USN Lewd Callsigns = bad!

[JTS11]

Ball call, if made (any CQ pass, and any Case 3 recovery or any recovery using “low vis”calls, whether CQ or not), starts with side number/MODEX. During CQ, you also tack on your last name at the end of the call. If no ball call, ie during standard non-CQ Case 1 or Case 2, Paddles will note your MODEX either way (its apparent on the ISIS board, as well as just looking at the airplane as it crosses the ramp)

That makes sense to me. LHD ops are a lot less dynamic Helo's are towed in/out of the landing spots, per the airplan, so no need to worry about side numbers, per se. As far as jet ops, you've got four of them onboard, maybe 2 in the air at a time.

I never had to launch off an LHD IFR that required some coordination with shore ATC (WRT to your comment about strips), but I'm sure it would have gotten fucked up. Much preferable to launch, then get lower and slower...until you can't, then get an IFR pickup. 😆

 

[MIDNJAC]

That makes sense to me. LHD ops are a lot less dynamic Helo's are towed in/out of the landing spots, per the airplan, so no need to worry about side numbers, per se. As far as jet ops, you've got four of them onboard, maybe 2 in the air at a time.

I never had to launch off an LHD IFR that required some coordination with shore ATC (WRT to your comment about strips), but I'm sure it would have gotten fucked up. Much preferable to launch, then get lower and slower...until you can't, then get an IFR pickup. 😆

I’m pretty sure that when shore ATC got us, they had no idea who we were, other than the fact that we were Murican. I only had to divert once, to JAX on that occasion, and fortunately me, and a two seat jet diverted nearly simultaneously. We spent that thanksgiving night woefully unprepared. One of us had a mil ID, one had a cell phone, and one had a credit/debit card once we pooled all our resources (I think i was the money guy, as i never fly with a phone to this day, and you didn’t need a CAC card to sign for the jet back then). Ended up getting a pizza and a 24 rack of coors, and flew “home” late the next afternoon. Might have actually been one of the better thanksgiving nights I’ve had. Have had several on das boat, and that was at least better than those.

 

[robav8r]

Only an FRS thing, every other squadron uses “nickname XX”. Why does the FRS do it? I have no idea.

Because they are the "Pros Nest" . . . . . that's why

 

[JTS11]

I’m pretty sure that when shore ATC got us, they had no idea who we were, other than the fact that we were Murican.

Fairly sure I could have, if I wanted or by circumstance, penetrated Mexican air defenses multiple times taking off to the south out of El Centro, either with intent, or a dumb co-pilot while I was heads down. Probably wouldn't have resulted in any international incident though.😆

 

[Gatordev]

I’m pretty sure that when shore ATC got us, they had no idea who we were, other than the fact that we were Murican. I only had to divert once, to JAX on that occasion

Typically FASFAC is going to be in the loop there at some point and they're going to generate something that a) supposedly coordinates with ATC and b) lets everyone know at Homeland that you're supposed to be there. I've never had to deal with part a) before, but given my interactions with the JAX FASFAC when going out to the Warning areas in the past, I wouldn't be surprised they dropped the ball.

The bigger issue is when there's supposed to be a FASFAC but they never answer. I had that issue in S. Florida one time where we couldn't raise them on the way out (I've been told they never answer for anyone there), so we checked in with Miami, got a code and told them we were going to be low level outside the ADIZ and would be back with them in 30 minutes.

You can guess how that turned out...new controller with no turnover on us when we came back up. After a minute or two of explaining, he just sent us on our way, but apparently he didn't notify the ADIZ people (or maybe he did, but not in a good way) so the Coast Guard guys that were hosting us got a phone call. I still chuckle at the exchange between my CO (who was my co-pilot) and the base CO.

"Didn't you guys file or fill out a form?"

"Ah, no, we didn't know about that."

"Did you call anyone?"

"Yep, but they didn't pass along the info."

"Oh..."

And the conversation just kind of died right there in the room.

 

[JTS11]

Typically FASFAC is going to be in the loop there at some point and they're going to generate something that a) supposedly coordinates with ATC and b) lets everyone know at Homeland that you're supposed to be there. I've never had to deal with part a) before, but given my interactions with the JAX FASFAC when going out to the Warning areas in the past, I wouldn't be surprised they dropped the ball.

The bigger issue is when there's supposed to be a FASFAC but they never answer. I had that issue in S. Florida one time where we couldn't raise them on the way out (I've been told they never answer for anyone there), so we checked in with Miami, got a code and told them we were going to be low level outside the ADIZ and would be back with them in 30 minutes.

You can guess how that turned out...new controller with no turnover on us when we came back up. After a minute or two of explaining, he just sent us on our way, but apparently he didn't notify the ADIZ people (or maybe he did, but not in a good way) so the Coast Guard guys that were hosting us got a phone call. I still chuckle at the exchange between my CO (who was my co-pilot) and the base CO.

"Didn't you guys file or fill out a form?"

"Ah, no, we didn't know about that."

"Did you call anyone?"

"Yep, but they didn't pass along the info."

"Oh..."

And the conversation just kind of died right there in the room.

Well, I will say the SD FACSFAC, Beaver Control, was very negligent in the mid-air between a CG C-130 and an AH-1W out of Pendleton in 2009. RIP to the AW OG @skidkid. 🙏

Not sure what reforms were made following that mishap.

 

[sevenhelmet]

I’m pretty sure that when shore ATC got us, they had no idea who we were, other than the fact that we were Murican. I only had to divert once, to JAX on that occasion, and fortunately me, and a two seat jet diverted nearly simultaneously. We spent that thanksgiving night woefully unprepared. One of us had a mil ID, one had a cell phone, and one had a credit/debit card once we pooled all our resources (I think i was the money guy, as i never fly with a phone to this day, and you didn’t need a CAC card to sign for the jet back then). Ended up getting a pizza and a 24 rack of coors, and flew “home” late the next afternoon. Might have actually been one of the better thanksgiving nights I’ve had. Have had several on das boat, and that was at least better than those.

I have diverted off USS Ship into Jax and Oceana several times for various unforeseen circumstances. Never had any issues with ATC that I can recall. When I checked in "Coming from USS Boat", they always seemed to know who I was and where I was going when I checked in. I generally assume someone on USS Ship was making phone calls ahead of me.

Even went VFR once on a clear night when I lost a bunch of avionics during the cat stroke in a Charlie.

ADIZ? Never heard of her...

 

[JTS11]

I have diverted off USS Ship into Jax and Oceana several times for various unforeseen circumstances. Never had any issues with ATC that I can recall. When I checked in "Coming from USS Boat", they always seemed to know who I was and where I was going when I checked in. I generally assume someone on USS Ship was making phone calls ahead of me.

Even went VFR once on a clear night when I lost a bunch of avionics during the cat stroke in a Charlie.

ADIZ? Never heard of her...

Probably a result of your white privilege...😆

 

[hdr777]

I'm curious for my own personal knowledge why using MODEX is useful for those particular evolutions. I'm not questioning the wisdom, just don't understand.

OK, I'll hang up and listen. 😆

The schedule can get complicated during FCLPs/CQ with the amount of people switching into planes, so you never really know what actual call sign would be, or if someone else is also going to use the same callsign. We do JANAP + Modex so you know you will be the only one using that call sign

 

[sevenhelmet]

Probably a result of your white privilege...😆

Unlike @MIDNJAC , I am never one to turn down an advantage, if it is presented to me.

 

[jmcquate]

Aren't squadron call signs ever used like Gypsy, Bullet, Victory, or Fast Eagle, followed by a MODEX number?

 

[MIDNJAC]

Aren't squadron call signs ever used like Gypsy, Bullet, Victory, or Fast Eagle, followed by a MODEX number?

Well I can say that I once did a tour using one of those callsigns. It wasn't the nerds in Lemoore, and it wasn't the Oceana nerds who like to read back a landing clearance to RWY 32 as "cleared to land runway thirty two". I don't think we ever mixed the standard CS with a MODEX, but who knows, it has been almost 5 years now.

 

[JTS11]

Well, I will say the SD FACSFAC, Beaver Control, was very negligent in the mid-air between a CG C-130 and an AH-1W out of Pendleton in 2009. RIP to the AW OG @skidkid. 🙏

Not sure what reforms were made following that mishap.

Forgot to add the link to the CG report that details FACSFAC SD's failures WRT this mishap. If you've got a sec, give it a read.

https://media.defense.gov/2017/Oct/10/2001824916/-1/-1/0/1705_FAM.PDF

 

[MIDNJAC]

Forgot to add the link to the CG report that details FACSFAC SD's failures WRT this mishap. If you've got a sec, give it a read.

https://media.defense.gov/2017/Oct/10/2001824916/-1/-1/0/1705_FAM.PDF

Of note, the fallout from this was a contributing factor to the super delayed response to a pretty bad Miramar gun squadron mishap a few years later, involving a pilot who had been a few classes ahead of mine at -101. Those guys spent hours in the water, following near supersonic ejections.

 

[MIDNJAC]

Unlike @MIDNJAC , I am never one to turn down an advantage, if it is presented to me.

From that I learned that a 4 channel AoA failure (after you bent your right probe 90 degrees on the tanker) that you somehow didn't notice, flies just fine on a bingo profile without selecting GAIN ORIDE. Don't tell Mr Romano plz

*disclaimer to any cones reading this, don't violate NATOPS because you read online that I was once too stupid not to