 

[NC3Z]

Does this count for MilAir comms? :lol:

259.700MHz AM today, copied at my QTH.

http://www.mitchelson.org/pages/wav/STS-114.wav

 

[doctordave]

Paul,

You won't see diddly from Still Pond or nearby Betterton....but you'll easily appreciate the air concussions when things blow up. Many a window has been shattered in both towns over the years.

 

[n3bxv]

Crab 56

Crab 56 departs Martin State, works with Crab OPs 385.9

Later working 343.0 (I have as New Castle De, ANG OPs) asks to work
their Assault landing Zone after dark....

 

[TinEar]

Chuck, I believe 343.0 is Willow Grove Naval Air Station.

 

[n3bxv]

Alan,
The Lastest FLIP US IFR Supplement gives 343.0 as "Wilmington Command Post" and AirNav.com gives Runway 14/27 as having " NON-STANDARD MILITARY ASSAULT LANDING ZONE (ALZ) LIGHTING"

So, I'm sticking to my guns!

 

[TinEar]

Okay...I'll stick there with you.

 

[TinEar]

Got someone in the GIANT KILLER area on 238.10 and also refueling tanker interplane freq 139.875 is active

[Edit] CRAB 56 on 385.90 with Crab Ops at 2154 saying he's 10 minutes out.

 

[TinEar]

Wow! Another wild and wooly day with very high activity levels. Everyone was flying. A recap of this afternoon's activity would take a report about three times as long as yesterday's. Just the highlights though of activity at Aberdeen Range...

It started with a flight of two F-16s from the NJ-ANG at Atlantic City using callsigns AERO 21/22. Main activity on range freq 248.40 and 138.425 as their chat channel. AERO 22 was obviously a rookie and quite confused about even simple things like terminology. But that's why they train. By the end he was doing fairly well. Today they were attacking targets on the shoreline with hot bombs and cold guns. The two boats (described as 36 footers with orange panels for identification to make sure they didn't get blasted) were offshore again monitoring the activity. When they cleared off the range, they switched to Phillips tower 126.15 and were handed off to Potomac on 125.525, to Washington Center on 360.7 and consequently had a transponder problem where 3-6-1-1 was called for but got stuck on 5-6-1-1. They also mentioned button U-6 as 285.40 when they cleared the range. From there they flew back to Atlantic City in a two-mile trail. Anyway, they were on the range from 1430-1515.

They were followed onto the range by three A-10s from the CT-ANG at Bradley, callsign KILLER 1/2/3. This was confirmed when they cleared off the range and were handed off to Washington Center on 363.0 and mentioned clearance back to Bradley. They were at the range from 1515-1540 where they went hot with 18 bombs and 200 rounds of 30mm from their nose guns. Each aircraft dropped six bombs and two of the three fired 100 rounds from their guns. Range controllers today were again CHICAGO and INSTRUCTOR. One of the three A-10s had a radio problem and couldn't hear the range controller on 248.40 but was covered nicely by the flight leader who got the mission accomplished in spite of this. Wing waggles replaced comms in one significant attack. This flight used the term "winchester" several times - which I haven't heard in a while - meaning they are out of ordnance which is why they quit when they did. The chat channel for this group was on 143.425 which can be added for a tac freq for CT-ANG. As yesterday, there were some complaints about tactics by the range controllers, e.g., the "friendlies" were firing automatic weapons fire at the targets to mark them for the aircraft but the pilots couldn't see this very well. It was suggested they might use smoke bombs in the future. <shut up and don't comment Alan>

Elsewhere, there were several flights by the DC-ANG using callsigns ANGRY and RAVAGE today - using several of their tac freqs. VA-ANG active on their tac freq 141.825.

COLT and RAVEN flights from the MD-ANG at Martin State also took place to the Kiowa Range using 237.20 and Raven Ops 347.20. Also heard a CRAB (C-130J, MD-ANG) at the Kiowa Range.

The helos were all over the place today - the MUSSELs, Guard copters on Weide, Phillips freqs and MUSSEL Ops 292.20 and 141.70. Transports galore going and coming from Dover, Andrews and McGuire AFBs. More SALTY DOG flights Pax River 354.80.

There has also been attack activity going on on the Pax River BayWatch freq 256.50 all afternoon. Earlier in the day there was an ICEMAN flight of F-15s from Langley in the GIANT KILLER area.

All in all (and it's still going on with the DC-ANG), this was even busier today than yesterday. It became a three-receiver day just to listen to the two flights of fighters at Aberdeen and more for the rest.

Alan

 

[Mark]

Actually both Willow Grove and DE ANG 166th base use 343.000 as their freq.
Last year had a WG C-130 approaching from South and gave load message as carrying an A-10 engine and Wilm controller on 343.000 sounded confused as to why they were landing at NCC.He told pilot to wait a few more minutes then try that freq again for Willow Grove base which he did.

Rgr TIN caught those ARROWS from NJ ANG loud and clear here in Northeast Maryland on Aberdeen range.That one student pilot was really confused but like you say he got better.

 

[TinEar]

A Combat Air Patrol is up with HUNTRESS on 260.90. Aircraft are F-16s NJ-ANG with callsign COSMIC 45 & 46. They are awaiting arrival of the tanker. Their chat channel during this is their tac 138.425.
At 1316 wingman COSMIC 46 has an emergency. His ECS is not working. 45 says 46 must get down below 18,000 feet altitude immediately and he will be returning to base. 46 is getting clearance on 125.325 for trip back to Atlantic City. TANKER 53 arrives in area at 1330. 45 reports that his command post says wingman 46 will return to CAP in a new aircraft.
The ECS is the Environmental Control System which controls cabin pressurization and avionics. It's little difficult to breathe without it above certain altitudes.

A RAVAGE aircraft (F-16 DC-ANG, Andrews) just took off and checked in on GUARD DOG freg 288.35. Don't think he's replacing the COSMIC aircraft though - just a clearance through the area. Just had an ANGRY flight take off too from Andrews.

1500 Flight of KILLER aircraft (two A-10s) from CT-ANG Bradley approaching the Aberdeen Range for more work as they did yesterday. Freq 248.40. Each aircraft is going to drop six BDU-33 bombs and fire 100 rounds of 30mm from their nose guns. The BDU-33 is a practice bomb which simulates all the characteristics of the MK82 but is only a 25 pound bomb that emits a puff of smoke when it hits the target, in other words, a spotting charge. The gun rounds used in training have no explosive component to them - just hot lead.
KILLER flight leaves the range at 1530. They explain the short time on range because of over 200 mile flight to get here which leaves them short on "gas." These guys were very happy with range tactics and info.

There are other flights working around the area. BASH flight from VA-ANG is working in the GIANT KILLER area among them. Also flying are COLTs and RAVENs from MD-ANG at the Kiowa Range on 237.20.

 

[TinEar]

In the 1300 hour, flight of two F-16s DC-ANG, Andrews, callsign ANGRY on squadron tac freq 127.275 and then to the Kiowa Range on "Blue-15" which is 237.20. The only significant item is that they are working with two ground controllers - the normal BALKY but also with VOODOO which is new to me. I've added it to my callsign list. BALKY is the overall range controller but VOODOO appears to be an operational controller working directly with individual targets on the ground - such things as lasing the targets for the aircraft and directing specific types/numbers of bombs to be dropped. ANGRY flight is dropping MK82 500 pound bombs. For a nice picture of an F-16 dropping MK-82s, see this:
http://www.cobuck.ang.af.mil/F16_Photo_Archives/pages/mk82.htm
1416 they tell BALKY they are clearing range and RTB Andrews, however, they spend another 5-6 minutes playing around until they realize they are getting near "bingo" time for fuel and then they scoot out of there.
Upon reporting mission results to the SOF on 139.90, flight leader reports they also dropped MK-84s. The MK-84 is a 2000 pound version of the MK series of bombs.

ANGRY flight was followed on the Kiowa Range by a pair of A-10s MD-ANG, Martin State, callsign COLT - also working with VOODOO. They finish about 1525 and head home where one of them is Code 3 with a hung up BDU(-33) under his wing. On the tarmac at 1535 for a full stop. The other COLT is about 15 miles north at this point and heading for a full stop on runway 33...then changes his mind and decides the weather is better to come in from the other direction on runway 15. Using 347.20, 143.80, 297.20 to come home.

Low hanging clouds and then rainy conditions prevent much other activity today. Aberdeen has been silent.

 

[TinEar]

Combat Air Patrol is up on 228.90 with HUNTRESS controlling HARASS 35 & 36 (F-15s Langley AFB VA). They are also using HUNTRESS freq 260.90.

 

[TinEar]

1300 hour: Mission in the GIANT KILLER (VA Capes) area. It involves an E3 Sentry aircraft from Tinker AFB, OK, callsign DRAGNET (UNIFORM) and three groups of F-15s from Langley AFB using callsigns MARLIN, HOCUS and VODKA. (Note: Add VODKA to callsign list) Freqs used are 238.10, 249.80, 373.10, 389.10, 391.20 during this mission. MARLIN is a flight of three, VODKA a flight of four and HOCUS unknown how many fighters (at least two) in group. RTB at 1400.
1345: Pair of F-16s on 143.15. Callsign BULLY. Mission report on 139.90 upon return at 1445 given to Senate & Watergate (SOF). Also using 127.275. Per SOF report, they did bomb runs somewhere over water. Didn't hear them on GK or BayWatch freqs.

1500 hour: Flight of JESTER aircraft (F-15s, Seymour-Johnson AFB, NC) on GK freq 270.80. JESTER 14 had a problem and asked the flight leader to converge with him to look over the plane for any visible problems. Flight leader reported, "All the major pieces seem to be there." 14 says he's getting an engine rumble. Anyway, after going through a descent, checking various controls, etc., all seemed well and he RTBed.

 

[WA3CSX]

Just heard maybe what seemed like two f-16s flying over Mt.Rainier all my scanners are down due to reprogramming.Anyone know of any night missions going on?

 

[TinEar]

See Sticky Major Events thread for the F-16s.

By the way, I replied to your email last week but it bounced back - apparently your email box was full or out of order. This is what the return said:
Status: 5.0.0 (permanent failure)
Diagnostic-Code: smtp; 5.1.0 - Unknown address error 550-'4.2.1 mailbox temporarily disabled:

Alan

 

[TinEar]

2045: Flight of F-16s off from Andrews on 127.275. Callsign ANGRY 1 & 2. They are trying to meet up with a refueling tanker on Pax River freq 270.80 with BayWatch controller. The tanker made contact with HUNTRESS on 228.90 as he entered the area...he couldn't hear the controller on 260.90 or on 324.00.

Training mission in the Pax River area...airborne controller DARKSTAR with the ANGRY flight. They are working the attack on their tac freq 127.275 and control with BayWatch on 305.20. Getting ready to RTB at 2133...looking for a tunnel back to Andrews.

2120: There is also activity in the GIANT KILLER area with a group of F-18s. Freq 249.80.

 

[TinEar]

The past couple of days have been very busy with all the area Air National Guard units flying many missions. MD, DC, NJ, PA and VA have all been active. The F-16s from the DC-ANG have been flying several missions a day to the Kiowa Range the past couple of days. MD and NJ have been especially busy also.

Due to the inability to edit posts, I won't be able to do those running commentaries, editing each time a new flight appears with a recap of the activity. Those posts that were updated each hour took many, many edits to accomplish. There is just no way I want to make 15-20 posts each day to accomplish this function. Therefore, I will no longer post MilAir activity recaps with callsigns, freqs, mission functions, etc.

Alan