Escort over TUS today approx 10:30

[Toria]

I observed this from the ground (horse arena) this morning. The arena is approximately 18 miles north of TUS.

Large two engine plane (Boeing?) escorted by at least three small planes (think dots next to big plane) heading approximately 110 or 120 at altitude. Military(?) planes were two on the left, one on the right. I cannot guess what altitude because I was on the ground. However, a CRJ heading approximately 320 or 330 out of TUS passed almost directly underneath at maybe FL12 or FL13. I am just making the assumption that this took place at cruise altitude. They passed almost directly over my ground position.

Any ideas? It caught my eye and I thought the whole scene was just very "interesting".

[mikecweb]

Originally Posted by Toria

I observed this from the ground (horse arena) this morning. The arena is approximately 18 miles north of TUS.

Large two engine plane (Boeing?) escorted by at least three small planes (think dots next to big plane) heading approximately 110 or 120 at altitude. Military(?) planes were two on the left, one on the right. I cannot guess what altitude because I was on the ground. However, a CRJ heading approximately 320 or 330 out of TUS passed almost directly underneath at maybe FL12 or FL13. I am just making the assumption that this took place at cruise altitude. They passed almost directly over my ground position.

Any ideas? It caught my eye and I thought the whole scene was just very "interesting".

My guess would be an Aerial Refueling mission.

[PGT]

Originally Posted by mikecweb

My guess would be an Aerial Refueling mission.

Yep my guess too

[aloft]

Yup, probably a KC-10.

[frog_flyer]

Maybe usafplt will weigh in if there's a tanker track on the route in question!

[Rocketman99]

There are several over AZ and one near enough by.

[Toria]

Originally Posted by mikecweb

My guess would be an Aerial Refueling mission.

I have seen many a film clip from the boom operator's perspective. You've also made me feel better about my eyesight! I am glad I had the peripheral awareness to spot the scene. Thanks!

So, it was really the tanker escorting the dots! Another fine example of considering all the options. Dots too small to even make out their silhouette.

[Hacker15e]

Originally Posted by frog_flyer

Maybe usafplt will weigh in if there's a tanker track on the route in question!

There doesn't need to be a tanker track for a tanker to be flying with fighters in formation.

Often they have what are called ALTRVs, or "Altitude Reservations", which is authorization for the tanker and the fighters to fly cross country and conduct refuelling operations enroute.

This is, for example, how an east coast fighter unit gets its jets to Nellis for Red Flag without stopping enroute.

Happens all the time.

[Doug Taylor]

Non-sequitur question!

Are all of the tankers called "Upset" or is that just a particular unit?

[ASpilot2be]

Aerial refuelings are cool to watch. I love spring and summer and being able to watch them fly over.

[Hacker15e]

Originally Posted by Doug Taylor

Are all of the tankers called "Upset" or is that just a particular unit?

I'm not 100% on the process as I'm not a tanker guy...

But when dragging fighters around cross-country, the movements are controlled by a specific USAF agency that arranges and coordinates them all.

They own a specific batch of callsigns that get re-used on those movements.

Other than that, specific units have their own assigned callsigns that they use for training sorties. The KC-135s that I used to tank with out of Seymour Johnson AFB were always the "Backy" callsign, and the 135s I tank with over here in England always use the "Quid" callsign.

I don't recognize the "Upset" callsign, so I have to guess that's a unit-owned callsign.

[SteveC]

We often have "Upset" call sign KC135's doing approach and pattern work at GRR. Those come from Wisconsin I believe.

[Rocketman99]

Individual squadrons have their own callsigns for use on local sorties. My squadron in Okinawa used the callsign "Tora" if it was a local mission and a unit in Kansas uses "Turbo" for example.

On missions called coronets, which is the movement of a plane or group of planes from one side of the country or side of the world to another using tankers there are different callsigns, that tend to be standard. For instance, we often used Wooden when we were moving folks from the sandbox back to Japan or from Japan up to Alaska. Those callsigns weren't specific to a squadron, it was whoever was making that sortie.

Last but not least, the callsign "Reach," it is a generic Air Mobility Command callsign. It tends to be a stateside plane going overseas and it could be any matter of AMC plane such as a KC-135, KC-10, or C-5.

There ya go, far too much information on AF tanker callsigns.

[SteveC]

Doug;



<snicker>

UPSET KC-135 128TH ARG, MILWAUKEE, WI

http://pages.sbcglobal.net/wxtech/mo...y/callsign.txt

[JacksonHandy]

My experience, solely as a passenger in a sandy locale was that

Reach = C-17 or larger mission

Chrome = C-130 mission

Boxcar = Shorts 330? USARNG, those were hilarious

plus numerous other call signs for things I'd rather not post here.

Thanks to Reach 60? I think for the ride home last november.... best plane ride I've ever been on.

[LoadMasterC141]

130's can also have the Reach call sign. Rocket was right in that it has to do with the aircraft going out of the country for the most part. Being that 130's do not do alot of pond-hopping line haul missions, it is fairly uncommon.

Reach is also not the only call sign you may hear an international AMC flight called as well. It is typically reserved for scheduled line ops. There are other call signs for presidential support, state department, and NASA/UN funded missions to name a few.

[GalaxyIFE]

It's also VERY common to have aerial refuelings done over "random routes" which can be just about anywhere. Usually because of track time issues or weather on the track. The "Reach" callsign is used by any Air Mobility Command (AF) channel mission...can be military or civilian carriers. As loady said there are several other callsigns depending on mission.