FighterControl

A Chinook that went over Burton on Trent heading SE on the 18th September at approx 1700 Z and landed at Odiham at 1748 Z, any clues as to its ID please? Thanks

Saw this too in Northants. Was pinging a hex of 333333.

ZD980 according to Radar Box
Whether that is a correct database entry or not is a different matter
Perhaps some of the Odiham locals can confirm if it displays on trackers as true identity
Good luck if you need that one
Best regards,
Paul

Thank you both for your replies

For info, a Chinook called into Gloucester this afternoon for fuel, pinging 333333 and it was ZH904. No idea whether 333333 is always ZH904 (as a mis-code) or whether 333333 is used like the Hex CAFEAB and tactically switched amongst Chinook airframes? Anyone know any more?

333333 is used by a number of aircraft in error. I guess it equates to something binary, decimal or octal, as a number of other error Hex codes do.
P.

egbjdh wrote: ↑

Thu Jan 16, 2025 6:40 pm

For info, a Chinook called into Gloucester this afternoon for fuel, pinging 333333 and it was ZH904. No idea whether 333333 is always ZH904 (as a mis-code) or whether 333333 is used like the Hex CAFEAB and tactically switched amongst Chinook airframes? Anyone know any more?

This is a recent one, it went to the MFTA about a week ago, it was ZH904 then as well so seem's it's consistent at least. I don't think CAFEAB is anything tactical it seem's to just be on ZD981 and also occasionally a Wildcat

AlexLee05 wrote: ↑

Fri Jan 17, 2025 3:08 pm

egbjdh wrote: ↑

Thu Jan 16, 2025 6:40 pm

For info, a Chinook called into Gloucester this afternoon for fuel, pinging 333333 and it was ZH904. No idea whether 333333 is always ZH904 (as a mis-code) or whether 333333 is used like the Hex CAFEAB and tactically switched amongst Chinook airframes? Anyone know any more?

This is a recent one, it went to the MFTA about a week ago, it was ZH904 then as well so seem's it's consistent at least. I don't think CAFEAB is anything tactical it seem's to just be on ZD981 and also occasionally a Wildcat

OK thanks. Re CAFEAB, we've had a few Chinooks pinging that code in Gloucester for fuel in the last three years. On one occasion one of them started out from Odiham with the usual 43Cxxx code and changed mid flight. Not had a WIldcat on CAFEAB so far, all their visits are 43C codes.

That does seem a bit unusual, my only guess would be the flight lead aircraft changed to ZD981 from whatever it was before.
I haven't seen a Wildcat using CAFEAB for quite a while so maybe they've fixed it.

The wildcats using CAFEABs are Navy HMA2s, never AH1s. Another interesting note is there are at least 2-3 RAF chinooks that point blank don’t track, going back to the wildcats I have noticed 1 or 2 not tracking at high level as well

JLewis_Aviation wrote: ↑

Tue Feb 04, 2025 12:05 pm

Another interesting note is there are at least 2-3 RAF chinooks that point blank don’t track

Have you checked these Hex codes when you notice one not tracking:

03F4BB
03F588
23C4DF
26C4D0
27C4BB
43494A
43D4BA
53C4C3
B3C4CC
CAFEAB

P.