[MilCom] Charleston Airshow Report

[MJ Cleary]

I got to the show at 9:00 and ended up parking close to the gates this time instead of a mile away like I did two years ago. Should have gone earlier because it really filled up fast and became too crowded around the fighter statics for my taste by the time I left at 12:30. At least it wasn't too hot this year. The highlight of the statics for me was going through an OC-135 Open Skies aircraft. I watched the A-10 demo and the B-1B demo which I really enjoyed. Anyone on the receiving end of a B-1B low-level high-speed bombing run would surely need to change their drawers afterwards! Gladly, I was home in front of the radios well before a storm front that moved through at 60 mph spawning several tornados at the end of the show.

When I was about 75% through the statics Security Forces stopped me when they observed me noting tail numbers. They read through my few jottings and turned me loose after I offered that I was noting tail numbers to match up with my photos. 

Frequencies in use all appeared to be the same as the last show two years ago. I monitored the Blues and Heritage Flight during practice on Friday:

119.300 - Air Boss
122.950 - UNICOM
127.325 - Clearance Delivery
134.1/349.4 - Command Post

237.800 - Blue Angels
275.350 - Blue Angels
284.250 - Blue Angels

123.150 - Heritage Flight
384.550 - Heritage Flight

123.300 - Unid Air-Air

148.150 - CAP
406.550 - EOC/Security
406.950 (DCS 032) - Security - * New one for me *
415.150 - * New one for me *
415.550 - Base Fire
416.100 - Security
416.750 - Security
417.750 - Base Medical

Usual KCHS VHF ground nets and approach/departure freqs all in use.

Partial static list:

C-17A # 89-1192, 437 AW
C-5A # 70-0461, 445 AW, Wright Patterson AFB
KC-10A # 79-1712, 305 AW, McGuire AFB
KC-135R # 59-1469, 459 ARW, Andrews AFB
Open Skies OC-135 # 61-2670
C-130E # 62-1837, 43 AW, Pope AFB
C-130J # 02-0314, 314 AW, Little Rock AFB
B-52H # 60-0042, 917th Wing, Barksdale AFB
F/A-18C # 165200, VFA-86, Modex 400
F/A-18C, VFA-86, Modex 410
F/A-18, VFA-125, Modex 310
T-1A # 92-0339, Tail Code RA, 12th FTW, Randolph AFB
T-37B # 56-3562, Tail Code CB, 14 FTW, Columbus AFB
T-38C # 69-7075, Tail Code CB, 14 FTW, Columbus AFB
T-38A # 68-8204, Tail Code HO, 49th FW, Holloman AFB
T-39 # 159365
T-45C # 165604, VT-9
T-45C # 165474
C-21A # 84-0142
Civilian T-34C # 160945, Sea Control Weapons School on tail
EA-6B # 158035, VMAQ-1, Tail Code CB, Modex 00
EA-6B # 163521, Tail Code NJ, Modex 567
F-15C # 81-041
F-15E # 89-0477, 4th FW, Seymour Johnson AFB, Tail Code SJ
F-15E # 87-0190, 4th FW
F-16CJ # 93-0549, 157 FS/169 FW, McEntire ANGS
A-10A # 78-0630, 104 FW, Tail Code MA
A-10A, 104 FW, Tail Code MA
A-10A, 355th Wing, Tail Code DM
P-3C # 158570, Modex 570
C-2A # 162166, Modex 635. Callsign GREYHAWK 07
E-2C # 164110, VAW-120, Modex 623
SH-60
UH-60L # 90-26260, 2-3 AVN
CH-47D # 84-24157
AH-64D # 03-5367, 1-3 AVN. Callsign APACHE 367
AH-64A # 94-0329



Mark