Safe Journeys and we’ll see you when you come back!  And to the readers of this blog, please leave a comment below wishing our troops well.

Safe Journeys and we’ll see you when you come back!  And to the readers of this blog, please leave a comment below wishing our troops well.

With the scream of jets and the skies over Vegas filled with aircraft, it can only mean one thing!  It’s Red Flag time again!

Approx 4 times a year one of the largest gathering of aircraft takes place to wage a simulated war over the vast ranges in Nevada.

Nearly unlimited airspace allows dozens and dozens of fighters, bombers, electronic surveillance, tankers, transport, combat search and rescue aircraft to fly realistic mission to train them fight anywhere in the world and against any air force.

This Flag brought out aircraft from across the United States Air Force as well as from the Royal Air Force.

During one of the base hosted media days, nearly a hundred photographers from around the world were bussed inbetween the runways at Nellis AFB during the launch cycle of the day mission.

Standing at 150′ from the edge of the runway while over 60 aircraft took off was enough to put a smile on even the most seasoned aviation photographer.

And as if that wasn’t special enough, after the lauch we were allowed access in the EOR (End Of Runway) to be up close and personal for the aircraft landing.

A very special thanks to Mr. Mike Estrada and the PA staff at Nellis AFB for allowing us this unprecedented access.

Red Flag participants
Jan. 26 – Feb. 6, 2009

Red Air
F-16 and F-15, 64th and 65th Aggressor Squadrons, Nellis AFB, Nev.
F-16, NAS Fallon, Nev.

Blue Air
F-22, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska

Interdiction
B-1B, Ellsworth AFB, S.D.
F-15E, Seymour-Johnson AFB, N.C.
B-2, Whiteman AFB, Mo.
GR-9, United Kingdom (Ally)
F-16CM, Edwards AFB, Calif.

Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses
F-16, Shaw AFB, S.C.

Command, Control, Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance
E-3, Tinker AFB, Okla.
E-3, RAF Waddington (Ally)
E-8, Robins AFB, Ga.
RQ-1, Creech AFB, Nev.
RC-135, Offutt AFB, Neb.
RQ-4, Beale AFB, Calif.
U-2, Beale AFB

Combat Search and Rescue
MH-60, NAS North Island, Calif.

Aerial Refueling
KC-135, Fairchild AFB, Wash.
KC-135, Grand Forks AFB, N.D.
KC-135, Seymour-Johnson AFB (AF Reserve)
KC-10, Travis AFB, Calif.

VDA4571 is the call sign of an Antonov AN-124-100 operated by the Volga-Dnepar Group, the largest air cargo carrier in the world. And the AN-124 is one of the largest cargo aircraft in the world, comparable to the USAF C-5 Galaxy, but capable of carrying 25% more payload.

And this behemoth of an aircraft was landing on a former US Navy Military base….simply unthinkable a few years back. But thanks to global walls falling, this wonderful aircraft can be chartered to carry your largest payload.

The AN-124 is 226 ft long, 240 ft wide, and 68 ft high and is operated by a crew of 6.

And this particular plane came from Tolmachevo Airport in Seiberia, Russia and flew 12 hours 20 minutes over the North Pole to get to sunny California!

The Antonov has 24 wheels! And they are huge!…notice the man just to the right of the wheels in the picture below.

To load the 330,000 lbs of cargo, the nose swings upward allowing specially crafted cargo containers to be enveloped by the Antonov.

The kind crew gave me a brief tour of this unique visitor. As you can see below, looking from the rear of the plane forwards, it’s got a lot of room! And since AAA can’t quite come over and fix a flat tire, they carry a few spares on board.

Above the cargo hold is where all the passengers/crew spend their time. And that deck is split into two by the wing root, into a forward and aft compartment. We climbed the rear ladder to the aft deck and thats where the galley was located.

Just forward of that is the ‘office’ where 19 crew members can relax and do work.

We then went back down the ladder toward the nose of the aircraft and climbed up another long ladder to the forward compartment where they had the crew quarters and cockpit.

Here is one of the crew rest areas. As you can see it’s not fancy, but it will do on those 12 hr flights to Moffett!

Here is the Navigation, Communications, and Flight Engineers all sit.

I didn’t quite understand which was which, but man, there sure are a lot of buttons!

And here is the cockpit. With the aircraft only being flown for 22 years, it is not quite the latest in technology, but it sure does get the job done.

And then it was back down the ladder to the cargo hold.  One thing I didn’t notice earlier where the two cranes mounted on the ceiling of the cargo area. Each of these two cranes can hold 5 tonnes. And in the picture below, they are moving the AN-124′s tow bar. When you’re that big, you need a BIG tow bar!

As with many missions where lives are at stake, teams often work in pairs. Last week I was allowed a rare opportunity to fly aboard one of the 129th Rescue Squadrons’ HH-60G Pave Hawks and witness some of the skills and maneuvers that they constantly practice when they are called upon to save lives.

Our morning was spent shooting the approaches at Moffett Field, home to the 129th Rescue Wing from the California Air National Guard, and practicing a simulated hoist of a rescue swimmer. But after that was when the fun really began. 

After JOLLY92 landed and taxied to the East Parallel, I was hot loaded onto the waiting JOLLY91 and safely strapped in.

After final preflight checks, JOLLY91 and 92 requested take off from NUQ Tower and proceeded on the WOODSIDE ONE departure out towards the pacific coast.

The HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter is used to conduct day or night combat search and rescue, or CSAR, operations into hostile environments to recover downed aircrew or other isolated personnel during war.  But locally, the 129th uses their versatile Pave Hawks to aid in civil search and rescue, emergency aeromedical evacuation, disaster relief, and counterdrug activities, such as Team Hawk.

The 129th Rescue Wing’s Counterdrug Task Force detachment, Team Hawk, works closely with local law enforcement agencies in the eradication of illegal narcotics and the clean up of national forests environmentally damaged by marijuana production by utilizing the HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter, aircrew, pararescuemen and maintainers.

As we flew in tight formation along the coastline, I was reminded of that these pilots and aircrew have to be the ‘best of the best’ to fly these powerful aircraft.

The crews have to be prepared to fly any of a multitude of missions at moments notice. These missions may require low level flying, day or night, formation flying, precision hovering, or the ever demanding air to air refueling.

As we flew in formation, the pilots were having to deal with a multitude of complex situations. Staying in tight formation, the rugged terrain of the California coastline raising and lowering in front of us, being on the lookout for VFR traffic flying in one of the busiest airspace’s in the nation, constant radio calls to air traffic control and the other helo, and a photographer requesting formation changes to get that perfect slot. And naturally, the crews handled all of it with ease and professionalism.

But as every squadron does, the 129th RQS trains like they fly, and flies like they train. The radio calls were brief and to the point, navigation was tack sharp and safety was foremost. And before we knew it, JOLLY91 and 92 were flying over the San Francisco Bay.

There we encountered one of San Francisco’s classic landmarks, the fog. It was like a voluminous sea of cotton. A true treat to see our HH-60G skimming those waves of white with JOLLY92 right next to us.

As we navigated back down the 101, we passed by other classic icons of the Bay Area. It’s no wonder that the 129th RQW is a highly desired place to work. Great people, a wonderful area to live in, and some of the most beautiful skies to fly around. It was truly a beautiful way to see the city from a unique perspective.

As we came back to Moffett Field, the amazing folks at Moffett Base Ops and NUQ Tower, helped coordinate the airspace to get a quick shot of JOLLY92 over Hangars 1, 2, and 3.

A very special thanks to Col. Amos Bagdasarian, Capt Alyson Teeter, TSgt Ray Aquino, the crews of JOLLY91 (Wenthe, Finnerty, Nowaski, Kenney, Rymer, and Bacio) and JOLLY92 (Nguyen, Weidman, Hedin, and Woodward), and the rest of the fine folks at the 129th Rescue Wing for allowing me an opportunity to fulfill a childhood dream of mine and fly with those amazing helicopters that I had been looking up at my whole life.

For the full set of images from these two flight, click here.

During the Vietnam war, the sweetest sound a downed airman could ever hear was the distinct WHOP WHOP WHOP WHOP of the HH-53 Super Jolly Green Giant, with the call sign “JOLLY GREEN”. This meant that help was nearby and on it’s way. With it’s ability to penetrate a heavily fortified area, the “JOLLY GREEN’s” became the last resort to extract and rescue injured survivors.

Over 30 years later, the equipment and tactics have become more advanced, but the mission is still the same: saving lives. Fulfilling this crucial role now is the California Air National Guard’s 129th Rescue Wing based at Moffett Field.

 The 129th utilizes the powerful HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter to accomplish the same tasks as the HH-53E. And as the helicopters changed, so did the callsign, which now is “JOLLY,” honoring those fine helicopters and their aircrews who flew those daring rescue missions.

The 129th RQW’s mission is very simple. Search and Rescue. In combat or civilian scenarios, the 129th RQW uses the MC-130P, HH-60G, and Paracrescue to rescue downed airman, distressed persons aboard ships, lost or injured hikers, and medical evacuations. And with them being located in the heart of the Bay Area, they are an incredible asset to have if and when disaster strikes.

Last week, I had the honor of being able to fly with the 129th Rescue Squadron on two flights. Having lived within 5 miles of Moffett Field my entire life, I have watched the 129th fly their helicopters for years; from the HH-53E’s in the 80′s to their current helo, the HH-60G’s, which they transitioned to in 1991.

With an 8am show time, the two air crews of JOLLY91 and JOLLY92 gathered in the briefing room and went over the day’s mission.

For the first part, I was to fly on board with the crew of JOLLY92 as they practiced simulated ILS approaches to 32R

After that it was time to do a simulated hoist of a rescue swimmer.

After our approaches we headed out to SHIPWRECK, located in the middle of the SF Bay, to do our practice hoists. This location gives the pilots a safe and controlled place to practice as well as a visual reference to hover near.

What impressed me the most was the guidance and precision that the aircrew had over the aircraft.

The 129th RQW has rescued victims aboard ships located over 500 miles off shore. Providing medical treatment and extraction to those who otherwise would not have any other options.

At the time of this post, the 129th Rescue Wing has saved 598 lives. That is 598 people who would not be alive today if it wasn’t for the expert training and services that the Wing provided 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year both here and overseas.

While the story is fictional, the callsigns are real and a few weeks ago, I was on board the KC-10 while they practiced refueling a 21st AS C-17 along the California coast.  The KC-10 Extender is a vital player in helping accomplish the 60th AMW’s essential mission of providing rapid, reliable airlift of American fighting forces anywhere on earth in support of national objectives and to extend the reach of American and allied air power through mid-air refueling. 

As we departed our previous aerial refueling track, we entered the 6 North/South track that runs up and down the coast of California. Arguably one of the most scenic tracks to conduct A/R on. After we completed the first part of our mission, XTNDER 14 was just a few minutes away from rendezvousing with COVERT 33, our receiver for the next couple of hours. Thanks to the precise mission planning and coordination between all of the aircraft, we hit our mark on time and the -17 was right there.

The 21st Airlift Squadron transitioned to the C-17 Globemaster III airframe back in 2006 and has since flown in operations across the globe, including Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. The “Bee Liners” are the newest airframe at Travis AFB, and offer another versatile weapon to the arsenal already present at the 60th AMW: the C-5 Galaxy of the 22nd AS, and the KC-10 of the 6th & 9th ARS.

At the tip of this weapon, is MSgt Rob Tabor, Chief Boom of the 60th AMW’s Formal Training Unit. “Boomer,” as he is affectionately known as, operates the KC-10′s refueling boom and is the vial link ensuring the receiver aircraft gets fuel and keeps both aircraft operating within the razor thing margins of safety.

During our couple of hours with COVERT 33, both Boomer’s and various pilots from the 21st AS C-17 made numerous contacts to hone the fine skills needed to conduct the ballet that is aerial refueling, transferring a total of 100,000 lbs of fuel over 600 miles on refueling track 6 North/South.

After COVERT 33 disconnected and departed off on a low level mission, we took advantage of the beautiful scenery of the Bay Area. Our Air Crew coordinated with NorCal ATC for us to conduct what’s know in the area as a “Bay Tour.” As we headed back north, our crews made a smooth right turn, headed into the Bay and did a couple of laps over San Francisco, Alcatraz and the Marin headlands before heading back to Travis.

The city by the bay is indeed one of the most beautiful cities in the world, and thanks to the Gucci Boys and the 60th AMW/PA, I got to see if from a whole new perspective…

A special thanks to Capt Gill Torres and his Air Crew, as well as the amazing Public Affairs staff at 60th AMW: Maj Vanessa Hillman, 2dLt Holly Hess, and TSgt Donald Osborn. Without their help, none of these shots would have been possible.

Recently I had the chance to fly with the fine men and women of the 6th ARS as they conducted a “routine” practice mission out of Travis AFB. But there is nothing routine about 400 tons of heavy metal flying 30 feet in close formation to each other.  But more on that in a bit.

On any given mission, with tens of thousands of pounds of fuel being on and off loaded, mission planning is key. The average person may think that you just jump into a jet and take off. This is far from the truth. Mission planning is started weeks prior with the assignment of the crews and defining the mission.  Our flight crew consisted of a Pilot, Co-Pilot, Navigator, spare Pilot, and two Boom Operators; a standard crew compliment, except for the extra “Boomer” and Pilot who were getting additional training.

With our flight scheduled to take off at 7:39am, mission planning started hours prior. At 0439, we met at the 6th ARS headquarters and went over the mission profile for the flight.  XTNDER 14, the callsign of our KC-10 Extender, was scheduled to be on a two part mission. After a formation take off from Travis AFB, head due west and rendezvous with a KC-135 from the 151st Air Refueling Wing from the Utah ANG.  Our KC-10 would then practice receiving fuel from the KC-135. After that practice session for the three pilots, we then meet up with COVERT 33, a C-17 from the 21st Airlift Squadron and the Boomers both pass them fuel along the California coastline.

After our own briefing at the 6th ARS, we then go to Base Operations and coordinate with the other crews in our flight, file our flight plans, and check weather. During this time, my excellent Public Affairs escorts braved the freezing weather to help me get some ramp shots. With gusts up to 35mph, and the sun just barely rising, PA went above and beyond to get me the sunrise shots.

We then stepped to our airplane, KC-10 79-1950, on the crew bus. The Nav and Boomers were already at the jet getting it prepared for flight while the pilots and I were at Ops.  Everyone at Team Travis works together to get a mission in the air. I got a chance to see that first hand that morning. A key part was not functioning properly during the preflight checks, and as we climbed aboard, maintenance was already there swapping the part out. From the fuelers, maintence crew, to the lineman, controllers and down to the doctors and staff at the BX, they all work together to get the mission done and ultimately this one photographer in the air.

And once we were airborne, it was time to meet up with the KC-135.  During our quick flight out to the coast, SSgt Jen Trussell, took a few minutes to show us her “office,” the boom area in the rear of the KC-10.  With over a year under her belt, Trussell is an up and coming boomer in the 6th.

But before we knew it, it XTNDER 14 was already in the Aerial Refueling track and behind our UTAH KC-135. The 300,000 lbs, fully loaded KC-135 is capable of offloading 200,000 lbs of fuel to us if needed. But since this is a training mission, we were only going to take on 30,000 lbs.

With both aircraft traveling at over 300 kts, basic physics dictates that the two large metallic bodies want to be drawn together as they get closer to each other. Add in weather, day / night time, skill of the pilots and boomers, and it becomes a very delicate dance between life and death. In combat, getting fuel could mean the difference between going home or having to divert an alternate base. And if this was a refueling over the ocean with no base in sight, the crews either get the precious gas they need or crash. As I sat in the jump seat and saw the boom come closer and closer, I found a new appreciation for the tremendous skill of pilots and boomer of the KC-10 and KC-135 crews.

And then after all the pilots got their contacts, with the auto pilot on and with it off, it was time to break off and meet up with the C-17 crew from the 21st AS and fly down the most scenic aerial refueling track in the US, 6 North / South.

 Stay tuned for Part 2 of my flight with the Gucci Boys of Travis’s 6th ARS as we refuel a 21st AS C-17.

And also shot our big, beautiful ramp queen…

Later that afternoon, a friend told me that it was going to be a full moon tonight. I was already meeting another friend to check out his new Canon 50D at SJC. While over there, I tried to capture a plane flying through the moon. Results weren’t quite what I had hoped, but still fun to try.