[MilCom] KCOS/KBKF: 04 JUN 2005

[Sandy4218 at aol.com]

Most of this post is from Colorado Springs (KCOS) at the Peterson Air Show 
where I spent most of the day.
Some great demos by a lot of different aircraft. The "Stars" of the show (The 
Thunderbirds) were, in  my opinion, a DUD.
First of all, during engine checks, some 3 hours before their show, the #3 
aircraft got hard broke and couldn't be fixed by showtime. So they did the show 
with a 3-ship and 2 solos. Evidently the "B" model had already headed 
elsewhere and the spare was also inoperative.
Solos used 235.25 and 3-ship used 143.85. No other freqs found for them. The 
solos put on a fairly spirited performance, but the 3-ship was somewhat 
underwhelming. They were so "vanilla" that the crowd started leaving en masse about 
midway through the supposed 45 minute show. I guess the Birds must have 
noticed it, because they cut the show off at the 30 minute mark and landed without 
even doing their bomb-burst finale. 
Anyway, here's the post. Aircraft numbers etc will be in a separate post

Freqs noted: (Most are Colorado Springs Airport freqs)

Clearance Delivery: 134.45/385.50
Ground: 121.70/348.60
Tower: 119.90, 335.55, 360.60
Approach: 118.50/239.025
Departure: 124.00/257.875
Air Boss for the show: 120.60 (No UHF)
Thunderbird Ground and Solos: 235.25
Thunderbird Ground and 3-ship: 143.85
AF Academy Jump Team: 122.95

118.50:  CONGO-63, (UV-18A, AF Academy), takeoff with Academy Jump Team. Team 
jumped with the flag to start the show. 11 jumpers. A/G 122.95.
124.00:  REACH 8054, (C-17A, Charleston), takeoff Colorado Springs.
372.20:  JOSA-857, (C-21A), calling Peterson PTD.
120.60:  T-28, (T-28C), cleared out for his demo flight.
120.60:  TUSKEGEE-26, (AT-6C), cleared out for performance.
120.60:  RAIDER-91, (F/A-18C, VFA-125, Lemoore), cleared out for his demo. 
Did demo on Tower freq 335.55. Never did find a separate freq for him. Great 
show.
235.25:  THUNDERBIRDs, engine checks
143.85:  THUNDERBIRDs, ground checks
121.70:  BOBCAT-1, flight of 2, (A-10A, Davis-Monthan),  taxi out for their 
part of the  show. Switch Tower 335.55 for their fly-bys. No other freqs noted 
(other than 289.40 when they went up to the AF Academy for a fly-by there). 
Got brief hit on 138.15, but don't know if it was them.
120.60:  BRAVO-25, (B-25J), cleared out for his demo. (Pretty lively for an 
old warbird. For $200 you can get a ride in her)
120.60:  HERITAGE FLIGHT, (P-51D & F-15C, Langley), cleared out for heritage 
fly-bys.
F-15 broke off and became DEMO-1 for a real screamer of a demo flight before 
rejoining the P-51 for the fly-bys. F-15 used 335.50 for the demo and 120.60 
for the formation with the Mustang. Both demo and heritage fly-bys were 
outstanding; especially the cross-over break to end their show. It was a heartstopper
134.45: SPECK-14, (T-1A, Vance), cleared to Pueblo.
120.60: THUNDERBIRD CONTROL getting clearances and squawks from the Air Boss 
for the T-Birds. Then T-Birds cleared out for their show. Nuff said about that.
121.70: THUNDERBIRD-14, (C-17A, McGuire), cleared to taxi to the military 
side of the field (Had been parked at the Jet Center.)
Noted at Buckley upon return to Denver:
291.675: BAT-63, flight of 2, (F/A-18D, VMFA(AW)-242), Miramar), land.
228.45:  REACH 8225, (C-5A, Westover), request WX Fort Worth for 0200Z.
121.00:  NAVY-051, (Unk), land.
319.00:  SMOKE-01, (F/A-18, VMFA-134, Miramar), with Denver Center, FL 240. 
Descending to 17,000 and switching 379.95. Switch 239.025 and land Colorado 
Springs.

Sandy
Denver, CO