Sticky Thread for MilAir

[TinEar]

Thanks Chuck. I completely forgot about that source even though I've got a file for it. Well, I feel confident it's a Potomac TRACON freq. That much isn't in doubt since they called "Potomac" on it and used it throughout the flyover. It's just the association with one of the airports that's in doubt at this point. It's either a Reagan National or Andrews associated TRACON freq. I had been leaning toward Reagan but there is no reason it couldn't be Andrews.

 

[TinEar]

0958: MD-ANG A-10s active on tac freq «142.3»
1000: VA-ANG F-16s active on tac freq «139.625» Callsign BASH
1001: DC-ANG F-16s active on Reagan TRACON «348.725» Callsign WILD 2...leaving 3 for 6,000. Direct Patuxent.
1003: WILD 2 to 10,000 «348.725»
1004: VA-ANG tac freq «141.825» active. Flight of three F-16s.
1005: DC-ANG tac freq «143.15» active. Callsign WILD. Flight of three F-16s.
1007: Langley tac freq «315.85» active
1010: Fighter tac freq «138.0» active. Probably ND-ANG F-16s. (F-16s from Fargo are deployed to Langley. Their usual callsign is SPIDER.)
Other frequencies noted active are Giant Killer's 238.1 and 350.0 along with Patuxent's 270.8 and 250.7. Fighters on all of them but I haven't sorted them out yet .(Later, I determine the DC-ANG guys are in the BayWatch area and VA-ANG aircraft, along with Langley fighters are in GK's area.)
1017: SCARY 1 (DC-ANG, F-16) with ZDC-Sea Isle on «285.4»
1018: DC-ANG SOF freq «139.9» has three fighters coming home - SCARY 1 & 2 along with WILD 1. All report Code 1 and are 69 miles east of Andrews.
1020: Langley's tac freq «228.45» active
1025: BASH 11 flight leaving GK's W-386 area at 14,000 feet. «238.1»
1027: SPEEDO 42 (F-15 Langley) with GK on «238.1»...and later SPEEDO 41.
1027: SAM 9574 departing Andrews at 1522Z and arrival at destination will be at 1825Z. D/V Code is 2 plus 9. He authorizes release of backup (plane). «378.1» (When a VIP flight with very high ranking passengers departs, there is always a backup plane warmed up and ready to go should the first plane have a problem. That was his reference to releasing the backup.)
1029: SCARY/WILD flights with Andrews TRACON on «335.5» heading for runway 19L.
1031: BASH 13 calling GK on «238.1» several times without reply.
1032: SCARY/WILD combo flight using «143.15» to chat about great flying weather this morning as they approach Andrews for landing.
1033: WILD 2 flight with BayWatch on «270.8»
1033: BASH 13 makes contact with GK...says he wishes to go home. Can't hear what GK tells him but in a testy voice BASH 13 says he'll do that for one more turn and then he's going to leave. «238.1»
1034: SCARY 1 & 2 plus WILD 1 all on Andrews Tower «349.0» for landing
1035: WILD 2 on Andrews TRACON «335.5» mentions a simulated TOI and wants confirmation of the ramp freeze still in effect at Andrews. Says he'll hold at Nottingham until the freeze is over and understands it lasts until 45 after the hour. (That must be for the SAM 9574 flight we heard takeoff a few minutes ago - again confirming a high ranking VIP was on board that aircraft.)
1037: WILD 2 says he's working with HUNTRESS right now and would like to delay. «335.5»
1037: Also have refueling activity on «238.9» with tankers IDing as 41 and 42.
1037: Also have tanker freq «303.0» active with chat.
1042: STUMP 21 (F-15 Langley) tells GK he's a flight of two and wishes to RTB Langley. «238.1»
1045: PACER 98 to Andrews Approach on «119.3» arriving but wants to burn off fuel before landing. Says he'll hold somewhere in the ADIZ.
1045: STUMP 21 says he's declaring an emergency at this time. He's having an electrical problem. He's going for straight in landing at Langley. «238.1»
1046: STUMP 21 confirms the emergency and then rapidly gets very weak as he descends or goes into a turn. «238.1»
1049: Hear STUMP 21 mention he's changing to freq 370.925 while on «238.1»
1051: STUMP mentions his electrical problem and says he's at FL200 and will attempt to stay there for the next 10 miles and then do a rapid descent for the landing. «370.925» This freq is a Norfolk Approach/Departure freq.
1052: PECOS 61, flight of two F-15s (Langley) to GK's area on «238.1»
1054: PECOS flight using tac freq «252.775»
1055: STUMP, while on 370.925, says to push 284.0.
1056: CRATE 61 (F-15 Langley) into GK's area on «238.1» says his flight will be MARSA with the PECOS flight. He then tells the PECOS flight that they'll be working tac 238.825 if he wants to contact them.
1056: One quick transmission from the STUMP flight on «284.0» that I couldn't read. I don't have a listing for this freq so have no idea who it belongs to.

1103: PACER 98 landing Andrews...reports gear down to Tower on «118.4»
1107: RAVEN, flight of two A-10s from Martin State, coming home (last heard at 0958). RAVEN 1 is Code 2 and 2 is Code 1. Working on the Raven Ops freq «347.2»
1108: TRAP 51 flight (F-15 Langley) into GK's area on «238.1»
1113: Marine 374 landing Andrews «119.3/118.4»
1114: RAVEN flight five miles to the west of the field beginning initial approach to runway on tower freq «297.2»
(Break Time)
1125: TESTER 11 (US Navy Test Pilot School, Patuxent NAS) with BayWatch on «270.8»
1127: TESTER ?19? with BayWatch on «270.8» asks Pax if he knows where TESTER 11 is and then confirms altitude 11,000.
1128: TRAP 51 gives his position to GK as 30 miles north of ???? «238.1»
1131: CRATE 41, flight of two, requesting working altitude change from GK on «238.1»
1132: CRATE 61 is also somewhere here in the mix. CRATE 61 flight was MARSA with PECOS and I believe CRATE 41 flight is MARSA with TRAP.
1137: Langley freq «364.125» is active as is «383.2»
1137: Warren Grove Range active on «283.1»
1138: Pair of A-10s from MD-ANG Martin State up on tac «142.3» and landing with tower on «297.2»
1147: CRAB 51 (C-130J, MD-ANG Martin State) with Phillips AAF «126.115»
1149: CRAB 51 reports 12 miles from the field over the "other shore"
1151: TRAP 51 requesting altitude change from GK on «238.1» no reply
1153: TRAP 51 tries contacting GK several times and then finally makes contact to request altitude Golf. «238.1»
1155: TRAP 51, still having comm troubles with GK, says his flight is established in India and wants to change to tac freq. «238.1»
1156: CRAB 51 doing pattern work around Phillips AAF using freq «126.15»

Continued below....

 

[TinEar]

1205: ?BERRY? 55 calling Raven Ops on Crab Ops freq of «385.9» with no reply. He then changes to the correct freq of «347.2» and says he'll be arriving at 1230 and will have to shut down for offload. Ground station is agreeable and says he'll see him in 20 minutes. (Not sure about that callsign. I'm almost positive, from background engine sounds, that this is a C-130 of some sort. Hopefully, I'll hear him again and get that callsign right. The only listing for BERRY is for F-15s from Otis and I know that's not correct.)
I don't hear him landing.
1216: Another pair of A-10s, callsign AXEMAN is up from Martin State using tac «142.3» They seem to just be doing pattern work.
1218: AXEMAN flight to ops «347.2» to report 1 is Code 2 and 2 is Code 1 (Why does it seem it always works out that way?)
1224: AXEMAN flight heading for the runway. «142.3»
1225: CRAB 51 with Martin Tower on «121.3» heading for a landing.
1227: WHAMO 51 (NEST-Nuclear Emergency Search Team) landing Andrews with Tower on «118.4» (I last heard this same callsign on 11/07 flying through the ZDC area.)
1227: CRAB 51 2 miles out «121.3»
1231: Langley fighters heard on «364.125» and with GK on «238.1» callsign not heard. On 238.1 a fighter mentions going to the tanker soon from W-386-G and then using K when he comes back.
1234: Langley's tac freq «358.85» active.
1236: Langley's tac freq «228.175» active.
1241: DC 21 (KC-135, 756th Air Refueling Squadron, Andrews AFB MD) on squadron freq «351.2» coming into Andrews and reports he's A-2 for the landing gear light staying on unless you shake the lever, he has 35,000 pounds of fuel left aboard and wants his parking spot.
1244: DC 22 also on «351.2» coming home.
1245: DC 21 reports gear down...right side is down and he doesn't know about the left side because of the light problem mentioned above. «118.4»
1246: JOSA 088 to SAM Command on «141.55» reports 15 minutes out and is A-1. He's a home station C-21 with tail #40076 and is mission complete upon landing.
1255: BANGER 21 flight (F-16, NJ-ANG) with ZDC-Sea Isle on «285.4» and then to ZDC-Cape Charles VA on «257.7» at FL160.
1259: DC-ANG F-16s up...report airborne at 1257 on SOF freq «139.9» Callsign WILD

1301: WILD 1 to Potomac TRACON (Reagan) at FL 9000...then cleared up to 17,000 «348.725»
1302: WILD flight using tac «127.275»
1302: DEVIL 11 (F-16, NJ-ANG), flight of two, with ZDC-Cape Charles Va «257.7»
1303: WILD 1 reports right turn, direct PALEO...push 360.7 (ZDC-Swann) «348.725»
1304: NJ flights into BayWatch area using «270.8»
1306: SCARY (F-16 DC-ANF) reports off Andrews, non standard formation, 9 miles front to back. altitude 2.5 heading for 9,000, flight of two «348.725»
1307: SCARY 1 heading for 17,000 direct PALEO «348.725»
1308: WILD 1 with ZDC-Ship Bottom NJ on «254.3» FL260
1310: WILD 1, flight of two to FL270 with GK on «255.0»
1311: SCARY flight with ZDC-Swann on «360.7» and get sent to ZDC-Ship Bottom NJ on «254.3» reporting FL270, non standard formation, 2 miles back to back
1312: NJ-ANG DEVIL 11 flight using tac «138.875»
1312: DEVIL 11 to ground controller KINGPIN at the Pax Range...flight leader tells wingman to contact WARHAWK on this freq. «138.425» (WARHAWK is being played by one of the NJ F-16s but not sure which. He's giving targetting info to DEVIL flight.)
Wish I could put these NJ F-16s up on the webcast but can't do it during the day. It is a fantastic example of a MilAir flight. They are working over the Pax Range at Vienna MD and are loud and clear down to the ground as they set up their ground attacks.)
WARHAWK confirmed as being one of the BANGER aircraft while directing the DEVIL flight.
1313: WILD 1 with GK on «255.0» at FL270
1314: SCARY flight using «143.15» for tac (WILD flight on 127.275.)
1316: SCARY flight into GK's area using «255.0»
1328: SCARY flight using «337.225» for their ops freq while up north.
1330: HOBBY 18 (C-130J, 815th Airlift Squadron AFRC, Keesler MS) landing at Andrews using «119.3/118.4»
1330: END OF REPORT for now...must leave for a bit. WILD/SCARY flights are up in the W-107 area and BANGER/DEVIL are on the Pax River Range. There has been a steady stream of aircraft landing at Andrews that I haven't been able to keep up with in addition to the fighter activity.

 

[Mark]

Had BRAVE 1+2 climbing and push 314.000,Don't have that freq..anyone?

REACH 9014 C-5 arrive Dover,annoying radio officer just yak,yak-yak yak thinking out loud but not
saying much.....hate that type.

JOSA 175 C-21 141.550 landing Andrews before heading to Fort Knox.

 

[ka3jjz]

Mark, I have 314.0 as a Baywatch freq - TinEar? 73s Mike

 

[Mark]

Thanks! I'll plug that one in...

Also just this past hour on tape while doing other things at 2240z heard DARK 38 flt of 2
with Wash Ctr McGuire 385.400 at 2250z.
This would be two B-1b's making their way home to Barksdale from overseas airshow in
the Middle East,thanks to heads up from Euro post.

 

[TinEar]

Yes, I confirm what Mike posted about 314.0 - Patuxent Approach/Departure freq. Haven't heard a BRAVE scamble in a long time.

Mark, I list that Washington Center 385.4 freq as Hagerstown. But nice catch on the B-1Bs.

 

[TinEar]

1918: Air Force 1 on «378.1» Says they'll use their internal airstairs upon airrival. (And that means they are not on the big bird - the 747.) That statement is probably incorrect considering the messages below. Forgot about the crew exit.
1922: Air Force 1 will be landing on runway 19R...he's 8 miles out now with Tower on «118.4»
1925: Air Force 1 mentions someone coming in right behind them. They don't want to hold them up considering the weather. «118.4»
And that should be all we hear from them.

 

[wadeless28]

1918: Air Force 1 on «378.1» Says they'll use their internal airstairs upon airrival. (And that means they are not on the big bird - the 747.)

I thought both 747's had internal stairs? I could be wrong though.

Mike

 

[TinEar]

You could be absolutely right Mike. I just always see them rolling the stairs up to the plane. I guess it could have internal stairs but that would sure be a huge contraption considering the height of the doorway.

 

[wadeless28]

Here you go. A pic of it. I love the internet.

http://www.theaviationzone.com/images/staff/c25/bin/c25_07.jpg

 

[TinEar]

Ahhh, the crew door. The picture I had in mind was that of the airstairs truck sitting next to it in that picture. Yes, isn't the internet a wonderful thing!

 

[wadeless28]

1918: Air Force 1 on «378.1» Says they'll use their internal airstairs upon airrival. (And that means they are not on the big bird - the 747.) That statement is probably incorrect considering the messages below. Forgot about the crew exit.
1922: Air Force 1 will be landing on runway 19R...he's 8 miles out now with Tower on «118.4»
1925: Air Force 1 mentions someone coming in right behind them. They don't want to hold them up considering the weather. «118.4»
And that should be all we hear from them.

Now that I think of it... If he had a long final from say SWANN he would have flown right over my house on approach to Andrews. I've seen other fly the same pattern into AAFB before, though it is quite odd.

Should have got a postion report before bit before. Alan was he booming around the 1918hr transmit?

Mike

 

[TinEar]

Yes, he was very loud upon the first transmission to SAM Command on «378.1». Considering the time between that transmission and his landing time, it was a straight in approach with none of the normal hold time. He was arriving from the west so probably made a single turn to 190 degrees for the landing on 19R.

And you're right Mike about having a position report a bit earlier. Procedure calls for first call to the Command Post when 30 minutes out. I was just turning the MilAir scanners on when I heard him at 1918 so he was probably there well before that.

1939: REACH 615T with Andrews on «378.1» reports A-1, arriving in 10 minutes, needs 10K fuel and is diverted from Quantico due to wx. I heard him earlier on the Quantico Base Ops freq «355.3» mentioning he was diverting.
1941: REACH 615T with Andy Tower on «118.4» and Approach on «119.3» landing 19R, 5.9 miles from touchdown....then after a couple of turns he's suddenly 11 miles out from runway 19R and reports gear down. He's going to the Air Force side.
1957-59: REACH 618T mistakenly calling Andrews on «349.4» No reply after several calls. (I wonder why.)

2002: REACH 618T still using «349.4» to call Andrews. He's still at it at 2007. (You would think Dover would let him know the problem. And maybe he finally did.)
2008: REACH 618T finally switches to «378.1» to announce he's A-1 with 5 pax and is looking for a quick turnaround.
2016: JOSA 265 calling McGuire Command Post several times on «319.4»
2016: REACH 618T landing with Andrews Tower on «118.4»
2031: DC 23 (KC-135 Andrews) in the area on squadron freq «351.2»
2039: DC 23 coming in for a full stop landing in about 5 minutes «351.2»

 

[listen13579]

Ahhh, the crew door. The picture I had in mind was that of the airstairs truck sitting next to it in that picture. Yes, isn't the internet a wonderful thing!

Also an aft airstairs frequently used by USSS and WH staff to board the a/c.

http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ac/vc-25-dvic284.jpg

 

[Mark]

Wonder who will scramble for the Eastern shore if a Cessna goes here?
I agree with the pilots..getting ridiculous.


Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2005 11:15 p.m. EST
Pilots Complain About Cheney's Airspace


WASHINGTON -- The Federal Aviation Administration has imposed flight restrictions over Dick Cheney's new Maryland home, angering private pilots who say they can't fly overhead even when the vice president isn't around.

Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association spokesman Chris Dancy said Tuesday the FAA only imposes restrictions at Cheney's Jackson Hole, Wyo., home when he's there. He questioned the need to have the restrictions in place at all times over a home in Maryland, which has much more air traffic.

Cheney's new home is on the Chesapeake Bay in St. Michaels, Md., about 30 miles east of Washington. The restricted airspace has a radius of one nautical mile and was established Nov. 22.

The vice president's official residence is on the grounds of the Naval Observatory in Northwest Washington, part of the region covered by airspace restrictions that were put in place after the Sept. 11 attacks.

FAA spokeswoman Laura Brown said the St. Michaels' restriction is classified as temporary, though she acknowledged there is no date for it to be lifted.

Airspace restrictions are an inconvenience for private pilots. If they stray into restricted space, they could have their pilot's license taken away, be escorted away by fighter jets or, in a worst-case scenario, be shot down.

Flight restrictions over President Bush's house in Crawford, Texas, stay in place even when he isn't there.

 

[TinEar]

Very late start today and there seems to be lots of stuff up including....
1104: SCARY 1 & 2 (F-16 DC-ANG Andrews AFB MD) landing at Andrews on Tower freq «349.0»
1105: SPIDER 44 and 46 (F-16 ND-ANG Fargo but deployed to Langley) and a reference to 45 on tac freq «138.0» I believe they have been involved in a CAP mission. They are chatting about how to pick out Langley from the air.
1106: HUNTRESS freq «260.9» with a CAP involving COSMIC 45/46 (F-16 NJ-ANG Atlantic City)
1109: COSMIC 45 trying to call HUNTRESS several times without success so tries radio checking with TANKER 09 and makes fine contact with him. «260.9» He asks the tanker to contact HUNTRESS and tell him COSMIC has lost contact.
1110: TANKER 09 makes contact and lets HUNTRESS know of the problem and suddenly HUNTRESS decides he can hear the COSMICs. 45 reports he's getting nothing on his DATALINK. «260.9»
1111: DC ?? tankers in the air using squadron freq «351.2»
1112: COSMIC 45 tells HUNTRESS they are still not getting anything on the DATALINK so does he want them to go back to Atlantic City. «260.9» HUNTRESS will first try to fix the problem.
1119: DC 31 (KC-135 Andrews) "on LIBERATOR freq. How copy?" «351.2»
1119: DC 31 calling DC 32 on squadron freq «351.2» No reply.
1121: Langley tac freq «238.825» active with a pair of fighters.
1122: DC 31 and 32 (female op) make contact and try to decide what to do "since we can't do tanker stuff" so they decide they'll go to the western part of their flying space and figure out something to do. So they first coordinate Mode 3 settings. «351.2»
1126: GIANT KILLER's ops freq «292.3» active. Sounds like the Langley fighters heard on 238.825 earlier.
1126: TEAM 32 (KC-10A McGuire AFB) fem op here also working on primary refueling freq «238.9»
1129: Aerial refueling freq «123.525» active. (Each time I've heard this freq in the past it has been Naval refueling.)
1130: COSMIC 45/46 still working on their DATALINKs trying to get them working. They are working but one of them is getting incorrect data. «260.9»
1133: GK's ops freq «373.1» active.
1134: DC 31 and 32 talking about getting together in AR-636. «351.2»
1134: GK's ops freq «312.3» active.
NOTE: During the above time, since turning the scanners on, there has been a steady stream of transports on the Andrews, McGuire and Dover AFB Command Post freqs but there is just too much other activity I'm trying to get a handle on to have copied and logged all of that stuff too. There are tankers all over the place which is generally a good indication of a busy MilAir day.
1141: TANKER 09 contacts COSMIC 45 to find out when they're going to refuel again. Says his schedule shows they should have refueled at 1615Z. 45 tells him they'll refuel in about 10 minutes. «260.9»
This CAP activity has got to be for the President's visits today to the Naval Academy and to Baltimore.
1144: Langley tac freq «228.45» active.
1144: Tanker callsign RANGER on the «123.525» freq. This is probably a KC-130T from VMGR-234 at the Ft. Worth NAS. That's the best choice from my list of RANGER callsigns.
1147: COSMIC 46 will be heading for TANKER 09 now «260.9» The tanker says he's going to begin a turn to the south and acknowledges COSMIC 46's approach.
1150: COSMIC 46 switches to GUARD DOG freq «135.525» to get permission to leave the CAP for refueling with TANKER 09 at 22,000 feet. It's granted and he goes back to «260.9» to contact the tanker and reports he has a bullseye on him and then reports visual sighting.
1152: Tanker on «123.525» says he needs to be on the ground by 1315. He's also having a radar problem of some type. Also says he's working at 14,000 feet altitude.
1154: TANKER 09 asks COSMIC 46 how much fuel he'll need...answer is 6,000 pounds. Tanker then asks COSMIC if he's from Fargo also (referring to the SPIDER mission earlier). COSMIC lets him know they are from Atlantic City. «260.9» COSMIC asks if they should change freqs for the refueling and TANKER 09 tells him this freq will be good.
1155: VENUS 91 landing at Andrews on tower freq «118.4» full stop landing is reported.
1158: COSMIC 46 finishes getting his 6K fuel and breaks off the tanker «260.9»
1158: COSMIC 46 to GUARD DOG freq «135.525» to report he's finished refueling and is going back to the CAP. He then switches back to «260.9»
1159: TANKER 09 goes to GUARD DOG freq «288.4» and has trouble making contact so goes back to «260.9» to report he's back to flying his track.

Continued below....

 

[TinEar]

Local temperature currently 53 degrees at BWI with unlimited visibility per PIREP.

1200: Tanker on «123.525» reports he'll have 20K fuel when he reaches the IP
1201: COSMIC 45 going to the tanker for refueling «260.9» then switches to «135.525» to let GUARD DOG know he's leaving the CAP for refueling and then back to «260.9»
1203: COSMIC 45 asks HUNTRESS for "bogey dope" to the tanker «260.9»
1204: COSMIC 45 again to «135.525» to inform about refueling and leaving the CAP and then back to «260.9» to once again ask HUNTRESS to "snap him to the tanker." HUNTRESS gives him the BRA to the tanker and he reports he's got him bullseye and then visual.
1207: COSMIC 45 at the tanker and asks about switching to a boom freq or staying here and TANKER 09 says to stay right here on this freq since the comm plan has expired. «260.9»
1209: GK's op freq «292.3» has a VIKING 2 callsign and I have no idea who that might be. I heard the same callsign earlier on «312.3» but wasn't sure of it then. None of the VIKING callsigns on my database list look accurate for this area. Since there have been several Langley tac freqs active, it's not too much of a leap to suggest this might be a new Langley call for either F-15 or F/A-22 aircraft.
1211: COSMIC 45 asks TANKER 09 if their intercom in not working and 09 says he has it turned off right now. Again the question if COSMIC 45 is from Atlantic City. The tanker has to log the origin and tail number for the aircraft he refuels. This is always the case during refueling ops.
1213: DC 32 to DC 31 telling him if he maintains 250-260 speed she'll be able to overtake him. «351.2»
1214: COSMIC 45 reports tanks full and breaks off the tanker. «260.9»
1219: COSMIC 45 tells HUNTRESS he can't go below 21,000 until he's back in the CAP. A few seconds later he reports back in the CAP and descending to 20,000. «260.9»
1220: Both COSMIC aircraft give fuel flow readings. It all sounds just dandy. «260.9»
1226: MARINE 1 reports in to Andrews Approach on «119.3» This is the President's helicopter.
1226-31: COSMIC 45/46 still yakking about the DATALINK «260.9»
1231: MARINE 1 reports he's switching to National freq. "Goodbye." «119.3» And since I don't have National Airport's VHF freqs programmed, I'll miss whatever he says there. He's not talkative so he'll be gone before I could punch them in.
1234: COSMIC 45 flight leader tells TANKER 09 they have too much gas and are going to have to burn some off. TANKER 09 says he's in the same position. «260.9» This almost sounds like they're about done with the CAP. That would make sense if the President is coming back from Baltimore and is landing at the White House which he must be doing if MARINE 1 is coming back to town. He'd only use that callsign if the President is on board.
237: COSMICs talk about possibly going to W-107 for some work but don't have something on board that they'd need to do that so can't go there. «260.9»
1238: TANKER 09 calling Andrews Command Post while still on «260.9» Obviously a mistake.
1239: TANKER 09 calls Andrews Command Post on «378.1» and IDs as a KC-135R and requests weather for Pease at 1850Z.
1240: TANKER 09 on «260.9» with HUNTRESS asking if he'll notify his command that 09 will be returning early to Pease and gives him a phone number to call to give them this info. He also reports he's still got 87,300 pounds of fuel on board.
1241: COSMIC 45/46 report ending their CAP duties and that low fuel man still has 6500 pounds of fuel. They're going to fly circles for now to burn off fuel. «260.9»
1243: TANKER 09 getting clearance from GUARD DOG to head out of the CAP area on «135.525»
1244: COSMIC 45 tells 46 to switch to 360.7 (ZDC Swann sector) and to V-1 (138.125) but they wind up on «138.2» for whatever reason. Flight leader tells #2 to switch to U-1 (261.0) to let command know they're coming home early.
1246: COSMIC 46 to Ops on U-1 a couple of times with no reply «261.0»
1248: TANKER 09 back to Andrews Command Post on «378.1» to pick up his weather report.
1249: COSMIC 45/46 working tac «138.2» where they both report 5.9 (5900 pounds of fuel remaining.) 45 tells 46 that he can use his burner to burn off some gas...just don't get too fast.
1250: COSMIC 45/46 to V-1 «138.125» but apparently get no reply so back to «138.2» they go. Says he couldn't get ATIS from maintenance but he'll get it "from these guys." Not sure who "these guys" is.
1252: COSMIC 45/46 get back in formation after doing some gas burns and say speed will be 350. «138.2»

Busy couple of hours and my typing fingers are worn out. Break time but check the next message.

 

[TinEar]

PUBLIC ACCESS TO AERONAUTICAL DATA WILL BE BLOCKED

Extensive databases of aeronautical information that have long been publicly available will be withdrawn from public access next year, a U.S. intelligence agency said yesterday.

"The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) will go forward with its previously announced proposal to remove its Flight Information Publications (FLIP) and Digital Aeronautical Flight Information File (DAFIF) from public access," according to an NGA news release issued on November 29.

 

[TinEar]

1318: Pair of unknown type fighters working at Warren Grove Range «283.1»
1321: DC-ANG fighters enter BayWatch area on «354.8» request tunnel and bobsled back to Andrews when they're done. No callsign heard.
1323: Fighters at Warrren Grove are A-10s from the PA-ANG Willow Grove using callsign FLYER. «283.1» Flight of two.
1324: Andrews fighters in BayWatch area are F-16s from the DC-ANG using callsign SCARY. Flight of two using tac freq «127.275» while there.
1333: JOSA 638 with Andrews on «378.1» reports arriving and in blocks at Andrews at 1356 local time, is A-1 with tail #40142, will need less than 1500 pounds of fuel, has no D/Vs on board, will make 3 seats available outbound and will take off at 2100Z.
1335: FLYER pair still at Warren Grove in ground attack exercises «283.1»
1336: SCARY pair still in BayWatch area doing the same «127.275»
1338: FLYER A-10s working «138.3» for tac
1339: JOSA 542 to Andrews on «378.1» arriving in 15 minutes, A-1, needs 3,000 pounds of fuel has an R-4 plus 4 to offload and will make 4 seats available on the outbound leg to FFO (Wright-Patterson AFB OH).
1340: FLYER pair on the way home to Willow Grove. «138.3» Heard them briefly on ZDC-Sea Isle «285.4»
1342: FLYER flight leader asking if the bridge below them is at New Hope...they first disagree and then agree that's exactly what they see. «138.3»
1344: SCARY pair heard on Pax River Approach/Departure freq «250.3»
1346: DEVIL 11 flight (F-16 NJ-ANG Atlantic City) with ZDC-Snow Hill MD on «256.8» at FL160.
1347: DEVIL flight checks into BayWatch area on «270.8» reporting 18 miles NE of Salisbury.
1347: SCARY flight reporting mission status to SOF at Andrews on «139.9»
1348: DEVIL 11 flight using «138.5» for tac...haven't heard this one in a long time.
1349: SCARY flight reports in to Andrews Tower on «349.0» as a pair of Capitol Guardians 5 miles out.
1351: Have a pair of fighters on «138.3» One is a female. This is not the FLYER pair from earlier.
1352: DC-ANG tac freq «143.15» active...not sure yet if this is the SCARY pair or a different group.
1354: DC tankers using «351.2» but are extremely weak and uncopiable at this time.
1355: The fighters using «143.15» tac are more DC-ANG F-16s using callsign WILD 1 and 2.
1356: WILD pair is in air combat exercise. «143.15»
1357: JOSA 638 landing at Andrews on Tower freq «118.4»

1402: Evac 3118 to SAM Command on «378.1» reports arriving in 25 minutes, has 14 litter patients (which he pronounces as "liter"), 9 ambulatory patients, 6 attendants, 7 medical crew, 1 D/V 2, 1 baggage pallet and needs Customs and Ag to meet the plane. All of this apparently goes unheard by Andrews so he says he'll call again in about 5 minutes.
1406: Evac 3118 calling SAM Command again on «378.1» with no reply.
1410: Evac 3118 now uses VHF «141.55» to make contact with SAM Command. The only change in his message is that now he says he has 10 medical crew.
1410: WILD fighters still in air combat exercises passing "bogey dope" messages. "Bogey dope" has long been used in air terminology but it seems to be a catch phrase lately and everyone uses it every chance they get.
1414: Raven Ops talking to aircraft on the ground «347.2» A-10s up soon?
1416: Unknown pair of fighters again working Warren Grove Range on «283.1»
1421: SLAM 41 (F-16 VA-ANG Richmond) with ZDC-Cape Charles VA on «257.7» requesting the far end of the W-386 airspace.
1423: DEVIL 11 flight with BayWatch on «270.8» requesting RTB to Atlantic City at 17,500.
1424: HOCUS flight (F-15 Langley) with HUNTRESS on «328.0»
1425: SLAM flight into GK's area using «238.1» and say they'll switch to 391.2 for ops.
1426: SLAM flight checks in to «391.2» It's a flight of four F-16s.
1427: DEVIL 11 flight with ZDC-Kenton DE on «277.4» reports VFR Atlantic City.
1427: A-10s MD-ANG Martin State up on tac freq «142.3» they mention to be careful of all the sea gulls. They are also pointing out a place on the ground where SEAL training takes place.
1429: DEVIL flight using «138.2» for chat.
1430: DEVIL flight to Ops on V-1 «138.125» both are Code 2...one of them has a bad LITENING pod.
1431: Martin State A-10s doing ground attack in the local area over a marina. «142.3»
1431: DEVIL flight with ZDC-Sea Isle on «285.4» at 17,500...wants to begin descent down to 6,000
1432: WILD flight "just flying" at this time and still using tac «143.15»
1433: DEVIL flight to U-1 «261.0» to again report mission status and repeats the Code 2 info.
1435: One of the SLAM fighters wants flight leader to confirm there will be no DRAGNET during this operation which he does. «391.2»
1436: One of the A-10s from Martin State mentions a steer point of KDOV (Dover AFB DE) and then they mention runway orientation at Dover which they are looking at. «142.3»
1439: WILD flight out of BayWatch using «281.8»
1440: Martin A-10s (I wish they'd use a callsign) over Dover...one asks what those planes are sitting on the ramp. The other says "C-5s and there are a ton of them." Sounds like they are going to do a simulated attack on a vehicle using the ramp. «142.3»
1441: WILD flight with Reagan TRACON on «270.275»
1442: HOCUS flight from Langley using GK's «292.3» for ops. Appears to be a flight of three.
1443: WILD flight to SOF on V-1 «139.9» report both are Code 1 and then back to V-7 or «143.15» for tac chat and then back yet again to TRACON on «270.275»
1444: SLAM flight to SOF on «141.6»
1450: WILD flight with Andrews Tower on «349.0» for landing runway 1R. (The DC-ANG fighters always want runways 1R or 19L.)
1451: A-10s from Martin State finally identify as callsign COLT as they go to the Bollen Range in the Kiowa MOA using «237.2» One of them says he'll be "out of your hair in a couple of minutes."
1454: COLT flight calls BALKY at Bollen to say they'll be exiting to the east and climbing up to 9500 feet. «237.2»

(Rake some leaves break.)

1518: MUSSEL 02 (1st Helo Squadron) landing Andrews «118.4» and on squadron freq «292.2»
1519: Fighter to Langley's IRON Ops on «357.1» says he's a four-ship flight over the field. Identifies as HOCUS flight. This corrects earlier info to flight of four from three as mentioned above.
1522: JOSA 542 calling Andrews but gets no reply after a few calls. «378.1» (This must be his takeoff since we had him landing a couple of hours ago.)
1524: Bollen Range on «237.2» still active...must still be our COLT flight.
15427: JOSA 652 to Andrews on «378.1» reports tail #84-0120, arriving in the blocks at 2045Z, is A-1, has an S-4 plus 2 on board and will need about 1,000 pounds of fuel.
1528: Army 10301 landing Andrews on tower freq «118.4»
1529: PAT 552 landing Andrews on tower freq «118.4»
1536: Somewhere in here, probably when I was raking leaves, an AXEMAN flight took off from Martin State. They are now returning and using tac «142.3» and reporting in to Raven Ops on «347.2» This must have been the latest flight at Bollen reported at 1524. (Nope...COLT flight still being heard at Bollen on «237.2») Again, these A-10s are cautioning about all the birds as they fly home. (At this point, I hear bleedover from a BWI TRACON alerting an aircraft to two A-10s flying through the area. Hey, I'm close to BWI and always have this problem on certain 280-380 mHz freqs. It doesn't seem to bother me below and above that freq range.)
1538: COLT to BALKY at Bollen clearing off the range. «237.2»
1542: U/I fighters entering GK's area using «238.1» say they'll be there for 30 minutes.
1542: I've also been listening to a pair of aircraft in the Pax River area using «235.725». They've been up for the past hour but I've never heard them use a callsign. They have been performing various maneuvers and are now talking about a sun problem and going home because of it. I believe one of these aircraft is a fighter and the other a tanker. They mention various things happening when the fighter "is in the basket." I believe that refers to the hose and drogue basket during refueling. The fighter also mentions that one tankful will be enough for what he has to do before heading home.
1545: MUSSEL 01 (Ist Helo Squadron) landing Andrews on tower freq «118.4»
1550: The tanker mentioned in the 1542 item is now on «123.525»
1551: That tanker says he wants to be relieved from this frequency immediately. «123.525» No idea why...he didn't say.
1554: I quote, "Aircraft on this frequency 123.525...do you hear this transmission?" «123.525»
1555: U/I transport on Quantico Base Ops freq «355.3» talking about his offload which includes rolling stock. (Sorry, I was paying attention to the 123.525 freq and not to this guy.)
1557: Again..."Aircraft on this frequency 123.525, how do you hear this transmission?" «123.525» This is from the U/I tanker. I wonder if he's hearing bleedover too since this is an extremely busy freq range for all the commercial stuff in the area.
1603: COLT 1 and 2 with Martin State Tower on «297.2» as they approach for landing.
1604: Langley tac freq «233.525» active.

I just got a copy on the newswire of the President's speech at the North Club Area Lounge at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore. It puts a time on his remarks there beginning at 1149 and ending at 1205. Considering the time we heard MARINE 1 bringing him home, he must have given that speech, hit the door and jumped aboard the helo. He finished the speech at 1205 and we heard MARINE 1 already over Andrews at 1226.

Okay, I've had enough. I'll be back this evening with more if there is any MilAir to be heard in the area. It's now 1608 and I haven't heard anything further from that U/I tanker on 123.525 after the last logging at 1557.
END OF REPORT