Thursday, October 31, 2013

Twelfth Production P-8A Poseidon Aircraft Delivered To The U.S. Navy


The 12th production P-8A Poseidon has been delivered to the U.S. Navy by Boeing, enhancing the long-range maritime patrol capabilities of the service.
 
The P-8A departed Boeing Field in Seattle for Naval Air Station Jacksonville, FL, where it joined the other Poseidon aircraft being used to train Navy crews. The aircraft is the sixth from the second low-rate initial production contract lot awarded in November 2011.

“This is our second-to-last P-8A delivery of 2013 and the program is meeting all cost and schedule milestones,” said Rick Heerdt, Boeing vice president and P-8 program manager. “As we’ve focused on ramping up production and delivering planes, the Navy is preparing for the first P-8A fleet deployment in the coming months.”

Boeing is on contract to build and support 37 P-8A aircraft as part of four LRIP contracts awarded in 2011, 2012 and 2013. The Navy plans to purchase 117 P-8As, which are based on the Next-Generation Boeing 737-800 platform. The versatile multi-mission aircraft provides anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities and will replace the Navy P-3 fleet.

Blog Editor Note: Here is our MilcomMP list of P-8A serials and Mode-S hex codes

168428 AE4EB2
168429 AE4EB3
168430 AE4EB4
168431 AE4EB5
168432 AE4EB6
168433 AE4EB7
168434 AE4EB8
168435 AE4EB9
168436 AE4EBA
168437 AE4EBB
168438 AE4EBC
168439 AE4EBD
168440 AE4EBE

These are the airframes sent to the Navy test squadrons
167952 AE222D
167951 AE222C
167953 AE222E
167954 AE222F
167955 AE2230
167956 B6495C

Mode-S/ADS Milcom Intercepts 30 October 2013 - Btown NC

Here is another round of Mode-S/ADS-B intercepts and selected ATC call signs logged from here on the radio ranch in WNC. All dates/times are UTC.

AE20C3 07-7182   TNCAN41 2013-10-30 23:49:57 C-17a United States USAF | 437AW [KCHS]    
AE1496 97-0201   PHENOM6 2013-10-30 23:35:02 E-8C United States GA ANG | 116ACW [KWRB]
AE1286 69-5819   SHADO91 2013-10-30 23:26:48 MC-130p United States USAF | 1SOW | 9SOS [KHRT]    
AE1287 69-5820   SHADO91 2013-10-30 23:25:29 MC-130p United States 16SOW/9SOS
AE0216 83-0079   DUCE 07 2013-10-30 23:23:49 KC-10A United States USAF | 305AMW [KWRI]    
AE117A 02-1108   RCH800 2013-10-30 22:59:59 C-17A United States USAF | 62AW [KTCM]    
AF14EC ------   ---  2013-10-30 22:52:28 ------ United States ---    
AE04D9 165831   CNV4643 2013-10-30 22:47:16 C-40A United States USNR | VR-59 [KNFW]    
AE49C5 09-9209   RCH802 2013-10-30 21:27:45 C-17A United States USAF | 62AW [KTCM]    
AE093A 00-1051   ---  2013-10-30 20:56:30 UC-35B United States USARC | B/2-228 AVN (TA) [KMGE]    
AE509C 81-23541   ---  2013-10-30 20:09:30 RC-12D United States ---    
AE093A 00-1051   ---  2013-10-30 19:15:32 UC-35B United States USARC | B/2-228 AVN (TA) [KMGE]    
AE0CDB ------   ---  2013-10-30 18:59:02 UH-60L ??? United States USArmy    
AE10D0 165514   ---  2013-10-30 18:03:06 T-39G United States USN | TW-6 | VT-86 [KNPA]    
AE1395 61-4856   ---  2013-10-30 17:38:18 T-38C United States USN | TPS [KNHK]    
AE04DF 58-0088   JEEP31 2013-10-30 16:45:25 KC-135T United States MI ANG | 127WG | 171ARS [KMTC]    
AE04DF 58-0088   JEEP31 2013-10-30 16:01:38 KC-135T United States MI ANG | 127WG | 171ARS [KMTC]    
AE03E1 164994   ---  2013-10-30 15:58:40 C-130T United States USNR | VR-53 [KADW]    
ADFDC4 93-1457   EPIC57 2013-10-30 15:50:33 C-130H United States NC ANG | 145AW | 156AS [KCLT]    
AE4EB4 168430   ---  2013-10-30 15:48:59 P-8A United States USN | VP-16 [KNIP]    
AE4EB8 168434   ---  2013-10-30 15:40:17 P-8A United States USN | VP-30 [KNIP]    
AE1395 61-4856   ---  2013-10-30 15:36:57 T-38C United States USN | TPS [KNHK]    
ADFDC7 93-1561   BOGEY00 2013-10-30 14:35:16 C-130H United States NC ANG | 145AW | 156AS [KCLT]    
AE4EB4 168430   ---  2013-10-30 14:32:06 P-8A United States USN | VP-16 [KNIP]    
AE1211 03-0726   ---  2013-10-30 14:19:38 UC-35C United States USARC | 2-228 AVN    
AE04DE 57-2597   SODA82 2013-10-30 13:22:38 KC-135R United States TN ANG | 134ARW | 151ARS [KTYS]    
AE148A 92-3289   PEACH88 2013-10-30 01:55:55 E-8C United States GA ANG | 116ACW [KWRB]    
AE119B 03-3118   ---  2013-10-30 01:33:00 C-17A United States MS ANG | 172AW | 183AS [KJAN]    
AE02E2 81-0627   COBB27 2013-10-30 00:23:57 C-130H United States AFRC | 94AW | 700AS [KMGE]    

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Reservist's amateur radio skills lynch pin for emergency responders

By Tech. Sgt. Stephen J. Collier, 310th Space Wing Public Affairs

SCHRIEVER AIR FORCE BASE, Colo (AFNS) -- He flips the switch on his radio, dialing into a local emergency channel and listens in. Focused, he concentrates, listening for the slight crackle of radio traffic.

With just dead air floating through the invisible radio waves, he leans into the microphone, pressing down on the mic's element, and talks to the world: "KØDRJ, this is KCØYCQ -- checking in".

The simple act of broadcasting his voice into the unknown instantly transforms Tech. Sgt. David Hodge from NCO in charge of standardization and evaluation for the 6th Space Operations Squadron, to a volunteer amateur radio operator with the responsibility of assisting in the coordination of resources and materials for first responders during disasters.

The eight-year Air Force reservist, who also operates Defense Meteorological Satellite Program weather satellites as a crew member, donates portions of his personal life for service to the community from what he said began as a mere hobby.

"One of the reasons why I do this is because I believe I have a skill set that not everyone has, yet can be used to help the community" Hodge said. "I'm a big geek with computers and software and in learning new things and how they work. I got interested in amateur communication and thought to myself, 'Hey, this is really cool.' I get on a radio in my house, and I can connect to a node on Cheyenne Mountain and, through the internet, talk to people in Australia and around the world. Then I started learning that anytime there is an emergency going on in the world, people lose all forms of communication -- except amateur radio."

In most emergency situations, civilian communication channels, to include cell phones, landlines and internet access, either go down or become inundated with emergency response coordination. With civilian lines either down or jammed up, amateur radio operators become the final conduits available for local and county law enforcement, fire departments, the Red Cross, and other organizations to maintain the crucial link of communication to ensure any response can take place.

His introduction to amateur radios started soon after leaving active duty in 2005. As well as becoming a space vehicle operator in the Reserve's 310th Space Wing, Hodge was also hired on with the Boeing Company. That's where he befriended one of his co-workers, who introduced him to the world of amateur radio.

From Hobbies to Helping

His introduction blossomed quickly, leading to the purchase of his first amateur radio base and receiving his Federal Communications Commission license in 2006.

Over time, Hodge began attending local radio club meetings. By 2007, Hodge had also become a member of the Pikes Peak Amateur Radio Emergency Services organization, which, according to the group's website, "provides public safety and public service communication support using HAM radios when conventional communication systems are damaged, destroyed, overloaded or otherwise unavailable."

Ongoing meetings and involvement in the radio community also brought Hodge to be trained by the National Weather Service as part of its "Skywarn" program, where amateur radio operators provide ground weather observation information to the NWS, based in Pueblo, Colo.

As if leading up to something greater, the technical sergeant was about to attend a typical amateur radio meeting that would lead to a chance encounter with the president of Colorado's Teller County Search and Rescue, putting him on a trajectory to turn his hobby into an asset for the Pikes Peak Region.

"I never thought about search and rescue, and my first thought was ‘how can I be beneficial?’" he said. "It didn't make any sense to me until I attend the meeting and I realized the entire structure of search and rescue throughout Colorado is 100-percent volunteers with people from all walks of life. I was surprised by the real impact I could truly have."

Hodge's wish to be beneficial to his community would soon be tested. For the next five years, he would support numerous search and rescue operations throughout both Teller and El Paso Counties, providing the crucial communication link between rescue teams on the ground and emergency operations centers.

In 2012, his radio skill sets would be tested to the limit as smoke began to billow from the crevasses of Colorado Spring's nearby Waldo Canyon.

"During the Waldo Canyon fire, I was one of three operators who could initially respond to the Teller County area," he said. "I spent four days living in the Red Cross shelter at Summit Elementary School in Divide, even taking over the principal's office to set up our communications equipment. As we stood up our radios, the sheriff ended up activating Teller County Search and Rescue to watch for other fires being started."

Hodge's involvement later as Teller County's chief of search and rescue communications helped to ensure the complete evacuation of Woodland Park as search and rescue teams were ordered out of the area by the sheriff. After rallying, Hodge helped to lead teams back into the town to mark each home to indicate citizens had either evacuated, or were staying to ride out the fires.

Already a now-experienced radio operator during natural disasters, Hodge was called out, once again, to respond to 2013's Black Forest fire. When word came via e-mail from the Pikes Peak Amateur Radio Emergency Services that radio operators were needed to support the Red Cross, and needed fast, Hodge turned to his squadron operations superintendent , Senior Master Sgt. Jeffrey Buell.

"The flexibility of our squadron is certainly helpful for sergeant Hodge in that we understand that, if the mission is not impeded, he can go out and do what he needs to do," Buell said. "He has talents that people need to help with saving lives, so it's vital to allow him, as a resource, to get out there and help others."

Immediately, Hodge raced home to collect his "go kit" with a vest, radios and other gear. Soon after, he made his way 25 miles north to Monument, Colo., where together with another radio operator, he set up radio operations at the Palmer Ridge High School, which had just converted to a Red Cross shelter. There, he would be on hand for the first evacuees from Black Forest -- many of whom, unknowingly, were about to lose their homes. As people poured into the shelter, Hodge radioed into the Red Cross Regional Chapter Headquarters for immediate support.

"As these evacuees came in, we had only one nurse on hand to assist and the media was showing, in real time, homes burning," he said. "We immediately radioed for additional medical staff and even grief counselors. Other local responders answered our call for volunteers as well. This is what's great about amateur radio in that you can reach out and request resources and people can quickly respond."

Being an NCO Benefits

Hodge believes it's important to look out after the health, morale and welfare of other Airmen. Perhaps it's no surprise this same mentality transitions over to wanting to help members of his community. The 33-year-old credits both his spirit of volunteerism and giving back partially to his Air Force upbringing.

"When you go through Airman Leadership School or the AF Academy, we're trained as NCOs to see where something is needed and figure out how to fill that need,” he said “That's helped me because I can see those problems with radio operating during crises to help find solutions to problems."

Hodge said being a space operator has helped to focus him during times of emergency.

"In space operations, you're trained to handle emergencies,” he said. “When a weather satellite streaks across the sky and you only have 12-14 minutes to make a correction or download data, you can't get overly excited. You have to remain calm and stay focused, and most of all, not lose your cool. All of this has helped out (with operating radios) because I need to be that calming voice on the radio to reinforce calm and order with others on the other end of the radio."

After having been put to the test in major emergency respond situations not once, but twice, the amateur radio operator has tackled events many others may never see. But going forward, Hodge wants to continue helping his community, becoming the "old hand" of knowledge for future operators to lean on.

"Now that we've had two years of all these fires and I've worked with various agencies during different emergencies, I see myself continually being involved in any emergency that happens," he said. "I see myself being involved less in the field with search and rescue teams and going more towards the operations and management side. I've served as an operator, helping at the shelters, as well as serving two years as the Teller County Search and Rescue treasurer. I want to do this not so much because I see myself a leader, but I have the experience of all these responses. I want to help train new people and share my experiences with the next generation of radio operators."

KC-135R Tankers Return to Refueling Roots

First aircraft on the runway awaiting clearence for takeoff, five KC-135 Stratotankers taking off at 30 second intervals to refuel C-17's at Key Field ANGB, Meridian, MS, Saturday September 27, 2008 UTA. U.S Air Frce Photo by TSGT Richad L. Smith (Released by 2d Lt Steven C. Stubbs 186 ARW / PAO)
by Capt Steven Stubbs, 186th Air Refueling Wing
Key Field ANGB, Miss. -- The KC-135 Stratotankers return to the 186th Air Refueling Wing commences June 10, 2013 with one aircraft arriving at Key Field where in-flight refueling was born.

"There is a real buzz on the base right now and that will spill over into the general public once they start seeing the tankers arriving," said Colonel Franklin Chalk, 186 ARW Commander. "I'm excited for the wing and the airmen stationed here."

Chalk stated that a total of eight tankers will be stationed at Key Field by the end of September and the conversion training for pilots and maintenance crews has already begun.

"We will be transitioning pilots back from the C-27 Spartan planes and the MC-12s and getting the maintenance crews up to speed on the tankers," Chalk said. "Since we lost the tankers the maintenance crews have been pretty stagnant because private firms did the maintenance on the C-27s."

When Al and Fred Key took off in their Curtis-Robbin monoplane nicknamed the "Ole Miss" on June 4, 1935, they could not have known the impact their 27-day flight would have on not only their city and state, but the entire world. The equipment and methods used by these pioneers of air refueling allowed them to remain airborne until July 1, 1935. The members of the 186th Air Refueling Wing are proud to say that Key Field Air National Guard Base is named after these two Meridian brothers whose 653 hour and 34 minute world record remains unbroken today in conventional flight.


186ARW/153ARS based at Meridian RAP (Key Field), MS [KMEI] have recently been heard here on the radio ranch flying the following KC-135R airframes using the Jake ## call sign: 57-1462  57-1486  59-1453  60-0341  63-7992.

Mode-S/ADS Milcom Intercepts 29 October 2013 - Btown NC

Here is another round of Mode-S/ADS-B intercepts and selected ATC call signs logged from here on the radio ranch in WNC. All dates/times are UTC.

AE148A 92-3289   PEACH88 2013-10-29 23:28:16 E-8C United States GA ANG | 116ACW [KWRB]    
AE12BB 69-5828   ---  2013-10-29 22:41:27 MC-130p United States ---    
AE02E2 81-0627   COBB27 2013-10-29 22:28:18 C-130H United States AFRC | 94AW | 700AS [KMGE]    
AE047F 59-1509   SODA91 2013-10-29 21:47:06 KC-135R United States TN ANG | 134ARW | 151ARS [KTYS]    
AE11EF 82-0006   SNTRY30H 2013-10-29 21:45:40 E-3C United States USAF | 552ACW [KTIK]    
AE0976 165833   ---  2013-10-29 20:25:40 C-40A United States USNR | VR-59 [KNFW]    
A2C83E 10-0321   ---  2013-10-29 19:07:36 C-145A United states USAF | 919SOW | 6SOS [KEGI]    
AE07DF 94-0065   RCH984 2013-10-29 18:57:33 C-17A United States TN ANG | 164AW | 155AS [KMEM]    
AE148A 92-3289   PEACH99 2013-10-29 18:12:30 E-8C United States GA ANG | 116ACW [KWRB]    
ADFCE6 94-0135   ---  2013-10-29 18:06:57 T-1A United States USAF | 14FTW | 48FTS    
ADFD03 95-0055   ---  2013-10-29 17:54:39 T-1A United States USAF | 14FTW | 48FTS    
AE0426 60-0363   INDY62 2013-10-29 17:48:16 KC-135R United States AFRC | 434ARW | 72ARS [KGUS]    
ADFEBD 96-0107   ---  2013-10-29 17:19:35 UC-35a1 United States USARC | C/2-228 AVN (TA) [KFBG]    
AE0471 57-1451   SODA82 2013-10-29 16:45:23 KC-135R United States TN ANG | 134ARW | 151ARS [KTYS]    
AE0394 64-14832   SODA81 2013-10-29 16:03:52 KC-135R United States HI ANG | 154Wing | 203ARS [PHIK]
AE0471 57-1451   SODA82 2013-10-29 16:02:11 KC-135R United States TN ANG | 134ARW | 151ARS [KTYS]    
AE4EB8 168434   ---  2013-10-29 15:47:05 P-8A United States USN | VP-30 [KNIP]    
AE04AC 99-0103   ---  2013-10-29 15:23:44 UC-35a1 United States USARC | B/2-228 AVN (TA) [KMGE]    
AE1468 07-7170   RCH269T 2013-10-29 14:26:15 C-17A United States USAF | 436AW | 3AS [KDOV]    
AE1211 03-0726   ---  2013-10-29 13:58:50 UC-35C United States USARC | 2-228 AVN    
AE148A 92-3289   PEACH99 2013-10-29 13:38:14 E-8C United States GA ANG | 116ACW [KWRB]    
AE0394 64-14832   SODA81 2013-10-29 13:31:31 KC-135R United States HI ANG | 154Wing | 203ARS [PHIK]
AE0668 62-3523   TURBO81 2013-10-29 08:59:31 KC-135R United States USAF | 22ARW [KIAB]    
AE0668 62-3523   TURBO81 2013-10-29 08:37:24 KC-135R United States USAF | 22ARW [KIAB]    
AE0668 62-3523   TURBO81 2013-10-29 04:17:25 KC-135R United States USAF | 22ARW [KIAB]    

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Mode-S/ADS Milcom Intercepts 28 October 2013 - Btown NC

Here is another round of Mode-S/ADS-B intercepts and selected ATC call signs logged from here on the radio ranch in WNC. All dates/times are UTC.

AE12BB 69-5828   ---  2013-10-28 22:54:40 MC-130p United States ---    
ADFEDD 86-0087   PAT087 2013-10-28 21:22:38 C-12U United States PA ARNG | OSACOM DET-22 [KMUI]    
AE01BF 165093   CNV2989 2013-10-28 20:49:09 C-20G United States USNR | VR-51 [PHNG]
AE10C6 159364/165509   ---  2013-10-28 20:45:44 CT-39G United States USN | TW-6 | VT-86 [KNPA]    
AE04AF 165741   ---  2013-10-28 20:14:34 UC-35 United States MAW-4    
ADFE67 91-1236   DERBY 31 2013-10-28 19:15:04 C-130H United States KY ANG | 123AW | 165AS [KSDF]    
AE010F 94-1569   BOXR241 2013-10-28 17:57:26 C-38A United States DC ANG | 113Wg | 201AS [KADW]    
AE10D2 165516   ---  2013-10-28 17:53:29 T-39G United States USN | TW-6 | VT-86 [KNPA]    
AE038A 62-3531   SLUFF61 2013-10-28 16:37:31 KC-135R United States OH ANG | 121ARW [KLCK]    
AE036F 98-0009   ---  2013-10-28 16:05:20 UC-35A United States USARMY |    
AE038A 62-3531   SLUFF61 2013-10-28 16:00:54 KC-135R United States OH ANG | 121ARW [KLCK]    
ADFE67 91-1236   DERBY 31 2013-10-28 12:28:02 C-130H United States KY ANG | 123AW | 165AS [KSDF]    
AE0413 164386   ---  2013-10-28 01:06:41 E-6B United States USN | SCW-1 [KTIK]     

Monday, October 28, 2013

Mode-S/ADS Milcom Intercepts 26-27 October 2013 - Btown NC

Here is another round of Mode-S/ADS-B intercepts and selected ATC call signs logged from here on the radio ranch in WNC. All dates/times are UTC.

AD96A2 11-3031   ---  2013-10-27 23:30:37 C-146A United States USAF | 27SOW | 524SOS [KCVS]    
AD4036 11-3075   ---  2013-10-27 21:18:23 C-146A United States USAF | 27SOW | 524SOS [KCVS]    
AE113E 165972   ---  2013-10-27 21:16:53 T-6A United States USN | TW-6 [KNPA]    
AE07E2 94-0068   RHINO90 2013-10-27 19:37:33 C-17A United States AFRC | 445AW | 89AS [KFFO]    
AD4036 11-3075   ---  2013-10-27 18:22:56 C-146A United States USAF | 27SOW | 524SOS [KCVS]    
AE01E0 86-0029   TOGA79 2013-10-27 17:57:57 KC-10A United States USAF | 60AMW [KSUU]    
AE1251 165835   CNV4261 2013-10-27 16:02:31 C-40A United States USNR | VR-57 [KNZY]    
AE0446 99-6143   ---  2013-10-27 15:43:09 C-32B United States USAF | 486FLTS [KVPS]
AE10D5 165519   ---  2013-10-27 15:35:06 T-39G United States USN | TW-6 | VT-86 [KNPA]    

00002E ------   00000000 2013-10-26 23:25:05 ------ ------ ---    
AE498B 08-0037   ---  2013-10-26 23:18:51 CV-22B United States USAF| 27SOW | 20SOS [KCVS]    
AE1251 165835   CNV4261 2013-10-26 22:12:47 C-40A United States USNR | VR-57 [KNZY]    
AE07E3 94-0069   RCH860 2013-10-26 21:26:33 C-17A United States USAF | 437AW [KCHS]    
005A07 ------   ---  2013-10-26 20:29:36 C-146A United States USAF | 27SOW | 524SOS [KCVS]    
AE07EF 96-0005   E6005 2013-10-26 19:13:29 C-17A United States NY ANG | 105AW | 137AS [KSWF]    
AE4E1D ------   LAC5737 2013-10-26 16:33:54 ------ United States ---    
AE0117 97-5306   TEAL24 2013-10-26 14:19:19 WC-130J United States AFRC | 403AW | 53WRS [KBIX]    

Saturday, October 26, 2013

Mode-S/ADS Milcom Intercepts 25 October 2013 - Btown NC

Here is another round of Mode-S/ADS-B intercepts and selected ATC call signs logged from here on the radio ranch in WNC. All dates/times are UTC.

AE29FC 168205   ---  2013-10-25 22:52:39 UC-12W United States USMC | VMGR-252 [KNKT]    
ADFD65 88-2101   KING21 2013-10-25 21:10:09 HC-130n United States NY ANG | 106RQW | 102RQS [KFOK]    
AE4A20 166151   ---  2013-10-25 20:54:24 T-6B United States --- Hanging Dog NC, US 0000  15875   
AE119B 03-3118   RCH311 2013-10-25 20:23:24 C-17A United States MS ANG | 172AW | 183AS [KJAN]    
AE0117 97-5306   TEAL24 2013-10-25 19:46:26 WC-130J United States AFRC | 403AW | 53WRS [KBIX]    
ADFD04 95-0056   ---  2013-10-25 19:43:21 T-1A United States USAF | 14FTW | 48FTS    
AE02E4 81-0629   COBB62 2013-10-25 19:29:16 C-130H United States AFRC | 94AW | 700AS [KMGE]    
A4325C ------   ---  2013-10-25 18:47:36 --- United States ---    
ADFCA4 92-0355   ---  2013-10-25 18:31:25 T-1A United States USAF | 12FTW | 99FTS [KRND]    
ADFC94 92-0339   ---  2013-10-25 17:54:21 T-1A United States USAF | 12FTW | 99FTS [KRND]    
AE10B8 01-0189   RCH703 2013-10-25 17:41:40 C-17A United States USAF | 437AW [KCHS]    
AE2FA2 08-8190   GRITS54 2013-10-25 16:55:08 C-17A United States USAF | 437AW [KCHS]
AE0423 59-1505   SODA81 2013-10-25 16:41:48 KC-135R United States TN ANG | 134ARW | 151ARS [KTYS]    
AE11E3 77-0356   SNTRY30H 2013-10-25 16:05:49 E-3B United States USAF | 552ACW [KTIK]    
ADFCD8 94-0121   ---  2013-10-25 16:04:18 T-1A United States USAF | 12FTW | 99FTS [KRND]    
AE0423 59-1505   SODA81 2013-10-25 16:03:23 KC-135R United States TN ANG | 134ARW | 151ARS [KTYS]    
AE113E 165972   ---  2013-10-25 15:40:24 T-6A United States USN | TW-6 [KNPA]    
ADFCA4 92-0355   ---  2013-10-25 15:32:38 T-1A United States USAF | 12FTW | 99FTS [KRND]    
AE112C 02-3656   ---  2013-10-25 15:25:57 T-6A United States USAF    
AE1102 01-3614   ---  2013-10-25 15:22:58 T-6A United States USAF    
ADFC94 92-0339   ---  2013-10-25 15:14:31 T-1A United States USAF | 12FTW | 99FTS [KRND]    
AE0265 57-1436   SODA58 2013-10-25 15:12:25 KC-135R United States TN ANG | 134ARW | 151ARS [KTYS]    
AE261C ------   ---  2013-10-25 15:02:45 ------ United States --- Hanging Dog NC, US 0000  5400   
AE4EB8 168434   ---  2013-10-25 15:01:42 P-8A United States USN | VP-30 [KNIP]    
AE2F9B 168069   OTIS05 2013-10-25 14:59:23 KC-130J United States USMC | VMGR-252 [KNKT]    
AE0194 84-0134   ---  2013-10-25 14:56:47 C-21A United States USAF | 375AW | 311AS [KCOS]    
AE0471 57-1451   SODA59 2013-10-25 14:50:10 KC-135R United States TN ANG | 134ARW | 151ARS [KTYS]    
AE0670 63-7980   TROUT99 2013-10-25 13:39:06 KC-135R United States AFMC | 412TW | 412FLTS [KEDW]    
AE11E3 77-0356   SNTRY30H 2013-10-25 12:36:15 E-3B United States USAF | 552ACW [KTIK]    
AE04DE 57-2597   SODA91 2013-10-25 01:28:52 KC-135R United States TN ANG | 134ARW | 151ARS [KTYS]    

Friday, October 25, 2013

Mode-S/ADS Milcom Intercepts 24 October 2013 - Btown NC

Here is another round of Mode-S/ADS-B intercepts and selected ATC call signs logged from here on the radio ranch in WNC. All dates/times are UTC.

AE10CB 165509   ---  2013-10-24 21:08:00 T-39G United States USN | TW-6 | VT-86 [KNPA]    
AE10D2 165516   ---  2013-10-24 21:07:42 T-39G United States USN | TW-6 | VT-86 [KNPA]    
AE10D2 165516   ---  2013-10-24 18:45:07 T-39G United States USN | TW-6 | VT-86 [KNPA]    
AE10CB 165509   ---  2013-10-24 18:44:54 T-39G United States USN | TW-6 | VT-86 [KNPA]    
ADFC61 90-0412   ---  2013-10-24 18:40:31 T-1A United States USAF    
AE10D2 165516   ---  2013-10-24 18:24:26 T-39G United States USN | TW-6 | VT-86 [KNPA]    
AE10CB 165509   ---  2013-10-24 18:20:07 T-39G United States USN | TW-6 | VT-86 [KNPA]    
ADFCD2 94-0115   ---  2013-10-24 18:00:18 T-1A United States USAF | 479FTG | 451FTS [KNPA]    
AE1491 95-0121   PEACH98 2013-10-24 17:37:40 E-8C United States GA ANG | 116ACW [KWRB]    
AE1472 07-7180   GRITS35 2013-10-24 16:41:33 C-17A United States USAF | 437AW [KCHS]
AE0485 62-3521   M81 2013-10-24 16:33:20 KC-135R United States AFRC | 434ARW | 72ARS [KGUS]    
AE0485 62-3521   M81 2013-10-24 16:04:58 KC-135R United States AFRC | 434ARW | 72ARS [KGUS]    
AE1491 95-0121   PEACH98 2013-10-24 16:03:15 E-8C United States GA ANG | 116ACW [KWRB]    
ADFC61 90-0412   ---  2013-10-24 15:35:38 T-1A United States USAF    
AE149A 02-9111   PEACH5 2013-10-24 15:12:34 E-8C United States GA ANG | 116ACW [KWRB]    
AE1197 03-3114   RULER47 2013-10-24 15:02:10 C-17A United States MS ANG | 172AW | 183AS [KJAN]    
ADFEEA 160046   LOBO02 2013-10-24 14:46:47 C-9B United States USMC | VMR-1 [KNKT]    
AE02E7 84-0204   COBB61 2013-10-24 14:42:32 C-130H United States AFRC | 94AW | 700AS [KMGE]    
AE02EC 85-1363   ROPER 63 2013-10-24 14:19:55 C-130H United States TX ANG | 136AW | 181AS [KFWH]    
AE149A 02-9111   PEACH5 2013-10-24 13:52:09 E-8C United States GA ANG | 116ACW [KWRB]    
AE1BEF 07-4636   JILL22 2013-10-24 05:51:49 C-130J-30 United States USAF | 19AW [KLRF]    
ADFDB9 93-1039   RCH977 2013-10-24 05:25:53 C-130H United States USAF | 19AW | 50AS [KLRF]    
AE20C6 07-7185   RCH197 2013-10-24 03:00:50 C-17a United States USAF | 437AW [KCHS]    
AE1BF0 07-4637   ---  2013-10-24 00:25:09 C-130J-30 United States USAF | 19AW [KLRF]    

Thursday, October 24, 2013

Nimitz Strike Group Begins Operations in Central Mediterranean

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Nathan R. McDonald
MEDITERRANEAN SEA (NNS) -- The Nimitz Strike Group commenced flight operations in the central Mediterranean Sea, Oct. 20.

The aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68), along with embarked Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 11, Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 11, and Destroyer Squadron 23 is supporting maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations.

"We look forward to strengthening the interoperability between our partner countries in the 6th Fleet region, and building on the common goal of maritime security through exercises and exchanges," said Rear Adm. Michael S. White, commander, CSG 11.

Prior to arriving in the Mediterranean, Nimitz spent the majority of its time in the 5th Fleet with guided-missile destroyers USS Shoup (DDG 86), USS Stockdale (DDG 106) and USS William P. Lawrence (DDG 110) along with guided-missile cruisers USS Princeton (CG 59) and USS Monterey (CG 61).

"Our strike group and air wing have performed admirably during our time in 5th Fleet in the face of uncertainty," said Capt. Jeff Ruth, commanding officer of Nimitz. "Everyone should be very proud of their ability to pull together as a team to get the job done."

While in U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations, CVW 11 executed more than 1,200 sorties in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, tallying more than 6,500 flight hours.

"I'm very proud of the effort our Sailors and Marines have contributed during our time in the 5th Fleet AOR," said White. "We have and will continue to remain focused on accomplishing our missions, and I think that shows in the work we've done."

This will be the first time Nimitz will be operating in the 6th Fleet area of operation since 1998.

USS Tortuga Returns Home

By Ens. Wendy Antebi, USS Tortuga Public Affairs
NORFOLK (NNS) -- Amphibious dock landing ship USS Tortuga (LSD 46) returned to Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek, Va., following a seven-year assignment in support of Forward Deployed Naval Forces, Oct. 22.

Tortuga was relieved by USS Ashland (LSD 48) during a hull swap in which the crew of Ashland delivered the ship to Sasebo, Japan and returned USS Tortuga to her homeport - the culminating achievement of a four-month deployment.

"This hull swap has been a year in the making", said Cmdr. Brett Hershman, commanding officer of Tortuga. "Throughout the work-ups and transit [to Japan] and back...the crew preformed magnificently - I couldn't have asked any more from them."

On June 27, the crew deployed from Little Creek aboard Ashland to deliver the newly upgraded ship to the Japan-based crew of Tortuga. Ashland recently went through the Dock Landing Ship (LSD) midlife modernization, upgrading legacy equipment and control stations with more updated, computer based systems.
The swap between the crews took several weeks and included training, familiarization, and inventories in preparation for sea trials, crew certification, and Tortuga's ultimate sail away and return to Norfolk.

In addition to the crew swap, the commanding officers also changed platforms with Hershman taking command of the Tortuga, and Cmdr. John Barnett taking command of the Ashland.

The Navy utilizes the hull swap program to maintain material-ready ships in forward deployed assignments, while allowing crews and their families to remain at the same homeport.

"The [hull swap] process is regularly used by the Navy to transition ships from a forward deployed area back state side," said Hershman. "Ships operating out of Sasebo have a very high operational tempo; periodically bringing them back gives us a chance to perform more extensive maintenance and routine modifications to ensure their continued value to the fleet."

Returning home to the Hampton Roads area after departing for Japan earlier this year, the crew's deployment covered more than 21,500 nautical miles and included two transits of the Panama Canal.

Upon Tortuga's return, the crew will focus on maintenance and repairs. Tortuga will remain operational in the Atlantic fleet throughout 2014, supporting local operations, training exercises and remaining on call for any emergency requirements.

LSD's are designed to transport and launch amphibious craft and vehicles in support of amphibious assault operations.

Nimitz Strike Group Begins Operations in Central Mediterranean

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Nathan R. McDonald
MEDITERRANEAN SEA (NNS) -- The Nimitz Strike Group commenced flight operations in the central Mediterranean Sea, Oct. 20.

The aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68), along with embarked Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 11, Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 11, and Destroyer Squadron 23 is supporting maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations.

"We look forward to strengthening the interoperability between our partner countries in the 6th Fleet region, and building on the common goal of maritime security through exercises and exchanges," said Rear Adm. Michael S. White, commander, CSG 11.

Prior to arriving in the Mediterranean, Nimitz spent the majority of its time in the 5th Fleet with guided-missile destroyers USS Shoup (DDG 86), USS Stockdale (DDG 106) and USS William P. Lawrence (DDG 110) along with guided-missile cruisers USS Princeton (CG 59) and USS Monterey (CG 61).

"Our strike group and air wing have performed admirably during our time in 5th Fleet in the face of uncertainty," said Capt. Jeff Ruth, commanding officer of Nimitz. "Everyone should be very proud of their ability to pull together as a team to get the job done."

While in U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations, CVW 11 executed more than 1,200 sorties in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, tallying more than 6,500 flight hours.

"I'm very proud of the effort our Sailors and Marines have contributed during our time in the 5th Fleet AOR," said White. "We have and will continue to remain focused on accomplishing our missions, and I think that shows in the work we've done."

This will be the first time Nimitz will be operating in the 6th Fleet area of operation since 1998.

Mode-S/ADS Milcom Intercepts 23 October 2013 - Btown NC

Here is another round of Mode-S/ADS-B intercepts and selected ATC call signs logged from here on the radio ranch in WNC. All dates/times are UTC.

AE016F 84-0077   JOSA272 2013-10-23 23:53:25 C-21A United States USAF | 375AW | 457AS [KADW]    
AE1491 95-0121   PEACH98 2013-10-23 23:42:41 E-8C United States GA ANG | 116ACW [KWRB]    
AE1530 06-4632   JILL52 2013-10-23 23:39:23 C-130J-30 United States USAF | 19AW [KLRF]    
AE1530 06-4632   JILL52 2013-10-23 23:17:37 C-130J-30 United States USAF | 19AW [KLRF]    
AE0425 60-0342   BOLT42 2013-10-23 22:35:44 KC-135T United States USAF | 6AMW | 927ARW
AE0507 61-0323   BOLT41 2013-10-23 22:35:22 KC-135R United States USAF | 6AMW | 927ARW
AE07A5 59-1471   BOLT44 2013-10-23 22:35:17 KC-135T United States USAF | 6AMW | 91ARS [KMCF]
AE07AB 60-0331   BOLT43 2013-10-23 22:35:17 KC-135R United States USAF | 6AMW | 927ARW
0D066B ------   ---  2013-10-23 22:07:07 ------ Mexico ---    
AE0561 85-0004   ---  2013-10-23 21:25:38 C-5M United States USAF | 436AW | 9AS [KDOV]    
ADFCE6 94-0135   ---  2013-10-23 19:42:15 T-1A United States USAF | 14FTW | 48FTS    
AE144D 05-5143   RCH267T 2013-10-23 19:16:38 C-17A United States AFRC | 452AMW | 729AS [KRIV]    
AE148A 92-3289   PEACH99 2013-10-23 19:06:47 E-8C United States GA ANG | 116ACW [KWRB]    
AE189A 05-4613 AVLON39 2013-10-23 18:23:07 C-40C United States AFRC | 932AW | 73AS [KBLV]    
AE10D5 165519   ---  2013-10-23 18:10:21 T-39G United States USN | TW-6 | VT-86 [KNPA]    
AE0561 85-0004   ---  2013-10-23 16:59:02 C-5M United States USAF | 436AW | 9AS [KDOV]    
AE0561 85-0004   ---  2013-10-23 16:36:33 C-5M United States USAF | 436AW | 9AS [KDOV]    
AE07BA 62-3557   LUCKY32 2013-10-23 16:05:44 KC-135R United States AFRC | 916ARW | 77ARS [KGSB]    
AE0265 57-1436   SODA81 2013-10-23 15:37:15 KC-135R United States TN ANG | 134ARW | 151ARS [KTYS]    
AE11E6 78-0578   ---  2013-10-23 15:00:58 E-3B United States USAF | 552ACW [KTIK]    
AE1530 06-4632   PUMA71 2013-10-23 14:56:23 C-130J-30 United States USAF | 19AW [KLRF]    
AE1F94 10-72133   ---  2013-10-23 14:54:59 UH-72A United States GA ARNG | C/2-151 AVN (S&S) [KMKE]    
AE10D4 165518   ---  2013-10-23 14:50:20 T-39G United States USN | TW-6 | VT-86 [KNPA]    
AE148A 92-3289   PEACH99 2013-10-23 14:31:11 E-8C United States GA ANG | 116ACW [KWRB]    
AE0265 57-1436   SODA81 2013-10-23 13:46:13 KC-135R United States TN ANG | 134ARW | 151ARS [KTYS]    
ADFED0 85-1262   PAT783 2013-10-23 01:28:51 C-12U United States USARMY (OSACOM Det25 TNArNG)    
AE1488 86-0416   KOMODO4 2013-10-23 01:11:11 TE-8a United States 330thCTS    
AE1BEF 07-4636   PUMA74 2013-10-23 01:03:50 C-130J-30 United States USAF | 19AW [KLRF]    
ADFDB9 93-1039   RCH977 2013-10-23 00:49:40 C-130H United States USAF | 19AW | 50AS [KLRF]    
AE02E7 84-0204   COBB61 2013-10-23 00:18:49 C-130H United States AFRC | 94AW | 700AS [KMGE]    

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

New York's 109th Airlift Wing launches annual Antarctic mission

An LC-130 assigned to the 109th Airlift Wing leaves Stratton Air National Guard Base for Antarctica on Oct. 18, 2013. (Air National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Willie Gizara/Released)

By Tech Sgt. Catharine Schmidt, 109th Airlift Wing, New York Air National Guard

SCOTIA, N.Y.  - The 109th Airlift Wing kicked off its 26th season in support of Operation Deep Freeze on Oct. 18 as Airmen and LC-130 Hercules aircraft began their journey to the South Pole.

Despite the obstacles each season brings with the extreme weather conditions in Antarctica, crews are always prepared to complete the missions they have set out to do in support of the National Science Foundation.

A total of six ski-equipped LC-130 aircraft will be deployed this year from October to February, the typical on-continent Antarctic flying season.

These aircraft will support the National Science Foundation's research, moving supplies and people to field camps across the continent and to the South Pole station.
About 120 Air National Guard members will be deployed at any one time to Operation Deep Freeze, with a total of about 700 personnel rotations occurring over the entire season.

"We fully expect to meet all the mission requirements NSF sets forth for us," said Maj. Steven Slosek, a navigator who will be part of this year's ODF season, his fifth season on the ice. "It's an extremely remote and austere environment, but the best part about being a navigator in Antarctica is the sense of adventure."

Col. Shawn Clouthier, 109th AW commander, said he is confident the Wing will once again provide outstanding support, no matter what the obstacles.

"Due to fiscal constraints we have been tasked with fewer missions for this Antarctic season,” he said. "However, the mission set is still one of the most demanding in the Air National Guard and the Air Force. Through all of the budget restrictions one constant remains, the dedicated and professional men and women of the 109th will serve the National Science Foundation in the outstanding manner to which they have become accustomed."

After the resolution of the government shutdown Thursday, the 109th quickly geared back up to send down just as many aircraft as in previous seasons, and nearly the same number of personnel. As the season continues, additional guidance from the NSF will determine if the lowered mission tasking will continue.

The unit boasts the U.S. military's only ski-equipped aircraft, which has been supporting the NFS's South Pole research since 1988. Since 1999, the unit has been the sole provider of this type of airlift to the NSF and U.S. Antarctic research efforts.

In 1999 a crew from the 109th Airlift Wing made a daring rescue of Dr. Jerri Nielsen, a staff member at the Amundsen-Scott Station at the South Pole who was suffering from breast cancer. An LC-130 from the wing landed in bitter cold, far earlier in the season than they normally fly, to retrieve the doctor.

In 2008, another 109th LC-130 rescued an Australian researcher who had broken his leg in an accident and flew him to Hobart, Australia, from Antarctica.

Mode-S/ADS Milcom Intercepts 22 October 2013 - Btown NC

Here is another round of Mode-S/ADS-B intercepts and selected ATC call signs logged from here on the radio ranch in WNC. All dates/times are UTC.

AE1488 86-0416   KOMODO4 2013-10-22 23:34:17 TE-8a United States 330thCTS    
AE10C7 159365   ---  2013-10-22 23:13:34 T-39G United States USN | TW-6 | VT-86 [KNPA]    
AE0672 63-8014   BACKY77 2013-10-22 22:01:59 KC-135R United States AFRC | 916ARW | 77ARS [KGSB]    
AE060C 83-0489   SKIER71 2013-10-22 21:14:54 C-130H United States NY ANG | 109AW | 139AS [KSCH]
ADFCEB 94-0140   ---  2013-10-22 20:23:07 T-1A United States USAF | 14FTW | 48FTS    
ADFCF1 94-0146   ---  2013-10-22 19:59:48 T-1A United States USAF | 14FTW | 48FTS    
AE189A 05-4613 AVLON38 2013-10-22 19:54:52 C-40C United States AFRC | 932AW | 73AS [KBLV]    
AE189A 05-4613 AVLON38 2013-10-22 19:34:00 C-40C United States AFRC | 932AW | 73AS [KBLV]    
AE149A 02-9111   PEACH32 2013-10-22 19:28:44 E-8C United States GA ANG | 116ACW [KWRB]    
C2B5AD 130614   CFC2547 2013-10-22 19:13:41 CC-130J-30 Canada CFC | 8WG [CYTR]    
ADFCA4 92-0355   ---  2013-10-22 18:22:39 T-1A United States USAF | 12FTW | 99FTS [KRND]    
AE10D1 165515   ---  2013-10-22 18:19:14 T-39G United States USN | TW-6 | VT-86 [KNPA]    
AE10D4 165518   ---  2013-10-22 18:18:45 T-39G United States USN | TW-6 | VT-86 [KNPA]    
AE4D68 10-0215   RCH749 2013-10-22 17:54:10 C-17A United States USAF | 437AW [KCHS]    
15407C RA-82044   VDA1257 2013-10-22 17:19:49 An-124-100 Russia Volga Dnepr Airlines    
AE060C 83-0489   SKIER71 2013-10-22 16:55:51 C-130H United States NY ANG | 109AW | 139AS [KSCH]
AE1BF2 07-4639   ROCK01 2013-10-22 16:38:04 C-130J-30 United States USAF | 19AW [KLRF]    
AE11DE 76-1607   SNTRY40H 2013-10-22 16:27:17 E-3B United States USAF | 552ACW [KTIK]    
AE509C 81-23541   ---  2013-10-22 16:20:24 RC-12D United States ---    
AE059F 61-0294   BACKY77 2013-10-22 15:44:53 KC-135R United States AFRC | 916ARW | 77ARS [KGSB]    
AE149A 02-9111   PEACH32 2013-10-22 14:54:54 E-8C United States GA ANG | 116ACW [KWRB]    
AE11DE 76-1607   SNTRY40H 2013-10-22 14:38:28 E-3B United States USAF | 552ACW [KTIK]    
AE04AD 99-0104   ---  2013-10-22 14:34:17 UC-35a1 United States USARC | A/2-228 AVN (TA) [KWRI ]    
AE1211 03-0726   ---  2013-10-22 14:29:22 UC-35C United States USARC | 2-228 AVN    
AE1BF0 07-4637   PUMA72 2013-10-22 14:20:48 C-130J-30 United States USAF | 19AW [KLRF]    
AE04CF 62-3537   BACKY78 2013-10-22 13:31:40 KC-135R United States AFRC | 916ARW | 77ARS [KGSB]
AE0668 62-3523   TURBO81 2013-10-22 04:36:19 KC-135R United States USAF | 22ARW [KIAB]    
AE0160 57-1479   DECEE12 2013-10-22 00:34:23 KC-135R United States AFRC | 459ARW | 756ARS [KADW]    
AE080E 99-0168   BOE68 2013-10-22 00:30:34 C-17A United States USAF | 3WG | 517AS [PAED]    

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Military to reduce community, public outreach

By Karen Parrish | American Forces Press Service
 
WASHINGTON -- Pentagon officials announced a plan that will enable the military services to resume conducting community and public outreach activities in the new fiscal year, but at a significantly reduced capacity, Oct. 18, 2013. This cost-cutting measure will yield a savings of $104 million in fiscal year 2014.

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel outlined the Pentagon's new strategic approach to community outreach in an internal memorandum to service chiefs and other military leaders. Many activities, including the Blue Angels and Thunderbirds air demonstration teams, will resume, but at a more limited frequency than in previous years.

"Even given the austere fiscal climate, Secretary Hagel believes the Defense Department must preserve vital links between service members and communities across the country," said Pentagon Press Secretary George Little.

Little said that the new guidelines are part of a careful balancing act and demonstrate the Department's determination to make the most efficient use of resources.

Community outreach brings Americans together in communities across the nation and helps inspire some to serve, builds support at home for those deployed in harm's way, and helps to ensure education, employment and wellness initiatives evolve to serve veterans, Hagel noted in the memo directing these changes. Community engagements have tangible value in that they "showcase our superior combat power, demonstrate readiness to defend the nation, and help to preserve the all-volunteer force," Hagel wrote.

"It is unfortunate that sequestration restrictions have kept us from connecting with nearly a half-billion people worldwide over the last six months, and required us to withdraw support from more than 2,800 events throughout the country," the secretary wrote.

A senior defense official noted that this plan reinstates at a 45% reduced capacity: the jet and parachute demonstration teams, band and ceremonial unit appearances, port visits, service weeks, and nonprofit and corporate leader outreach."

The connections between U.S. service members and the civilians they defend are important to active and reserve service members, their families, and veterans, the secretary said in his memo.

"Community and public outreach is a crucial Departmental activity that reinforces trust and confidence in the United States Military and in its most important asset- people," Hagel asserted. "It is our obligation to sustain that trust well into the future."

Nimitz to Operate in Mediterranean


MEDITERRANEAN SEA (NNS) -- The nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) and her escort, guided-missile cruiser USS Monterey (CG 61), conducted a northbound transit of the Suez Canal, Oct. 20.

USS Nimitz was most recently operating in the Red Sea to provide the U.S. options for responding to crisis situations.

USS Nimitz will operate in the Mediterranean Sea and train with international partners before returning to her homeport of Everett, Wash.

Nimitz entered the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations, June 9.

Mode-S/ADS Milcom Intercepts 21 October 2013 - Btown NC

Here is another round of Mode-S/ADS-B intercepts and selected ATC call signs logged from here on the radio ranch in WNC. All dates/times are UTC.

000001 ------   ---  2013-10-21 23:25:24  ------     
AE1488 86-0416   PHENOM6 2013-10-21 23:10:18 TE-8a United States 330thCTS    
000001 ------   ---  2013-10-21 22:14:35  ------     
AE07F6 97-0044   RHINO85 2013-10-21 22:01:43 C-17A United States AFRC | 445AW | 89AS [KFFO]    
000001 ------   ---  2013-10-21 21:20:11  ------     
AE49C1 09-9205   RCH9205 2013-10-21 21:01:30 C-17A United States USAF | 437AW [KCHS]    
AE11DA 75-0560   SNTRY40H 2013-10-21 20:57:34 E-3B United States USAF | 552ACW [KTIK]
AE07D6 92-3292   RCH2292 2013-10-21 20:49:41 C-17A United States USAF | 437AW [KCHS]    
AE07D8 92-3294   RCH155 2013-10-21 20:44:17 C-17A United States USAF | 62AW [KTCM]    
000001 ------   ---  2013-10-21 19:53:38  ------     
ADFCF7 95-0043   ---  2013-10-21 19:49:23 T-1A United States USAF | 14FTW | 48FTS    
ADFC6B 90-0408   ---  2013-10-21 19:38:35 T-1A United States USAF | 71FTW | 32FTS [KEND]    
ADFC65 90-0404   ---  2013-10-21 18:43:28 T-1A United States USAF | 12FTW | 99FTS [KRND]
ADFC94 92-0339   ---  2013-10-21 18:28:11 T-1A United States USAF | 12FTW | 99FTS [KRND]    
AE10CE 165512   ---  2013-10-21 18:11:56 T-39G United States USN | TW-6 | VT-86 [KNPA]    
AE1499 01-2005   PEACH99 2013-10-21 17:22:33 E-8C United States GA ANG | 116ACW [KWRB]    
AE11DA 75-0560   SNTRY40H 2013-10-21 17:19:48 E-3B United States USAF | 552ACW [KTIK]
AE11D9 75-0559   SNTRY02H 2013-10-21 17:19:47 E-3B United States USAF | 552ACW [KTIK]    
AE49C1 09-9205   RCH9205 2013-10-21 17:19:43 C-17A United States USAF | 437AW [KCHS]    
AE07BD 62-3568   BOLT91 2013-10-21 16:53:50 KC-135R United States USAF | 6AMW | 91ARS [KMCF]    
AE04AD 99-0104   ---  2013-10-21 16:52:04 UC-35a1 United States USARC | A/2-228 AVN (TA) [KWRI ]    
AE1211 03-0726   ---  2013-10-21 16:48:13 UC-35C United States USARC | 2-228 AVN    
AE07D6 92-3292   RCH2292 2013-10-21 16:38:45 C-17A United States USAF | 437AW [KCHS]    
ADFC88 91-0100   ---  2013-10-21 16:17:11 T-1A United States USAF | 14FTW | 48FTS    
FAC688 162999   ---  2013-10-21 16:16:54 P-3C United States ---    
AE1499 01-2005   PEACH99 2013-10-21 16:16:15 E-8C United States GA ANG | 116ACW [KWRB]    
AE02EC 85-1363   ROPER 63 2013-10-21 15:54:27 C-130H United States TX ANG | 136AW | 181AS [KFWH]    
AE11D9 75-0559   SNTRY02H 2013-10-21 14:56:03 E-3B United States USAF | 552ACW [KTIK]    
477FF2 02   BRK73 2013-10-21 14:53:55 C-17A Hungary NATO    
AE018C 84-0098   JOSA723 2013-10-21 14:32:46 C-21A United States USAF | 375AW | 457AS [KADW]    
AE17D4 ------   ---  2013-10-21 14:31:15 OH-58D United States USARMY    
AE10D2 165516   ---  2013-10-21 14:29:23 T-39G United States USN | TW-6 | VT-86 [KNPA]    
ADFEB5 74-0787   CATCH 22 2013-10-21 12:42:32 E-4B United States USAF | 55WG | 1ACCS [KOFF]    
AE08CF 00-0185   BOE85 2013-10-21 00:40:21 C-17A United States USAF | 3WG | 517AS [PAED]    

Monday, October 21, 2013

North American Enroute Aviation Guide An Amazon #1 Best Seller


 
Well this has truly been a remarkable 48 hours. The North American Enroute Aviation Guide has roared to an Amazon #1 Best Seller in several categories and in both Kindle/Books and has stayed there.

To all of you who have purchased it so far a big -- Thank You. And we want to extend to the four buyers who have passed along their 5 star reviews - our deepest thanks.

We have many more radio hobby e-books in the works, including Gayle's exclusive International Shortwave Broadcast Guide so stay tuned.

You can see her QSLing the World e-book for $2.99 at http://amzn.com/B0083M2O4W

And you can see my new North American Enroute Aviation Guide for $2.99 at http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00G0683GG

Again thank you all for buying our Teak Publishing e-books products.

The Chief, An Amazon #1 Best Selling Author

Reviews from Amazon on the North American Enroute Aviation Guide
 
5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome Reference! October 20, 2013 By Scannerfood
Well organized and convenient resource that contains verified (by me after purchasing) accurate information with detail not found elsewhere. A must have for those that love to listen to airplanes!

Plug in your local ARTCC's and hear everything you missed last time because you didn't have all the frequencies. Makes following a plane through airspace a breeze!
 
5.0 out of 5 stars Definitive Guidance October 20, 2013 By PK766
The author has gone to great extents to provide the most up to date and informative guide to listening to North American Enroute Aviation comms. As an avid monitor of ARTCC comms I can appreciate the portability of this book, which I can now carry almost anywhere on my phone, tablet, laptop, etc... The accuracy of the information at the time of publishing is spot on and I have not found any errors. BRAVO!!! Great Job Mr. Van Horn!
 
5.0 out of 5 stars Useful and Portable! October 19, 2013 By C Parris
An extremely useful publication for aviation monitoring, made even more useful now that I can carry it in my Kindle or iPad. The information contained by this volume is very complete and organized for easy access. Being that I travel and are often looking up things on-line, having this stored in my portable device makes it that much more useful. And at a very reasonable price, I can give this publication high praise!
WOW!!! Got to admit for such a small price this guide is packed with concise frequency information that a beginning or seasoned aviation radio monitoring hobbyist can readily use. It also provides a concise explanation of the organization of the Air Route Traffic Control Centers. As a daily monitor of military and civilian aviation, this is a very handy publication to have on one's tablet, computer or other device for following aircraft's communications. One can also print out the pertinent pages for the geographic areas normally monitored.

I think this long time hobby monitoring hobbyist as well as author, again shows us that he can produce a reference publication that is right on target for the radio monitoring hobby to enjoy!

Ken
Springfield Massachusetts
 

C-17 Ops delivers combat cargo


C-17 Globemaster III aircrew members walk toward their aircraft with equipment in-hand prior to a mission at the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing in Southwest Asia, Oct. 13, 2013. The Globemaster III is capable of rapid strategic delivery of troops and all types of cargo to main operating bases or directly to forward bases in the deployed locations. The C-17 crews assigned to the 816th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron are deployed from Joint Base Charleston, S.C. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Bahja J. Jones)
by Senior Airman Bahja Jones  375th Air Expeditionary Wing
 
SOUTHWEST ASIA -- The members of the 816th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron, deployed from Joint Base Charleston, S.C., accomplish the air tasking order via passenger transport, ground and aerial delivery to keep deployed operations moving.

"The C-17 is an incredible platform," said Capt. Erica McCaslin, 816th EAS C-17 pilot and Port Angeles, Wash., native. "It allows us to go into just about any field, from an international airport to a dirt field in the middle of Afghanistan, to deliver cargo to the Army or Marines or any troops who need supplies."

With a maximum payload capacity of 170,900 pounds, the Globemaster III and its crews are able to transport passengers, and all types of cargo to include food, water, supplies and even vehicles. In this rotation, the 816th EAS has flown more than 375 sorties, transported 13.2 million pounds of cargo and nearly 2,400 passengers. Additionally, they have airdropped more than 71,000 pounds of cargo to forward bases throughout the AOR.

"The deliveries we bring in for the troops is pretty crucial, especially in some of the obscure fields we go into - supplies and ways to get them may be limited," McCaslin said. "The roads may be dangerous and airlift is the only way to get those critical supplies to them."

Typically aircrews consist of three pilots, two loadmasters and a flying crew chief.

"The crew compliment is critical," McCaslin said. "From the loadmasters in the back, to [crew members] upstairs ensuring the aircraft is ready for takeoff and safely transporting everybody from stop-to-stop. It really takes a team effort, and without any one of those crew members, the whole thing could fall apart."

As an aircraft commander, McCaslin has a major responsibility within the crew ensuring the mission is executed smoothly.

"[We] manage all the players involved and make decisions as far as safety of the crew and the aircraft, any sort of delays and changes to the mission cut," she said.

Besides the pilots and flying engineer who have the crucial role of keeping the aircraft serviceable and in the air, the loadmasters have a very important role within the aircrew as well.

"Our job as C-17 loadmasters is to ensure all the cargo we take in and out of the AOR is prepared correctly and maintained throughout the flight," said Staff Sgt. Frederick Jordan, an 816th EAS C-17 loadmaster and Panama City, Panama, native. "We make sure the cargo gets to where it needs to go safely and precisely."

They work in tandem with the 8th Expeditionary Air Mobility Squadron aerial port technicians who prepare the cargo prior to loading it onto the aircraft.

"Once it comes to the aircraft we are the last line of defense to make sure all the necessary steps were taken in preparation," Jordan said.

Without the loadmasters, they'd have a hard time getting any cargo throughout the AOR and troops wouldn't be able to get the supplies they need to complete their mission, Jordan explained. Before and throughout the flight, loadmasters perform a balancing act to keep aircraft flying safely.

All-in-all, like a well-oiled machine, the Globemaster aircrews work to support ground troops throughout the AOR.

"I get quite a bit of pride from the work that we do and the Airmen we work with across the board," McCaslin said. "It's pretty amazing when you can see from start to finish the pieces that are involved - what it takes to get us airborne and in the end to see those supplies delivered to the troops who actually need it."

Mode-S/ADS Milcom Intercepts 19-20 October 2013 - Btown NC

AE05FF 80-0320   DAWG 01 2013-10-20 23:20:03 C-130H United States GA ANG | 165AW | 158AS [KSAV]    
C2B567 130607   CFC2502 2013-10-20 20:06:59 CC-130J-30 Canada CFC | 8WG [CYTR]    
C2B5AD 130614   CFC2503 2013-10-20 19:38:22 CC-130J-30 Canada CFC | 8WG [CYTR]    
AE115A 166000   ---  2013-10-20 19:05:07 T-6A United States USN | TW-6 [KNPA]    
AE1EA0 08-3931   ---  2013-10-20 17:39:48 T-6A United States ---    
123456 Various   N711MK 2013-10-20 16:05:45 Various Various Various     

AE0816 00-0180   BOE80 2013-10-19 18:13:45 C-17A United States USAF | 62AW [KTCM]    
AE10B7 01-0188   E10188 2013-10-19 00:26:21 C-17A United States NY ANG | 105AW | 137AS [KSWF]    

Saturday, October 19, 2013

Mode-S/ADS Milcom Intercepts 18 October 2013 - Btown NC

Here is another round of Mode-S/ADS-B intercepts and selected ATC call signs logged from here on the radio ranch in WNC. All dates/times are UTC.

AE1EA0 08-3931   ---  2013-10-18 20:46:08 T-6A United States ---    
AE119B 03-3118   RCH049 2013-10-18 20:39:07 C-17A United States MS ANG | 172AW | 183AS [KJAN]    
AE052F 69-0009   ---  2013-10-18 20:35:22 C-5A United States WV ANG | 167AW | 167AS [KMRB]    
AE0607 76-3301   SKIER01 2013-10-18 19:48:36 LC-130H United States NY ANG | 109AW | 139AS [KSCH]    
AE0818 00-0182   ---  2013-10-18 18:48:45 C-17A United States USAF | 62AW [KTCM]    
ADFCD8 94-0121   ---  2013-10-18 18:42:29 T-1A United States USAF | 12FTW | 99FTS [KRND]    
ADFF79 66-4358   ---  2013-10-18 18:32:35 T-38C United States 50thFTS    
ADFC94 92-0339   ---  2013-10-18 18:28:51 T-1A United States USAF | 12FTW | 99FTS [KRND]    
AE00D9 70-1586   ---  2013-10-18 18:01:15 T-38C United States 87thFTS    
AE05E5 88-4403   PCKER30 2013-10-18 17:54:37 C-130H United States AFRC | 440AW | 95AS [KPOB]    
AE1493 96-0043   PEACH99 2013-10-18 17:27:33 E-8C United States GA ANG | 116ACW [KWRB]    
AE0160 57-1479   DECEE52 2013-10-18 17:19:18 KC-135R United States AFRC | 459ARW | 756ARS [KADW]    
AE047F 59-1509   SODA82 2013-10-18 16:54:21 KC-135R United States TN ANG | 134ARW | 151ARS [KTYS]    
AE02FD 78-0807   RCH331 2013-10-18 16:51:27 C-130H United States AFRC | 911AW | 758AS [KPIT]    
AE4D68 10-0215   RCH749 2013-10-18 16:23:26 C-17A United States USAF | 437AW [KCHS]    
AE047F 59-1509   SODA82 2013-10-18 16:06:51 KC-135R United States TN ANG | 134ARW | 151ARS [KTYS]    
AE05E5 88-4403   PCKER30 2013-10-18 16:05:45 C-130H United States AFRC | 440AW | 95AS [KPOB]    
AE1493 96-0043   PEACH99 2013-10-18 16:03:02 E-8C United States GA ANG | 116ACW [KWRB]    
AE4EB6 168432   ---  2013-10-18 15:41:56 P-8A United States USN | VP-30 [KNIP]    
ADFEB5 74-0787   CATCH 22 2013-10-18 13:44:49 E-4B United States USAF | 55WG | 1ACCS [KOFF]    
AE509C 81-23541   ---  2013-10-18 13:39:06 RC-12D United States ---    
AE4D67 10-0214   RCH210 2013-10-18 00:09:17 C-17A United States USAF | 437AW [KCHS]    

Friday, October 18, 2013

F-35: New fighter creates new culture for 21st Century and beyond

By Rich Lamance, Air Force News Service

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. (AFNS) -- She didn’t have a smudge on her. Not a leak found anywhere. She even had that “new jet smell.” Skies were blue, everything was perfect. Those were the conditions on that July day in 2011 when Lt. Col. Eric Smith took off from the Lockheed facilities at Fort Worth, Texas, in the first operational F-35 to fly to its permanent home at Eglin Air Force Base, in the Florida panhandle.  And the rest, according to Smith, who would go on to pick up three of the first six F-35s from the factory, is history.

 “It was just a great day – I was just a little bit nervous because I knew that if I messed it up it would be on the front page of every newspaper in the country,” said Smith. As he approached the runway at Eglin, he found bleachers full of people and a red carpet rolled out to signify the beginning of an era for not only the plane, but for the newly reorganized 33rd Fighter Wing, Eglin Air Force Base and the future of Air Force air superiority for the 21st Century.
 
The pick of the 33rd Fighter Wing “Nomads” to transition the Air Force’s newest and most lethal fighter into this century and beyond was no accident.  With a history that dates back to World War II when the wing was a pursuit group, the 33rd showcased the F-4 Phantom during Vietnam and the F-15 Eagle through crises such as Grenada, Panama, Desert Storm, and post 9/11,  when the Nomads provided armed over-watch throughout North America for Operation Noble Eagle, securing two presidents of the United States and multiple space shuttle launches.
 
“On Oct. 1, 2009, we stood up as an F-35 unit,” said Lt. Col. Matt Renbarger, 58th Fighter Squadron commander. “We were handed keys to an empty building, with five pilots, a technical sergeant, two lieutenant colonels and three majors.”
 
Renbarger and Smith both admitted that those early days, following the arrival of the first F-35, was a whirlwind of planning, creating policy and guidelines and putting together a training program with a syllabus, academics, and a completely new maintenance program.
 
Smith said that the early days with the first few aircraft were a challenge, not only for the pilots, but for the newly trained crew chiefs as well. “There was a lot of tech data that the technicians needed before they could work on the airplane, so the first six planes we delivered sat for about eight months before we were issued flight clearance.  We didn’t receive our first flight clearance until March of 2012. “
 
Renbarger said that, like anything brand new and right out of the box, there were a lot of things that had to be learned that weren’t known before.  He said that as a training unit, it was more Air Combat Command versus Air Education and Training Command. “It’s not a different mindset, but it’s more of a different mission.  Here we create new pilots and maintainers, so we don’t have the downrange focus.  Training pilots is our product.
 
“When test pilots at Edwards find something they tell us, and when we find something we tell them. When software is released they’ll come down here and tell us things they’ve learned. We’ll take new capabilities and bring them into our training syllabus.  The folks at Edwards bring us the latest so we can teach the people who teach the people. We teach the teachers and the teachers teach the students.”
 
Renbarger said there is a lot to like about the F-35, from the standpoint of the pilot, the maintainer, the trainer, down to the bottom line of mission success. “I’ve never seen a pilot come back from his first sortie without a huge smile on his face. It’s something new, and programs like this only come around every 30 years or so, and to be on the ground floor – it’s the perfect time.
 
“Most pilots come from the F-16, F-15 and A-10 legacy aircraft.  Sensors on the front of the F-35 allow us to have that 360-degree awareness. That was the big leap forward. Computer technology that is 30 years or more advanced than the legacy aircraft is what makes the F-35 so advanced.”
 
Lt. Col. Anthony Pelkington is the 33rd FW chief of safety and was one of the first of the legacy pilots selected for the F-35 program. He said that for pilots transitioning from those legacy systems, the F-35 is a huge deal.
 
“For 10 years in the F-16, I dealt with essentially monochrome cathode ray displays – approximately 6 inch square – and I’ve got two of them.  Now I move up to a contiguous 8 x 20- inch color display that is a huge step forward for the pilot’s situational awareness. Plus, there’s a lot more capability in the display itself.
 
“In the F-16, I had a radar display with a selectable, like turning pages in a book, something that would show my ordnances like I had a stick figure map with monochrome lines on a black background.  It would try to give us a semblance of where we were to maybe a weapons system. But I had to choose.  Every one of those displays was limited to the confines of that small 6-inch to 8-inch screen. 
 
“In the F-35, we now have this massive amount of screen real estate. I can now see multiple sensors at once, which is great because I don’t have to pick and choose.  I don’t have to take away my situational awareness with what the radar is telling me in terms of traffic to bring up situational awareness and what the target pod looks like. It’s all there available for me.”
 
Pelkington added that one of the best aspects of the fifth generation fighter is its ability to communicate with all aspects of the aircraft, as well as customize information to fit each pilot’s needs.  “The displays talk to each other, the sensors talk to each other, and a lot of information is displayed in sensible formats with other sensors in one combined picture.  Now I can bring up large formats on displays so I can see things easier – I can even bring up many formats if I want with a different orientation on how the displays will look. Whatever I want to do to aid my situational awareness I can do and the reality, as a pilot, is that I can customize that setup quite easily to a format that best suits how a pilot understands.”
 
The wing’s safety chief said that one of the biggest advantages to the F-35 over legacy aircraft is the growth in options. “Choosing between a pilot’s eye and ‘god’s eye are all in the system now and weren’t in the F-16. I had one particular display option for radar format for the F-16 – I couldn’t choose anything else. I had to learn to read it in that manner. Which didn’t necessarily match how somebody looking out on a battlefield could see the picture.  So you always had to do that conversion in your mind.  With the F-35 you can choose the display format that best suits your ability, and there are multiple options to allow you to see things from a ‘god’s eye’ perspective. It allows me to see from a much greater perspective than the F-16 ever allowed.”
 
The equipment

Tech. Sgt. Andre Baskin is the wing’s aircrew flight equipment NCOIC, responsible for equipping pilots with the specialized gear required to fly the world’s most state-of-the-art aircraft. He and his small staff of specialists agree that the differences between the F-35 helmet and the rest are many.
 
“One of the biggest differences the F-35 helmet has over the others is that the new helmet encompasses multiple gadgets such as night vision goggles, and for that function you would have to modify the pilot’s flying helmet and add the components on there,” said Baskin.  “With the F-35, it’s all encompassed in the helmet.  The cameras on the jet work in sync with the helmet and whatever the jet picks up visually will be displayed on the visor in the helmet.”
 
From a pilot’s point of view, Renbarger agrees that the nicest part of the new helmet is that everything is self-contained. “The best thing about the F-35 helmet is that it has a big visor with a big display, and we can display a night vision camera visual on the visor and then a distributor aperture system that is basically a set of cameras that are all over the airplane and work in the infrared spectrum. That can be displayed on our visor as well.
“When we get our helmet fit, there is actually a complicated scan process that takes an image of our heads and provides a laser cut-out foam insert for the helmet that is molded to our heads.  Then there’s ear cups that close the helmet around our head and a custom nape strap in the back that basically locks the helmet down on our heads. There’s very little, if any, motion in the helmet when we move our head around. Very well balanced, a very well fit and it feels great wearing the helmet. It’s very specific to each individual pilot.”
 
Pelkington also talked about the difference between the traditional G-suit, which offers pilots about a G and a half of protection, to the one used by F-35 pilots. “Some pilots acclimate to the Gs by genetic makeup, some by experience and can develop a tolerance for 5-ish Gs. With the new suit you can now go up to 7 or 8 Gs without ever having to strain.  When you’re focused on pulling Gs  -- on making sure your eyesight doesn’t gray out – your mind isn’t thinking about the adversary or the situation or the awareness of the battlespace. When you can pull 7 or 8 Gs without having to think about it, combined with the fusion of all the systems and the display on the glass set up the way you want to see it…it’s an amazing reduction in pilot workload.”
 
The maintainers

Senior Master Sgt. Paul Fulkerson is the production superintendent with the 58th Aircraft Maintenance Unit who is on the ground floor of maintenance for the F-35.  He said that for F-35 maintainers, the biggest element that sets them apart is the electronic maintenance program called ALIS. Standing for Autonomic Logistics Information System, ALIS, according to Fulkerson, has all of the forms needed to perform maintenance on the new aircraft.
 
“With ALIS, there are no paper forms and the system allows maintainers to pretty much manage the fleet with the information on the computer,” said Fulkerson.  “With the F-16s, we had to use paper tech data to perform maintenance, where you followed it step-by-step to do the task. With ALIS, our maintainers us ‘tough books,’ where they read the tech data on the screen.”
 
While a very young aircraft, Pelkington said the F-35, maintenance-wise, is very stable and makes a lot of information available to both the pilot and maintainer that isn’t available on the legacy aircraft.
 
“Oftentimes, in a legacy aircraft, you don’t know that something is wrong until you have a major systems failure that generates a warning in the aircraft. The aircraft can no longer perform to spec.  A lot of warnings in the F-35 tend to be advisory, that says ‘this is going to have to be worked on by maintenance when you land.’ In the F-35, there’s no mission degradation. When a pilot gets back, there’s a load of data on every aspect of how the aircraft performs.  From the maintenance standpoint, it gives them an awesome opportunity to catch issues before they become problems.”
 
Staff Sgt. Michael Sanders is an F-35 crew chief who has been with the program for the past three years and has more than a decade of experience on the F-16 and F-15 as a backshop engine maintainer.  He explained that while maintainers in the legacy aircraft normally specialized in one area, such as engines or avionics, in the F-35, maintainers do it all.
 
“My job is completely different now from in the past. We would handle all teardown and build-up required for the engine, whereas now, we perform maintenance on the F-35 as a whole. We’re trained on all maintenance tasks, including the engine. I traveled TDY to Connecticut where I performed teardown and buildup for the new aircraft.”
 
Training

The F-35 Academic Training Center, or ATC, is a sprawling complex responsible for every facet of F-35 training at Eglin. From pilots to maintainers to support Airmen, the ATC has developed, or is in the process of developing, the training syllabuses, procedures, guidelines, certifications and “textbooks” that will become the training standard for decades to come, according to Renbarger.
 
He said that for pilots, training in the F-35 simulator is by far, the best there is. “I’ve flown in F-16 simulators and F-22 simulators and the F-35 simulator is truly state-of-the-art.  They’ve got the best visuals, full dome coverage, 360-degree views, target set build-up, they have runways and very much replicates flying the airplane. I haven’t heard one pilot say it wasn’t the best simulator they’ve ever been in short of flying the airplane.”
 
Renbarger added that because the F-35 is a single-seat plane, the first time a pilot flies the F-35, he’s by himself, making the simulator even more critical.  “The operational flight software that runs the airplane – that same software is in the simulator,” said Renbarger. “In other aircraft I have flown, there have been differences between the simulator and the airplane. This is as close as I’ve ever seen between the simulator and airplane. Exact same cockpit.  The cockpit sits on a rail and you sit in the cockpit and it drives forward and raises up inside the dome and the screens you see are the exact same screens you see on the jet.”
 
On the maintenance side, students are confronted with a similar real-world view, with a weapons load trainer mock-up of the F-35 that contains everything but the tail and the cockpit.  Tech. Sgt. Adam Zakrzewski is an ATC instructor with Detachment 19 of the 372nd Training Squadron. He said that during training on the F-35, students will practice opening and closing doors, checking the hydraulics levels, oil levels, etc., but there’s a big difference between maintenance on legacy aircraft versus the F-35.
 
“There are a lot more steps in gaining access to the legacy aircraft than there are to accessing the F-35,” said Zakrzewski.  “I’m an old A-10 guy, where you have to unfasten 200 screws to get a door panel open.  On the F-35, there’s one interface connect and click two buttons.”
 
Tech. Sgt. Justin Weddle is an ATC instructor and flight chief with the field training detachment of the 372nd Training Squadron, who says that in normal maintenance training, instructors would give students a PowerPoint presentation, cover some TOs and give students hands-on training on the aircraft. 
 
“The maintenance group would have to give up an aircraft or whatever students were training on such as a weapons system, AGE, anything like that.  At the ATC, and in the F-35 training plan, we begin with an EML, or electronic mediated lecture, kind of like the traditional PowerPoint, but it’s done through an electronic system.” Weddle said the student will then transition, in the same classroom and setting, to more self-paced training on the computer.   “It’s just a reinforcement of what the instructor has said during his portion of the training.
 
“Students will then go through an ASMT, which is an aircraft systems maintenance trainer. It’s essentially an avatar, and from that you go and do whatever task you’re learning about. Whether you are installing a hydraulic pump or some other portion of the aircraft. On one side of the screen, students will have their avatar and on the other they’ll have their joint tech data laptop and they can follow all of the steps exactly. That way the training is not all front-loaded, it can be weaved in and out of the training course.”
 
In addition to the Air Force’s F-35A, the Marine Corps and the Navy have their own versions of the F-35. The F-35B will give the Marine Corps a short take-off and vertical landing capability, while the Navy’s F-35C will give them a carrier-based capability.  Smith believes that for the future of the F-35, it may not change the way we fly, but it will make the U.S. and its allies the dominant air power for the next 30 to 50 years.
 
“That’s the beauty of the F-35. There are three variants out there, but all three are going to use the same system software. So as they develop something new for our country, our allies who fly the F-35 will get that same capability. That will make integration much smoother.”
 
Since Smith’s journey home with the first F-35 in 2011, Air Force, Marine, Navy and U.K. pilots have amassed more than 3,100 flying hours in the three versions, flying more than 2,300 sorties.
 
To those who have spent the past four or five years learning the intricacies of a new aircraft -- how to fly it, how to fix it and how to create a plan to teach it, the F-35 has become much more than an airplane showcasing state-of-the-art technology.  For the men and women of the 33rd Fighter Wing at Eglin, responsible for getting the F-35 ready for its grand entrance as the dominant airpower for the 21st Century and beyond, it has spawned a completely new culture and way of life.

Mode-S/ADS Milcom Intercepts 11-17 October 2013 - Btown NC

Here is another round of Mode-S/ADS-B intercepts and selected ATC call signs logged from here on the radio ranch in WNC. Been pretty quiet for the last week or so.  Maybe now after the government shutdown we will see traffic pickup. All dates/times are UTC.

AE11D6 75-0556   SNTRY40H 2013-10-17 21:01:28 E-3B United States USAF | 552ACW [KTIK]    
AE149A 02-9111   PEACH92 2013-10-17 19:10:24 E-8C United States GA ANG | 116ACW [KWRB]    
AE11DC 76-1605   SNTRY61H 2013-10-17 18:42:54 E-3B United States USAF | 552ACW [KTIK]    
AF14EC ------   ---  2013-10-17 17:35:45 ------ United States ---    
AE0677 00-0172   TRIBE59 2013-10-17 01:10:53 C-17A United States USAF | 97AMW | 58AS [KLTS]     
AE0419 164407   ---  2013-10-17 00:44:19 E-6B United States USN | SCW-1 [KTIK]    
AE0807 99-0061   TRIBE58 2013-10-17 00:29:51 C-17A United States USAF | 97AMW [KLTS]     
ADFCEE 94-0143   ---  2013-10-16 18:48:13 T-1A United States USAF | 14FTW | 48FTS    
AE11E3 77-0356   SCOUT16 2013-10-16 18:34:02 E-3B United States USAF | 552ACW [KTIK]    
00000A Various   ---  2013-10-16 18:29:41 Various Various ---    
AE03F0 165378   ---  2013-10-16 16:58:53 C-130T United States USNR | VR-53 [KADW]    
AE11E3 77-0356   SCOUT16 2013-10-16 16:53:10 E-3B United States USAF | 552ACW [KTIK]    
AE0677 00-0172   TRIBE59 2013-10-16 15:48:27 C-17A United States USAF | 97AMW | 58AS [KLTS]     
AE0807 99-0061   TRIBE58 2013-10-16 15:44:54 C-17A United States USAF | 97AMW [KLTS]     

AE07F1 96-0007   E60007 2013-10-15 23:10:40 C-17A United States MS ANG | 172AW | 183AS [KJAN]    
AE0413 164386   GOTO FMS 2013-10-15 20:52:31 E-6B United States USN | SCW-1 [KTIK]
AE4E1C 11-5735   LAC5735 2013-10-15 17:56:39 MC-130J United States USAF |     
AE07DE 93-0604   RHINO90 2013-10-15 17:44:45 C-17A United States AFRC | 445AW | 89AS [KFFO]    
AE0477 58-0038   REGAL02 2013-10-15 16:43:09 KC-135R United States AFRC | 916ARW | 77ARS [KGSB]    
AE02FD 78-0807   RCH331 2013-10-15 16:00:28 C-130H United States AFRC | 911AW | 758AS [KPIT]    
AE11D6 75-0556   SNTRY60H 2013-10-15 15:55:42 E-3B United States USAF | 552ACW [KTIK]
ADFCE5 94-0134   ---  2013-10-15 15:53:47 T-1A United States USAF    
AE07D0 89-1192   MOOSE11 2013-10-15 15:52:49 C-17A United States USAF | 437AW [KCHS]
AE07D3 90-0534   MOOSE12 2013-10-15 15:52:25 C-17A United States USAF | 437AW [KCHS]
AE0477 58-0038   REGAL02 2013-10-15 15:49:01 KC-135R United States AFRC | 916ARW | 77ARS [KGSB]    
ADFCD1 94-0114   ---  2013-10-15 15:25:22 T-1A United States USAF | 14FTW | 48FTS    
ADFEEB 160047   LOBO01 2013-10-15 15:10:08 C-9B United States USMC | VMR-1 [KNKT]    
AE07D5 92-3291   RCH025 2013-10-15 10:09:39 C-17A United States USAF | 62AW [KTCM]    

00000A Various   ---  2013-10-14 23:46:33 Various Various ---    

AE2FB0 08-8204   RCH802K 2013-10-13 03:16:15 C-17A United States USAF | 437AW [KCHS]    
AF14EC ------   ---  2013-10-13 01:11:40 ------ United States ---    

AE0326 74-1664   PUMA75 2013-10-12 19:58:50 C-130H United States CT ANG | 103AW | 118AS [KBDL]    
AE0586 87-0041   ---  2013-10-12 19:38:24 C-5B United States AFRC | 439AW | 337AS [KCEF]    
AF14EC ------   ---  2013-10-12 18:56:57 ------ United States ---    
00000A Various   ---  2013-10-12 15:54:28 Various Various ---    
AE089B 00-3574   ---  2013-10-12 00:26:51 T-6A United States USAF    
AE08AE 00-3593   ---  2013-10-12 00:15:58 T-6A United States USAF    

AE07EF 96-0005   E60005 2013-10-11 23:48:47 C-17A United States NY ANG | 105AW | 137AS [KSWF]    
AE07D9 93-0599   RCH810 2013-10-11 22:50:43 C-17A United States USAF | 3WG | 517AS [PAED]    
AE018C 84-0098   SPAR282 2013-10-11 22:25:53 C-21A United States USAF | 375AW | 457AS [KADW]    
AE08AE 00-3593   ---  2013-10-11 20:58:37 T-6A United States USAF    
AE2707 2309 ???   ---  2013-10-11 19:25:21 HC-144A United States USCG    
ADFCD8 94-0121   ---  2013-10-11 18:40:39 T-1A United States USAF | 12FTW | 99FTS [KRND]    
AE146B 07-7173   RCH535 2013-10-11 17:46:46 C-17A United States USAF | 436AW | 3AS [KDOV]    
AE04E5 59-1478   SODA82 2013-10-11 16:44:41 KC-135R United States TN ANG | 134ARW | 151ARS [KTYS]    
AE04E5 59-1478   SODA82 2013-10-11 16:00:06 KC-135R United States TN ANG | 134ARW | 151ARS [KTYS]    
AF14EC ------   ---  2013-10-11 11:36:06 ------ United States --- Hanging Dog NC, US ---
AE4F16 10-0222   RCH668 2013-10-11 07:18:34 C-17A United States USAF | 437AW [KCHS]    
AE07E7 95-0104   ---  2013-10-11 03:42:59 C-17A United States USAF | 437AW [KCHS]    
AE4EB6 168432   ---  2013-10-11 00:18:30 P-8A United States USN | VP-30 [KNIP]