On the Airbands

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First three correct entries for the “FSD” contest were from R Albert, 17 Mason St, Maroubra, 2035, A Scoot of 4 Goolagong Gres, Milperra, 2214, and also Adrian Young of 5/33 Grange Rd, Carnegie, 3163. Congratulations! Correct answer is Flight Services Director, orFlight Service Director. Qantas do prefer the former, however we were accepting either version. Thanks to the hundreds of participants in the contest, the winners collecting a free copy of “The Australian Airband Guide” penned by yours truly, which is now completely sold out!

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Malcolm Luck and his wife Lynne are involved with the Perth and District Christian Directory, and are based at Mullaloo. They are big airband fans, and like to listen to Qantas Engineering, which is now missing from 166. 66 MHz. My efforts to assist them relocate QFA Engineering failed, and they themselves have found all the Engineering action located squarely on 464. 950 MHz (business band UHF). Malcolm found the channel during a visit to Perth airport, using a Tandy Realistic PRO-2022. The pair are buying a Microsoft Flight Simulatorfor theirMacintosh, and also Tracon, the Air Traffic Control software!

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I did ask for readers who hear the callsign MOJO to contact me.

In the past, MOJO have all been USAF C-12 aircraft, the military version of the Beech Super King Air. William Cheadle of Beecroft NSW has also monitored this callsign being used by a USAF C-21 Learjet arriving Sydney last February from Port Moresby. The exact identifier was “MOJO 090”. The unit operating the aircraft is based in South East Asia, and until the Mt Pinatubo eruption in the Philippines, the C-12’s were based at Clark AFB near Manila. Thank you William. William is a keen listener using a Realistic PRO-2022.

* * * Australia’s King of Country Music and Tweed Valley personality Jade Hurley reckoned he had seen and heard it all in over thirty years of flying on aeroplanes. But recently he was sitting on board an Eastwest flight from Sydney to the Gold Coast and reports that justprior to takeoff, a hostie asked over the PA system. . . “Is there a passenger Short on the aircraft? And if so, please press the air hostess call button. ”

Jade tells us that a “wag” passenger sitting in front of him duly pressed the call button, and when the hostess arrived said to her . . . “Well, I’m really only four feet eleven, and not only that. . . I’m broke, so what can I do for you my dear?”

The surrounding passengers fell about in laughter, leaving a rather embarrassed looking hostie wondering what the hell was going on!

Jade told us that eventually, the real “Mr Short” made himself known. . . he was actually seated right next to Jade Hurley. And even he was embarrassed by the situation.

Thanks to Halden Boyd, one of our staffers for that piece, which was relayed to him by Jade Hurley.

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A callsign has been monitored on HF by some readers talking to Perth Radio, sounding like Aussie Cargo, and we presumed that most likely it was a RAAF international mercy food and provision uplift.

But in fact, it now appears that the operation was Swazi Cargo, the callsign of Air Swazi Cargo Pty. Ltd. , from Swaziland. The airline three letter! CAO designator is CWS. Information comes from a Flight Service Officer whose identity I will protect, as he did not indicate if he wished to be named here.

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John Collins from Deception Bay in Queensland wants to know the callsign of the Airbus Industrie Guppys ferrying fuselage and wing components around Europe. It is actually ”Airbus Industrie” John, with numerals to follow depending on aircraft number. Such as Airbus Industrie 004. Thanks for the letter! Airbus operate four Guppys.

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Paul Rummery from Tuross Head used to live in Canberra, and is a long time listener, from the early 1970’s, using analogue receivers and he has also provided a good story from his time at Canberra.

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This story involves an Australian Airlines Boeing 727 on approach to ASCB, in touch with Canberra Approach on 124. 5, and also on downwind leg. The weather is fine, very hot, with a little cloud. The Canberra district is in drought, everything being really dry with lawns and gardens becoming non-existent. The 727 is advised of crossing traffic, with the conversation going like this: APPROACH: Tango Bravo Golf, traffic is an Air Force Mystere, your 11 o’clock position, report sighting!

VH-TBG: Ahh . . . negative sighting, confirm 11 o’clock! APPROACH: Affirmative, your 11 o’clock now moving your 12 o’clock, approximately four miles!

VH-TBG: Ahh . . . negative sighting, all we have is a large cloud in our 12 o’clock, with a little rain.

APPROACH: Tango Bravo Golf, forget the Mystere, grab the cloud, bring it over to my place, my front lawn is nearly history!

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Qantas Airways has invited seven companies in North America, Europe, and Asia to tender for the supply of personal video units for the airline’s First and Business Class cabins.

The system would be fitted to existing aircraft and those joining the fleet later this year. Companies submitting tenders have to be able to supply systems for six 747-400 aircraft at a rate of two per month commencing this August, and for 13 767-300 aircraft at a rate of three per month from November, and for the rest of the fleet during subsequent maintenance downtimes. Qantas is requiring a system which will handle dual languages, and can be linked to the cabin management system, for announcements to passengers.

The Sydney fuel storage project is also nearing completion at Sydney airport, a $27m expansion of the existing airport fuel storage facility. The three year project has included the installation of two new tanks which increase potential storage from nine to 29m litres. Qantas is now much less vulnerable to supply disruptions, with about ten days fuel held at the depot, rather than the three days supply the facility could previously hold.

Other work has included new pumping, environmental, fire protection and security systems, and a new road has been built to allow faster and safer airside access for refuelling vehicles.

Qantas has a one seventh share of the new facility, and contributed $3m to the project all up. The depot, in Link Road opposite the Freight Terminal is known formally as “JUHI”, which stands for Joint User Hydrant Installation.

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T B Gosseflies for Adelaide Air Charter located at Crafersin SA. Both T B and his ChiefPilot never miss an opportunity to discuss a good exchange heard over the air and have related a few for this column.

A country pilot was approaching Adelaide, and was obviously not used to a controlled airspace environment. He also spoke in a very slow country drawl to a very busy ATC man on 127. 1 MHz. COCKIE: Adelaide Control, this is Charlie Oscar Charlie, I’m forty five miles from Adelaide and I request an airways clearance.

CONTROL: Charlie Oscar Charlie, this is Adelaide Control, you are identified forty five miles from Adelaide. Your clearance: track your present position direct to Edinburgh then Parafield, maintain 5,000 and squawk code 4-4-1-4!

COCKIE: (even slower now . . . ) Adel-aide Con-trol, please re-peat slow-ly; I re-ceive at the same rate as I speak! And T B is sharing another story involving the Australian Airlines 727 VH-TBG. It was approaching Adelaide and changing from Adelaide Control to Approach.

VH-TBG: Approach, Tango Bravo Golf, 80 DME Adelaide on the 088 omni and I’m “on top with Juliett”.

APPROACH: You lucky buggar!

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Update on Airline Operational Control facilities for Company HF, also known as LDOC (Long Distance Operational Control).

AUCKLAND-AIR NEW ZEAL 6637, 1072, 13333, 17940, 21970; BAHREIN-FALCON CONTROL 5538, 1 1354, 13339, 17931, 21943; BOMBAY-AIR INDIA BOMBAY 6637, 8930, 10072, 13351, 17916, 21949; DELHI-AIR INDIA DELHI 10072; FRANKFURT-LUFTHANSA 3010, 6637, 10078, 13327, 17931, 21979; HARARE-AFRO 17944, 8949; HONG KONG-DRAGON 3007, 6637, 8921, 13333, 17940, 21970; HONOLULU-ARINC 3013, 6640, 1 1342, 13348, 17925, 21964; JOHANNESBURG-SPRINGBOK 5532, 8933, 11354, 13330, 17925, 21964; LONDON-SPEEDBIRD LONDON 5535, 8921, 10072, 13333, 17922, 21946; NEW YORK-ARINC 3494, 6640, 1 1324, 13330, 17925, 21964; PORTISHEAD RADIO (UK) 4807, 6854, 8170, 1 2133, 16370, 18210, 21765; P MORESBY-AIR NUIGINI 3836, 7350; SAN FRANCISCO-ARINC 3013, 6640, 1 1342, 13348, 17925, 21964; SINGAPORE-SINGAPORE RDO 6637, 8930, 10078, 13333, 17934, 21949; STOCKHOLM-STOCKHOLM RDO 5541, 8930, 1 1345, 13342, 17916, 23210; SlNA-PACIFIC SlNA 9026; SYDNEY-QANTAS SY DNEY 4687, 6637, 10078, 13342, 17922, 21970; SYDNEY-SYDNEY SKYCOMS 5160, 8140, 9040, 1 1 132, 17440, 20160, 23070.

All these LDOC ground stations have selcal facilities except Pacific Suva, and Sydney Skycoms is also fitted with Autocall facilities.

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David Dutton from Penshurst NSW recently went to the USA and monitored the following frequencies at California’s Burbank airport. ATIS 134. 5, TWR on 1 18. 7, APPROACH on 128. 75, and the LA CENTER on 125. 18. David adds that “flying into LAX is certainly an experience!” Sure is David. I’m an old hand at it now, but I still get a big buzz from the sheer enormity of the airport and the immense amount of airborne and taxying traffic!

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The Signal R-535 Airband Receiver, as sold by Hawker Pacific SkyShops and given mention regularly by this writer has just received the “thumbs up of approval seal” from the prestigious National Scanning Report magazine from the USA. The magazine agrees with our evaluation, saying . . . “lf your scanning interests are primarily airband monitoring, it is difficult to see how the choice ofan R-535 can be beaten”. Told you it was a great radio! As stated earlier, I now have one of these units, and use it both in my office and mobile.

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Jean Baker, our regular US correspondent, tells us that another workhorse of the sky is retiring, the last piloted Convair F-106, which has been operated by NASA in its twilight years of operation, as “NASA 816”. Used for aeronautical research, it was amongst other things, flown deliberately into thunder storms and was hit by lightning over 700 times!

Originally manufactured in 1958 by Generl IJ’Dynamics, it was amongst some three hundred F-106 Delta Darts built at a cost of some $5m each. While NASA816 will receive an honoured placeat the Virginia Air and Space Museum, its remaining brothers and sisters won’t die with similar dignity. According to the USAF, the remaining F-106’s which were once known as “ultimate interceptors” now fly only as drone targets for air-to-air missile firing training! An in-depth profile on the Convair F-102/106 appeared in the Nov 91 AA.

* * * David Carroll from Bathurst NSW talks in his letter to “On the Airbands” about CTAF and MTAF frequencies. Yes David, the CTAF 126. 7 was the old Qantas Training channel, and is now the Unicom style CTAF, which stands for Common Traffic Advisory Frequency; which takes over AFIS duties, or Airfield Flight Information Service. All aircraft operating within five nautical miles radius and 3,000ft above the field use the frequency to report their position and intentions.

MTAF channels are mostly the TWR channels used without assistance from ATC, after hours, while CTAF is usually 126. 7 or 1 18. 1.

Brian Foord from Broome in WA was recently visiting Sydney airport but couldn’t find the Rescue Firefighting Service (RFF) frequencies. Should have written to me before the trip Brian. 123. 2 is their training VHF, still used quite frequently, while their main working UHF channel is business band 465. 375. Most activity is on the UHF frequency. And while we’re at Fire Stations one and two at Sydney Airport, we’ll say “keep up the great work” to all the Rescue Firefighters on the team!

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Richard Watson hails from Hawkes Bay in New Zealand, and good naturedly takes me to task for not having more NZ reader letters in the feature. Sorry Richard, we’ll allow you to notch up a few brownie points for the Kiwis!

Richard has a Tandy Realistic Jetstream portable (analogue tuning) for VHF, which frankly my friend I have found to be an appallingly sub-standard radio. You are missing out on heaps more activity you could hear ifyou had a decent receiver.

Richard has converted most of his interest to HF listening however, and was recently monitoring New Zealand 203 from Christchurch to Brisbane. The aircraft was selcaled on 8867 kHz to change to 10048 for a company message. It turns out that they had forgotten to load the first class puddings, and the Captain when he was told had difficulty fighting back the tears. The crew was told to use the puddings already loaded for the journey back, and were instructed to load more at Brisbane for the homeward bound leg to NZ.

You just can’t go without your pudd now, can you?

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Eddy Cattagson of Essendon Victoria heard the following during a torrential rainstorm on the Essendon ATIS 1 19. 8.

“Melbourne Terminal Area Severe Turbulence Advice not available due to lightning strike!”

Eddy thought it quite funny, as he sat in the dry unaffected comfort of his lounge room.

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Due to interference to other unspecified frequencies, Sydney comm band ATIS on 132. 7 MHz was decommissioned late last year and replaced by 127. 6 MHz. The VOR frequency 1 15. 4 will still continue to carry the ATIS, as will the NDB on LF frequency 317 kHz.

And while still visiting Sydney, the Police there are not being permitted to operate their twin engined Squirrel helicopter at night, except in emergencies. The aircraft is fully fitted with night observation equipment, and a budget was allocated for 80 hours per month flying time for the aircraft.

Police Minister Ted Pickering has directed the Twin Squirrel not be used for combating crimes suchas break-in, and enter or car theft. By doing this he is directly interfering with the operational role of the Police, although he steadfastly maintains he isn’t.

Why purchase this $2. 5 million aircraft then place so many restrictions on its use that it becomes a white elephant?

The NSW Police Airwing can be heard using 131. 6 (company channel), frequency 64 of the NSW Police UHF allocation on 469. 425 MHz, and occasionally the “numbers” frequency 123. 45 MHz. An article on the NSW Police Airwing was featured in our September 91 issue.

* * * Dean May from Albatross Airlines heard an exchange one recent evening on Adelaide Approach frequency 1 18. 2, having just changed from the Tower. Dean says “I think it would well suit On the Airbands”. I agree Dean, so here we go. The callsigns have been changed to protect the guilty.

VH-TBZ: “If we can track direct to the omnifor a (Australian 727)

visual approach, we could pass the 737”. APPROACH: “I admire your optimism!”

VH-CZZ: (Said in very sarcastic tone) (Ansett 737) “Try again fellas!”

The next comment had no callsign attached, but the suspect would have to be the slightly peeved 727 Captain: “Why don’t you just wind that Tupperware Twin up!”

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Stephen McGinley from Randwick NSW. A quickie.

SYDNEY TOWER: “Tango Bravo Golf, as you overflew it, was there much traffic on the Gladesville Bridge?”

VH-TBG: “Say again Tower!”

TOWER: “Is there much traffic on the Gladesville Bridge?” VH-TBG: “I don’t even know where the Gladesville Bridge is!” TOWER: “Never mind . . . thank you anyway. ”

VH-TBG: “Err . . . we just passed over a large highway and there wasn’t much traffic on that. ”

TOWER: “That’s the one . . . thanks!”

The controller was a female. Shortly after wards her shift ended, and a male voice took over the Tower frequency. The outgoing Aerodrome Controller was probably inching her car through the suburbs from the Airport . . . towards . . . you guessed it . . . the Gladesville Bridge!

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Robert Simons of Bellevue Hill NSW is currently borrowing a scanner from a friend after becoming frustrated with trying to fine tune his analogue dial portable receiver. Recently he was at Sydney Airport listening to Ground on 1 21. 7, when a German cargo aircraft which had landed on RW 16 was asked to taxi forward then hold short of RW 07.

A Singapore Airlines 747 was then cleared from the International Cargo Terminal to the eastern apron of the main International Terminal, under tow. The German 747 was then asked to taxi acrossRW07, but hold short of the taxiway intersection ahead, the very taxiway the Singapore aircraft was being towed on. The German crew taxied their 747 and stopped with the aircraft’s nose protruding over taxiway “Mike”, the entrance to the apron, while the Singapore 747 continued to approach the intersection.

Suddenly; a very angered controller rebuked the German crew, saying the instruction was “to hold short of the second intersection!” The German Captain stated he had stopped short, to which ATC then enquired of Singapore’s crew “Is Kaiser 1412 over taxiway Mike?” “Err . . . he could be Sir . . . ” was the startled reply from the now completely stopped Singapore 747.

Enquiries were then directed by Ground to the German crew once more. “Kaiser 1412,is there room for a Boeing 747 to turn into taxiway Mike?”

“Negative . . . ” was the rather worried reply. And by now there were two more large aircraft behind Kaiser 1412 waiting to utilise taxiway Foxtrot.

The solution to this uneasy standoff? Singapore Airlines was PUSHED, not towed, backwards onto the northern apron, while the three aircraft taxied past, and it was then towed around to the eastern apron. And the German Captain by now was feeling very guilty and apologised to ATC on 122. 3 International Ramp. “No worries mate!” was the spirited reply. (And they say ATC can be unforgiving!)

See you next month. Remember, “The Australian Airband Guide” is completely sold out, except for a few shop soiled copies which we will sell at a big discount at the next airshow! Inbound mail to “On the Airbands”, PO Box 16, Georges Hall, 2198 NSW, and stamped SAE’s please for those wanting replies.