On the Airbands

Shortly after, Peter monitored this transmission:

SYDNEY TWR: “Tango Juliett Lima, Nerd on final, line up behind that aircraft!”

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Monitored by Terry Hall, a regular contributor, from Tullamarine, with a story concerning Melbourne airport. ANSETT MEL: “Foxtrot Kilo Delta, this is Ansett Melbourne. ” VH-FKD: “Go ahead. ”

ANSETT MEL: “Your bay on arrival will be Bay 16, a standoff bay. It’s raining in Melbourne, so I hope you brought your brolly!”

VH-Fim: “Can you get us an Aerobridge instead?. ” ANSETT MEL: “It’s very doubtful, but I’ll try. ” VH-FKD: “Thanks. ”

ANSETT MEL: “I can be bribed with a box of chocolates you know!”

Stunned silence followed from the crew of VH-Fim. And a smile showed up on Terry Hall’s face. Thanksfor the contribution Terry. Keep writing in.

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With Qantas entering the Australian domestic market, and the trans Tasman skies opening up, some of the emerging trends are worth discussing here, as they will in some way affect all aircraft radio hobbyists.

By mid 1995, Ansett plan to run daily services to Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Hong Kong, and will run regular “domestic” flights from Australia to New Zealand. Air New Zealand is also planning twenty four services per week into Brisbane, then a follow on to Asia and Japan by 1994.

Qantas began offering Melbourne/Perth domestic flights from November last year for $399 return, and Sydney/Melbourne for $299 return. Ansett has indicated that trans-Tasman returns will be for as low as$299. Most likely start off route for Ansett’s Melbourne/Auckland. Chief General Manager of Ansett Australia, Graeme McMahon states that “flight times trans Tasman are shorter than trans Nullabor, and in two or three years, trans Tasman will be viewed asjust an extension of the Australian domestic operations. ”

As part of their push for a cut of the domestic market here, Qantas is now allocating 15,000 seats a week to intra-Australian domestic travel. Air New Zealand has chosen Brisbane as their hub city, feeding northwards to Taipei and Bangkok. This has been warmly welcomed bythe Queensland Government, as by 1994, Air New Zealand will be boosting the state’s economy to the tune of an extra $100 million each year, and will create another 10,000 jobs in that State by way of increased tourism.

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Mark Hutcheon from Thomastown in SA says he loves reading the stories that come up each month in On the Airbands, and offers one of his own that may be of interest to other aircraft communications hobbyists.

Compass MD-82 VH-LNL was initially calling inbound for Melbourne on Approach frequency 124. 7 MHz. The Terminal Information designator in force at the time was “Victor”.

Apparently, the Captain was on microphone speaking with Approach Control, and was having difficulty reading his First Officer’s scrawled handwriting.

VH-LNL: “Ahh, Approach . . . Lima November Lima . . . ahh . . . huh, I can’t read this, err, all I can make out is that we’ve received Victor!”

APPROACH: “Get the guy who wrote it to write it in much bigger letters next time!”

VH-LNL: “Yeah, good idea . . . it’s been a 1-o-n-g day” APPROACH: “I know, but you knock off shortly, and we still got four hours to go. ”

VH-LNL: “Suffer!” (said with appropriate feeling)

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David Green is one of our loyal army of New Zealand supporters. David lives in Hamilton.

He was monitoring the operations of Ansett 810, a BAe 146 inbound for Auckland on 133. 75, Ansett Operations frequency. The pilot radioed to the Ground Manager that they had an abusive male on board, who was swearing at other passengers and cabin crew alike. The obnoxious one was apparently an American who had put away a few too many drinks while in the pressurised environment.

All of the man’s details, such as name, the class he was travelling (business), and seat number, even the company he worked for, was passed over the radio. It was agreed the man would receive a stem and full lecture from Security about expected behavioural standards on board Ansett aircraft.

The Captain declined to give details over the air regarding the exact language used by the man, but it was very obvious that acceptable behaviour had been well and truly breached. (We might just mention here that the effects of alcohol in a pressurised environment are at times devastating on people who can normally handle their drinking. )

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Ex Cosmonaut Musa ham radio callsign U2MIR recently spoke to the current occupant of the MIR Space Vehicle using a handheld VHF transceiver while he was visiting Melbourne recently. No fancy antennas, just a handheld with a stubby rubberised antenna, on frequency 145. 525 MHz. Musa used callsign U2MIRIVK2 while transmitting, borrowing the handheld from Maggie, VK3CFI. Other frequencies heard recently for Earth/Space MIR contacts are 145. 575 MHz and 145. 625 MHz.

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During our visit to the USA late last year, Bob Leder of Bell Helicopter Textron gave a personally guided tour of the Bell Helicopter facility at Fort Worth, Texas.

One of the most awesome sights was a fully equipped Huey Cobra helicopter gunship, which we were allowed to have a good look at. This potent war machine normally is fitted with ordnance by the military, so we were lucky to see an already delivered Cobra “visiting” the Bell Fort Worth facility. The communications gear ranged from low-bandVHF, through air VHF, 136-144 l. VIHz, and air-uhf. An entire contingent of Iraqi soldiers surrendered to two of these great helicopters during Desert Storm. It wasn’t hard to imagine why!

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Rob Harrington from Willetton WA details a pre AMATS incident which is of interest. Rob was airborne, and tracking for the WA wheat belt town of Narembeen, which is located east of Perth.

Ten nautical miles out, Rob gave them a themandatory inbound call to Narembeen Traffic, stating callsign, position and altitude. The call was immediately echoed by another aircraft giving the same position and altitude. Robthen requested an exact circuit position from the other aircraft, with a small bead of sweat forming onhis forehead, which turned to steam, and fogged his eye glasses.

The other pilot announced that he was at the same position and altitude in the circuit!

Following a quick lookout behind and to starboard, Rob quickly dropped 500 feet and flew a very long and wide downwind leg, expecting the other aircraft to crash through the cabin window at any stage.

The other aeroplane had still not been sighted by the time Rob’s aircraft was turned onto base leg. A very cautious approach was used, and the soft touchdown was something akin to landing on a giant Mr Whippy ice cream. Rob taxied to the parking area, and then called the other aircraft, because he still couldn’t see it. The other pilot promptly reported that he had landed at Narembeen and couldn’t see Rob’s aircraft. A little bit of cross-checking from Rob with the other pilot revealed that the other pilot had in fact made a slight error. He had landed at Bruce Rock Airfield some 30 nautical miles away from Narembeen! As Robputs it,the teethmarks are stillvisible on the control wheel of his Cessna 182!

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Patrick Woodward from Kingswood NSW is a 17 year old student, operating a Realistic PRO-2006 scanner, with a passionate interest in aircraft communications monitoring.

Richmond Approach frequency is 135. 9 l. VIHz, along with parallel 119. 7. Patrick monitored the following exchange from his home, which is not toofar awayfrom Richmond Air Base. C-130: “Richmond Approach, g’day from Trojan 155, maintaining flight level two-one-zero, we have received Golf, request visual approach. Pee-oh-bee is seven. ”

RIC APPROACH: “Trojan 155, Richmond Approach, good day to you. When ready, descend to seven thousand and say again P-O-B.

C-130: “Trojan 155, seven thousand, seven P-O-B. ”

RIC APPROACH: “Roger” (then a short break followed . . . ) C-130: “Approach, Trojan 155, amended P-O-B is seventeen, not seven. ”

RIC APPROACH: “Roger that. ” C-130: “We reproduce quickly up here!”

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Patrick has also been actively monitoring other military flights, with the following callsign list supplied by him for our perusal. (Patrick, you will find the full military list, for RAAF, NavY and Army in Listening in to Aircraft Radio, my new book. )

707 Air-to-air refuelling DRAGON; Caribou formation BRONCO;USAF C-14l’sREACH;38Sqn CaribouWOMBAT;37 Sqn Hercules C-130E TROJAN;36 Sqn Hercules C-130H STALLION; 33 Sqn 707 WINDSOR;Richmond based Sabre HERITAGE;0832 OCUF/A-18MAPLE;292SqnEdinburghMARINER;

34 Sqn Falcon 500 ENVOY.

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Kurt Barth, from Ansett in Launceston recently faxed us with a couple of extra selcal itemsfrom the Ansett fleet. Kurt tells us that VH-ANF has no selcal fitted, and that VH-ANA currently has AD-DJ. Kind regards Kurt. Thanks for taking the time to send the fax.

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There was a touch of nostalgia recently for a Qantas 7 47-400 crew when they had to divert to Malta’s Luqa Airport, due to poor visibility in Rome.

The aircraft, VH-OJH, under the command of Captain John Pickhaver, is the first 7 47-400 to land in Malta and created somewhat of a dilemma for local aircraft refuellers.

The crew ran into refuelling problems when the pressure fuelling equipment was unable to open the underwing inlet valves. First Officer Ron Ivett, Second Officer Bob Graham, and Flight Service Director (yes . . . the FSD!) had to clamour over the wings and literally pour in the Jet A-1 through wingtop fuel points.

For Captain Pickhaver, the nostalgia came to the fore, and sent his mind reeling back twenty seven years, to the days he had joined Qantas to fly DC-3’s. Captain John tells us it was common practice for engineers to walk on wings to refuel in his early Qantas days. Some of the weather experienced in those early days was revisited on the Qantas 15 when it was diverted to Luqa from Rome.

Rome’s Fiumicino Airport had fog, with visibility reduced to 800 metres. So the diversion to Malta’s Luqa Airport was necessary, and was made without incident. That is, except for the fact that the local hotel lounge was too small to accommodate the large number of Qantas passengers! So the pax were kept on board, except for twenty six very lucky Malta bound passengers who had an unexpected trip right to their destination!

Lots of radio talk occurred on the HF network back to Qantas Control in Sydney, through Speedbird London in an effort to find a way of opening the inlet valve. There was pressure in the fuel pipes, but the pulsating action still would not open the valve so thatfuel could be topped up for the flight to Rome.

With all options exhausted, the crew reverted to the sure fire oldtime method of pouring fuel in through the wingtop openings. Boeing have wisely left the wingtop fuelling points on the latest 747’s, just in case of such a problem occurring. Thirty tonnes of fuel were thus poured into the tanks in a four hour operation. VH-OJH arrived in Rome six hours late. But regardless, we must yell out a resounding “well done!” to the crew of this Qantas 15.

I’m told by Qantas staff that Captain Pickhaver stated considerable local interest was aroused by the arrival of the unscheduledQantas747visitortoLuqa, which normally boasts only a few 737’s and maybe an executive jet or two. But while the locals were watching the Qantas aircraft, what did the passengers watch? A couple of latest release movies I understand and they consumed heaps of extra food and drink, all on the house! Yes, Qantas really knows how to look after its passengers in these situations when the original game plan hits a hurdle. Good work Qantas Airways, Captain Pickhaver, and crew!··

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Listening in to Aircra/t Radio is the reference book you need if you are a serious aircraft communications monitor. Covering ATC and FlightWatch, Airline Operations, Weather Inflight,Velocity Measurements,Airline Satellite Communications, ACARS, Military, Worldwide and Australian VHF-UHF frequency lists, and Worldwide LDOC frequencies, plus lots of other important information vital to monitors!

The book is available on your Bankcard, Mastercard or Visa, for $19. 95 + $3. 00 pack and post. Write to Airband Communications, PO Box 16 Georges Hall 2198.

Until next issue, enjoy all your aircraft monitoring times.