60th Fighter Squadron at the Savannah CRTC

F-15s of the 60th Fighter Squadron from Eglin AFB arrived at the Savannah Combat Readiness Training Center at the Savannah International Airport this afternoon.

Arriving in two and four ship flights, they were using the callsigns ANGRY 5# and CROW 6#. Each flight checked in with CROW OPS on 253.200 (one of the CRTC Ops frequencies) just prior to arrival. A squadron maintenance net was also noted on 149.4875 NFM. Two of the flights were using CRTC discrete frequencies for air-to-air communications: CROW 61/62 were using 293.300 and CROW 63-66 were using 363.900.

Note: The VFC-12 F/A-18s are still at the CRTC as of Saturday afternoon.

Mac McCormick, KF4LMT
kf4lmt@comcast.net

VMMT-204 MV-22s at Hunter AAF

This afternoon, MV-22 Ospreys from VMMT-204 were in the pattern at Hunter AAF in Savannah, GA. It's been awhile since any of the tilt-rotor aircraft were in the Savannah area and it was good to see a couple of them working the pattern for Hunter's Runway 28.

CROSSBOW 51 and CROSSBOW 62 were the callsigns. 361.100 was in use as an air-to-air frequency between the two. Both the callsign and the air-to-air frequency have been noted on previous visits by VMMT-204.

Those that get a visual on them can attest to their unique rotor noise; the MV-22 is not something you will mistake for something else. The noise is just as distinct as that of a C-5 or an HH-65.

Mac McCormick, KF4LMT
kf4lmt@comcast.net

Wright AAF/Midcoast Regional Airport Airshow

Due to a confluence of work, the amateur radio June VHF QSO Party, and the 24 Hours of Le Mans, I was not able to make the airshow at Wright AAF/Midcoast Regional Airport this past weekend (14/15 June 2008). I do hope that there was a good turnout for the show and that it becomes a regular event. Perhaps next year they can hold it on a weekend other than the 24 Hours of Le Mans!

Guy, K4GTM and Mark, KA4CID, however, did attend the show and they passed along 118.775 at the airboss frequency. Guy also mentioned that the West Coast F-15 Demo Team had to cancel out on Saturday due to a problem with jet.

Thanks to Guy and Mark for the good info.

Mac McCormick, KF4LMT
kf4lmt@comcast.net

MidCoast Regional Airport/Wright Army Airfield

Over the weekend, I overheard Hunter AAF Tower telling LifeStar One that Marne Radio and Wright AAF tower will extend their hours in mid-November due to the opening of MidCoast Regional Airport. MidCoast Regional will be the civilian side of Wright Army Airfield as dual-use Military/Civilian airfield. Marne Radio will apparently extend their hours to 24 hours a day, five days a week and Wright Tower will extend their hours during the week.

Mac McCormick, KF4LMT
kf4lmt@comcast.net

An-124s and MV-22s

Over the last two days, I've been able to snag some interesting aircraft passing through the Savannah area. Yesterday, two Antonov An-124s from Volga-Dnepr Aviation arrived at Hunter AAF; they departed to Victorville, CA this morning, no doubt transporting some sort of heavy equipment to the National Training Center. Two MV-22 Osprey's passed by Savannah on their way to Wright Field at Fort Stewart this morning.

The An-124s used the callsigns VDA 1783 and VDA 1807 when they arrived and departed as VDA 4324 and VDA 4326. Luckily they arrived yesterday using Runway 28 at Hunter, which meant I was able to run outside and get a glimpse of VDA 1807 on approach!

The MV-22s used the callsign THUNDER 12 flight and were using 266.700 for air-to-air. Apparently they were arriving for a static display at Wright and departed a few hours later.


Mac McCormick, KF4LMT
kf4lmt@comcast.net