VFR at FL280

C650CPT

C650CPT

Well-Known Member
Yep I flew VFR at FL280 the other day in a TAOR ( Tactical Area of Responsablity ). It was very different, basically I just made all calls in the blind on a Common Freq. with a basic non radar position report format. There were tactical aircraft, other military transports and even civilian airliners in the same airspace all doing thier thang.

ATC over here is very different, and even though they "speak" english it is very hard to understand. It is by far the biggest learning curve I've experienced in aviation in a long long time.

The base I stayed at the other night had on the previous two nights taken rocket attacks ( no injuries ), thank god it was quiet my night. Actually it wasn't quiet because shortly after sunset they launched a pair of Apache attack helicopters, two A-10s and a C-130 gunship was over head ... I slept a little better. I get to go back in a few weeks for a week ... yeah!!! It's not too late to join me ...


Jim
 
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In Kuwait, do you still talk to Mohalab Center?

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Oh yeah ... and its still frustrating! Let me explain. ATC over here is quite different to say the least. A typical IFR clearance is basically your take off clearance including the first fix and altitude, you won't get a full route clearance most of the time. After take off from my base you contact Mohalab Controll, which basically is a middle man prior to you contacting Kuwait Center. Departure is not too bad but on recovery they foul up the best laid plan for any VNav profile you would normally like to fly. The norm is to cross Kuwait Intl. at 10,000 then get transfered to Mohalab Control ( even though you have your landing field in sight ) who will sometimes drop you to 6000 or 5000 and keep you there untill they coordinate with the tower for your visual approach, typically you get cleared for the visual on about a 5 mile final at 5000' ... dash and dive or as I did the other day a 360 on final. It just seems like eliminating them would make the transition from enroute to landing alot easier. But heh when in Rome ( or in this case Kuwait ), do as the Romans do.

Jim
 
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Just out of interest what are you flying over there - if I remember right it is a military King Air.

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Yes Iain it's the C-12 or the B-200 Super King Air. It's set up pretty nice, full EFIS, TCASII, EGPWS, Dual FMSs, but its still only a 260 KTAS airplane. We have a waiver to operate at 14,000 max gross takeoff weight compared to the civilian limit of 12,500.

Jim
 
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In Kuwait, do you still talk to Mohalab Center?

[/ QUOTE ]

Oh yeah ... and its still frustrating! Let me explain. ATC over here is quite different to say the least. A typical IFR clearance is basically your take off clearance including the first fix and altitude, you won't get a full route clearance most of the time. After take off from my base you contact Mohalab Controll, which basically is a middle man prior to you contacting Kuwait Center. Departure is not too bad but on recovery they foul up the best laid plan for any VNav profile you would normally like to fly. The norm is to cross Kuwait Intl. at 10,000 then get transfered to Mohalab Control ( even though you have your landing field in sight ) who will sometimes drop you to 6000 or 5000 and keep you there untill they coordinate with the tower for your visual approach, typically you get cleared for the visual on about a 5 mile final at 5000' ... dash and dive or as I did the other day a 360 on final. It just seems like eliminating them would make the transition from enroute to landing alot easier. But heh when in Rome ( or in this case Kuwait ), do as the Romans do.

Jim

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They still doing the QFE (AGL) thing with the altimeters.........QFE til 3000', then switch to 29.92. Descending thru FL 50, switch back to QFE?
 
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Yes Iain it's the C-12 or the B-200 Super King Air.

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I know you cannot go into any specific mission details, but out of curiosity what kind of role does a B-200 King Air provide for the military. Are you shuttling dignitaries around or something in that fashion? Take Care and get back safe.


- Jim
 
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They still doing the QFE (AGL) thing with the altimeters.........QFE til 3000', then switch to 29.92. Descending thru FL 50, switch back to QFE?

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No
They are useing QNH up to 130 then QNE untill descent below 150 as a generall rule. Some Countries use QNH up to 180 just like back home. ATC will issue QNH in inches mercury or in millibars.

Jim
 
Jep
We are basically a Beans, Bulletts, and Butts type of transportation. We do haul the Generals and thier staff for meetings but I would say the majority of our passengers are just the common workers who need to get to meetings at other locations or take special test equipment to another unit. We use this as a NETWORKING oportunity. If I know the guy we are flying is in supply ... he's my new best friend. Right now I'm looking to fly someone from base engineering because I need an airconditioner fixed ... get the idea.

Jim
 
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Right now I'm looking to fly someone from base engineering because I need an airconditioner fixed ... get the idea.

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I know exactly what you are saying. When I was stationed on the aircraft carrier we did the same thing. Kind of like....I know this guy in supply, who knows this guy in the mail room, who knows this guy that needs his computer fixed. And we would just complete the cycle and everyone would get what they wanted. The best time was when we had a new sailor who worked in the officers mess on the night shift. They had pizza everynite, but never seemed to eat it. When I say pizza it wasn't the thin crap they served us. It was deep dish. You should have seen all the friends we had on nights. We even had some chief's come looking for the good stuff. It was hilarious.


stay safe,

- Jim
 
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Jim,

I'm over here with you, under WHISTLER callsign, also VFR at 280. What's yours?

SF

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All the Gucci's I refueled from over there were WHISTLER 61/63.
 
Hello Again Mike,

We just can't seem to meet up on a TDY can we? My callsign has been WHISTLER 57 ever since I've been here, the last line of the night. As a sidenote, we hear that you guys perfer to refuel behind a 10 vs. a 135. Is that true?
SF
 
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Hello Again Mike,

We just can't seem to meet up on a TDY can we? My callsign has been WHISTLER 57 ever since I've been here, the last line of the night. As a sidenote, we hear that you guys perfer to refuel behind a 10 vs. a 135. Is that true?
SF

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In the 117, I don't have a consensus either way yet. In the A-10, there was one thing I hated about -10s. With the refueling port in front of the cockpit, this was a problem. The end of the boom of the -10 had these two bright white lights that the boomer could switch on that shine from the edge of the tip of the boom, presumably to illuminate the AR door.....not a problem with the receptacle behind the cockpit, but a huge pain in the ass with the receptacle in front of you, since it'd blind the hell out of you. There was one particular -10 female boomer that would always have that damn thing on.....being a night pilot, that sucked.

-10 is cool.........-135 is cool....though here's something interesting I found out last weekend: I know a few people at the Phoenix Air Guard -135 unit at Sky Harbor airport. They fly the E-model -135s with the TF-33 engines. There's 8 jets of theirs sitting on the ramp at PHX, but only 2 fly. The remaining 6 are grounded for engine pylon cracks, and can only be certified for a one-time flight to either Tinker or the boneyard. That sucks.

Pic crossing the Atlantic......I'm either on the boom, or on the far side since that was my element. I don't know exactly when #2 took the pic, so I could be either guy.

a10kc10_sm.jpg
 
Hey Mike
Is either one Sider? He is backfilling my flying job part time back home while I am over here.

Jim
 
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Hey Mike
Is either one Sider? He is backfilling my flying job part time back home while I am over here.

Jim

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No. Sider wasn't in this formation. He had gone to Afghan a week earlier.
 
Crap, crossing the pond in an A-10, how long did that take? Yikes, my A** is sore just thinking about it. How long were you off the schedule to recover after a crossing like that? That sounds like it might be fun once, maybe twice, but considerably less fun to do too often.
 
Mike, looking at the deck angle on the KC-10, it looks like it's flying fairly slow. If it's not classified, at what speed does the A-10 refuel at?
 
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Mike, looking at the deck angle on the KC-10, it looks like it's flying fairly slow. If it's not classified, at what speed does the A-10 refuel at?

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Real slow, and the KC-10s hate it! And I don't blame them. We're usually trying to push 190 at the altitude we were at (180). Compare that to most jets that refuel around 300-310.
 
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