[Scan-DC] Strange Helo

[Alan]

Steve Thompson wrote:

> After midnight Monday night here near Tysons, I got a loud signal from 
> Blackjack One working DCA tower on the helo frequency 120.75 MHz.  
> Told tower that he was over Tysons (and I heard the rotors) and had a 
> "tasking" from Bigfoot to orbit over DCA.  He asked what altitude to 
> take and they apparently assigned him 2,000 feet and away he went.
>
> So who are Blackjack One and his bigfooted friend?


BLACKJACK 1 and 2 were up. They are Coast Guard HH-65 helos based at DCA 
that are used in a homeland security mission to defend against low and 
slow violators of the flight zone restrictions around the area. BIGFOOT 
is a NORAD controller (it's usually HUNTRESS in this area) that was 
controlling the mission. There were also F-16s from the Vermont ANG at 
the Langley Detachment and F-16s from the New Jersey ANG at Atlantic 
City that took part in the exercise. The targets for the night were a 
couple of Civil Air Patrol Cessna 182s. This was part of the ongoing 
Falcon Virgo exercise that takes place every couple of months atop this 
area.

Alan
Maryland