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TAC Blaze 2016

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geoffmackay
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Joined: Thu Mar 08, 2012 7:58 pm
Location: Carlisle Cumbria

Re: TAC Blaze 2016

Post by geoffmackay » Thu May 19, 2016 6:37 am

Cougars are S-458 S-459


Geoff

Durranhill
Posts: 240
Joined: Mon Oct 05, 2009 12:05 pm

Re: TAC Blaze 2016

Post by Durranhill » Thu May 19, 2016 6:32 pm

Arrived at 9.30 to find 1 Cougar S-459 & 2 Apaches out , more on them later .
9.48 - Wildcat 2 S-459 dep Spade & landed back at Carlisle at 10.00 .
11.20 - Apache Q-05 appeared on tow from the hangar area so must have been away for repair & was taken to the top end of the vehicle compound next to the yellow fuel tanker .
11.48 - Wildcats 2 then 1 req engine start up then troops boarded both of them .
12.05 - Redskin 52 req start up followed by Sabre 1 D-667 at 12.15 .
12.20 - Redskin formation consisting of 52 + Wildcat 1 with 19 POB & Wildcat 2 with 17 POB dep for Spade .
12.30 - Sabre 1 hover taxied to 25 then dep to Spade .
13.15 - Q-05 was moved back to it's place on the pan where work was still being carried out at 13.50.
14.07 - Sabre 1 dep Spade & landed back at Carlisle at 14.15 .
14.22 - Redskin formation dep Spade & landed back at Carlisle at 14.28 .
I left at 15.00 without seeing the missing Apache which may be in the hangar under repair .
In another post I see that Grizzly 54 D-662 is heading north so this may have been inbound to Carlisle .

Stewart .

otafox
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Joined: Wed Oct 07, 2009 6:22 pm
Location: LakeDistrict
Contact:

Re: TAC Blaze 2016

Post by otafox » Fri May 20, 2016 5:45 am

Thanks for another very comprehensive report Stewart
There is no rehearsal you only get one shot

nhoenich
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Joined: Mon Oct 05, 2009 6:28 am

Re: TAC Blaze 2016

Post by nhoenich » Fri May 20, 2016 8:07 am

Very nice, comprehensive and helpful reports.
Thank you
Nh

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Indiana Moffatt
Posts: 104
Joined: Tue Jul 13, 2010 7:12 pm
Location: North Shields, Tyne & Wear

Re: TAC Blaze 2016

Post by Indiana Moffatt » Fri May 20, 2016 2:12 pm

Question: Will they be flying this weekend at Spade?, or is it just going to be week days

Rob

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geoffmackay
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Joined: Thu Mar 08, 2012 7:58 pm
Location: Carlisle Cumbria

Re: TAC Blaze 2016

Post by geoffmackay » Fri May 20, 2016 4:40 pm

Rob,

No flying at weekends other than engine runs and air tests. All helicopters visible over a 4ft fence at Carlisle Airport.

Regards
Geoff

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Indiana Moffatt
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Location: North Shields, Tyne & Wear

Re: TAC Blaze 2016

Post by Indiana Moffatt » Fri May 20, 2016 6:27 pm

Thxs saves me a journey from Tynemouth.

Rob

Durranhill
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Re: TAC Blaze 2016

Post by Durranhill » Fri May 20, 2016 7:22 pm

Arrived late again today at approx 10.10 but just in time to catch Wildcat 2 dep Spade & inbound left base for 19 which is nice to hear as they come in really close to the fence before landing .
10.24 - Wildcat 2 landed & shut down at 10.34 .
10.27 - Redskin 51 formation came in on 25, landed & shutdown at 10.30 .
10.37 - Redskin 05 req start up , I'd seen this flying earlier to the south west on my way in & when I arrived it's main rotors were being inspected via a small yellow gantry .
10.41 - Redskin 05 hover taxied to 25 & dep for an airtest to the south west again .
11.00 - Redskin 05 inbound 25 to land & shut down , the air test was repeated again at 11.22 before they landed & shut down for the last time at 11.50 .
11.44 - Sabre formation D-892 ( the grey one ) + D-102 req start up but did not actually do so until about 10 min later , Redskin formation Q-05 & 30 also req start up a few minutes later.
12.11 - Sabre & Redskin formations dep to Spade with D-892 leading .
12.13 - Sabre & Redskin formations contacted Spade on 282.050 , Sabre 3 had 17 pob while Sabre 4 had 19 pob , they were handed over to SKYRAY control who task the threats requested by the pilots.
13.04 - Sabre 4 D-892 inbound from Spade to drop off packs which when he landed at 13.08 on the 25 intersection turned out to be 1 person , he made a low dep from 25 to return to Spade .

While waiting for more action I listened to Quid 223 a KC-135 refuelling Cobra 56 an RC-135W who was going back across the pond on 243.65 / 234.5 , if I'm correct Cobra 56 took on 106,000 kg of fuel .

14.04 - Sabre flight inbound from Spade , they came in down 25 landed & shut down at 14.09 .
14.34 - Redskin formation came in on 25 landed & shut down at 14.38 .

Looking from the road at the corner overlooking the pan - left to right we have D-892 , D-667 , D-102 , S-459 , S-458 , Q-30 , Q-05 ,Q-01 which did all the air tests & finally Q-08 which is actually parked at the top of the vehicle compound surrounded by cones .

Stewart .

johnhowe

Re: TAC Blaze 2016

Post by johnhowe » Fri May 20, 2016 7:38 pm

otafox wrote:Thanks for another very comprehensive report Stewart
thanks also to Geoff as well as Stewart and Alan and our other contributors.

I arrived at lunchtime just as Redskin Formation 2 AH 64 Apaches and Sabre Flight 2 CH 47s were entering the Spadeadam Range asking for threats, the helos

were flying west of Berry Hill between Prior lancy and Grey Mare Hill extending towards Spadeadam Farm.


I had parked up on the Wiley Syke layby and moved to the second layby, :grr: me The AH 64 approached and started patrolling around the Wiley Syke area

providing top cover for a Chinook which landed very close to the Wiley Syke Layby. After a few minutes I was treated to an aerial ballet as these two helicopters

wheeled around the skies and flying nap of the earth all around Wiley Syke.


Later in the afternoon we had follow my leader with 2 Chinooks in front followed by two apaches bringing up the rear they were going hell for leather in the

eastern part of the range.


Because I had been so engrossed with the flying I had failed to notice a Dutch Army vehicle bristling with aerials parked up on Wiley Syke this was brought to my

attention by a local farmer, who stated you ain't seen anything yet, and late evening is the best time, he also thought that TAC Blaze maybe extended.


Edit; I found out later that the Army vehicle was controlling the landing of the Chinook at Wiley Syke.

sgkoksijde
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Re: TAC Blaze 2016

Post by sgkoksijde » Sun May 22, 2016 4:25 pm

When did D-102 came in?

johnhowe

Re: TAC Blaze 2016

Post by johnhowe » Mon May 23, 2016 8:45 am

Weather Forecast for Gilsland which is just a couple of miles south west of the Spadeadam boundary.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/2648645

100arw
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Location: North East

Re: TAC Blaze 2016

Post by 100arw » Mon May 23, 2016 1:51 pm

<<Edit; I found out later that the Army vehicle was controlling the landing of the Chinook at Wiley Syke.>>

John,
Was it the ECM/RCM (Black Crow) vehicle?
Pat

johnhowe

Re: TAC Blaze 2016

Post by johnhowe » Mon May 23, 2016 5:50 pm

100arw wrote:<<Edit; I found out later that the Army vehicle was controlling the landing of the Chinook at Wiley Syke.>>

John,
Was it the ECM/RCM (Black Crow) vehicle?
Pat
Pat, No it was just a bog standard army vehicle. I have a Black Crown E.W Intruction Team Sticker and it certainly was,nt a Black Crow vehicle.

100arw
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Joined: Sun Oct 04, 2009 9:32 pm
Location: North East

Re: TAC Blaze 2016

Post by 100arw » Mon May 23, 2016 7:26 pm

Thanks.
P.

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toom317
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Re: TAC Blaze 2016

Post by toom317 » Mon May 23, 2016 7:41 pm

You going to be out and about this week John? Got Wed-Fri off and along with getting the aircraft, hoping to catch up with a few of the regulars. It's been a couple of years since I last did a Tac Blaze.
No one gets out of life alive.



Equipment: Camera, Lens, Goretex Y fronts

McG
Posts: 70
Joined: Sat Aug 28, 2010 1:26 pm

Re: TAC Blaze 2016

Post by McG » Mon May 23, 2016 8:44 pm

When does Tac Blaze finish and is there likely to be much flying on Thursday?

Durranhill
Posts: 240
Joined: Mon Oct 05, 2009 12:05 pm

Re: TAC Blaze 2016

Post by Durranhill » Mon May 23, 2016 9:39 pm

johnhowe wrote:
100arw wrote:<<Edit; I found out later that the Army vehicle was controlling the landing of the Chinook at Wiley Syke.>>

John,
Was it the ECM/RCM (Black Crow) vehicle?
Pat
Pat, No it was just a bog standard army vehicle. I have a Black Crown E.W Intruction Team Sticker and it certainly was,nt a Black Crow vehicle.


Hi Frank ,
Was this the type of vehicle you saw at Wiley Syke - http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=dut ... ajaxhist=0 - but with bigger aerials either side of the rear cab & an open back with a big Russian machine gun on the back like this - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_m ... 282%29.JPG - but with a bigger / shorter muzzle flash suppressor .
Or it could be this that's mounted on the back - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_m ... -_2010.jpg .

Stewart

johnhowe

Re: TAC Blaze 2016

Post by johnhowe » Tue May 24, 2016 3:04 pm

Durranhill wrote:
johnhowe wrote:
100arw wrote:<<Edit; I found out later that the Army vehicle was controlling the landing of the Chinook at Wiley Syke.>>

John,
Was it the ECM/RCM (Black Crow) vehicle?
Pat
Pat, No it was just a bog standard army vehicle. I have a Black Crown E.W Intruction Team Sticker and it certainly was,nt a Black Crow vehicle.


Hi Frank ,
Was this the type of vehicle you saw at Wiley Syke - http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=dut ... ajaxhist=0 - but with bigger aerials either side of the rear cab & an open back with a big Russian machine gun on the back like this - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_m ... 282%29.JPG - but with a bigger / shorter muzzle flash suppressor .
Or it could be this that's mounted on the back - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_m ... -_2010.jpg .

Stewart
Stewart Similar to the one in the first image. Frank

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toom317
Posts: 1936
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Re: TAC Blaze 2016

Post by toom317 » Tue May 24, 2016 7:48 pm

McG wrote:When does Tac Blaze finish and is there likely to be much flying on Thursday?
Mark, I believe the Helis are departing on the 1st June. It seems a bit unusual timings this time round, as there is a Bank Holiday in there, and I doubt there will be anything happening on Monday.(?) I hope there is action on Thursday, as I'm heading there. This used to be the last exercise day and you'd get stuff being brought back from Spade underslung.
No one gets out of life alive.



Equipment: Camera, Lens, Goretex Y fronts

Durranhill
Posts: 240
Joined: Mon Oct 05, 2009 12:05 pm

Re: TAC Blaze 2016

Post by Durranhill » Tue May 24, 2016 11:37 pm

Called about 19.15 this eve to find 3 Chinooks & 2 Apaches on the ground & the 2 Cougars had just landed after dep Spade , after about 15 min they shut down then had a check over / inspection of the main gearbox / driveshaft area which always seems to happen after they have been out .
Apache Q-08 is still being worked on but it sounded like it's APU was started up while I was watching so hopefully it will be out & about soon .
Approx 19.35 the missing 2 Apaches returned & landed .

20.50 - Redskin 11 ( Q-30 ? ) req start up followed by Redskin 12 ( Q-01 ? ) at 20.52 , Redskin 11 then hover taxied over to 07 followed by Redskin 12 .
20.58 - Redskin 12 dep 1st heading south followed by Redskin 11 who dep towards Lockerbie at 21.00 , 11 was told to contact the tower on reaching Lockerbie to switch freq .
21.07 - Redskin 13 Q-05 req start up & at 21.16 it dep to the south east .
21.24 - Redskin 13 instructed by tower to contact 125.475 .
21.48 - A very faint Redskin 13 called up on 123.6 to say he was returning .

22.37 - Redskin 11 inbound from the North for 07 , 22.45 - touch & go/take off .
22.46 - Redskin 12 called up to say he was inbound followed at 22.49 by Redskin 13 , both coming in from the North East .
22.49 - Redskin 11 landed & hover taxied to dispersal before shutting down at 22.57 .
22.51 - Redskin 13 inbound to land with 12 on finals .
22.53 - Redskin 13 landed then took off again followed 1min later by 12 .
22.56 - Redskin 13 inbound to land then hover taxi to dispersal before shutting down at 23.03 .
22.58 - Redskin 12 inbound to land then hover taxi to dispersal before shutting down at 23.04 .

All of the above landings after 22.00 carried out with NVG's & runway/airport light switched off .

Stewart .

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