Sunday, June 19, 2011

2011 AFMC Freedom's Call Tattoo

This years Freedom's Call Tattoo is scheduled for this coming Friday June 24 at the National Museum of The United States Air Force adjacent to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. Aircraft expected to perform are:
C-17A
C-21A
C-130H
KC-135R T-6 (the warbird, not the modern one)

The schedule for Friday is:

1100-1200: AF band rehearsal
1200: All video screens complete and connected
1200-1630: Guest band setup and sound check
NLT 1300: aircraft arrivals
1600: FAA waiver briefing on flightline
1600: Gates open
1630: Displays open
1700: Opening band takes stage
1830: Preshow begins
1959-Twilight: Aircraft flights
2000: Ceremony begins
2100: Guest band takes stage
2200: Fireworks display
2230: Show ends

All aircraft are expected to arrive at KFFO prior to 1 PM on Friday for the mandatory 4 PM briefing. This is by far your best chance to see them (especially if you are taking photos, since the show is at dusk!). If this is the case....


First, check the ATIS (124.475/269.900) for the runway in use.
If 23R/L: Watch from Fairfield Park (39 50 00/-084 01 28).
If 05L/R: Watch from Wright Brothers Hill (39 47 42/-084 05 21).

If you plan to watch the show instead, your best bet is to find someplace east of the museum runway to see the aircraft inbound for passes. Huffman Dam will have traffic overhead, but at higher altitudes to avoid terrain. Eastwood Park may be a good alternative, though I've never tried it. There will also be many people set up along Col. Glenn near Exit 15, but you'll need to plan parking in advance - base security will be shooing you away if you try to get a spot in a private lot.
High-performance aircraft hold at CLACK (south of KSGH) until they are called into the pattern. From there, they proceed overhead FFO and begin a downwind leg to 09. This inbound turn is VFR - as shown by the B-52 last year: they made an extended base leg and got scolded by the controller for nearly overflying the crowd. All closed patterns at the museum field are flown normally.  The initial flyover also stages from CLACK, but uses a point south of the museum (probably a fix off the TACAN) to time their inbound run.

FREQUENCIES TO MONITOR:

AIR:

121.800 Ground
121.950 WPAC Ops
122.850 Dispatch
123.225 Air Boss
123.550 WPAC Tac 3
123.575 WPAC Tac 4
123.650 WPAC Tac 1
123.675 WPAC Tac 2
126.500 Columbus Departure
126.900 Tower
251.075 Tower B/U
281.450 Tower
289.400 Air Boss
327.125 Columbus Departure
335.800 Ground
344.600 Metro
349.400 Buckeye Control
372.200 Dispatch

GROUND:


Civil Air Patrol (providing support for SF):
139.8750 TAC 1
141.0000 CC 2
141.5750 CC 1
149.2750 AIR 1
150.2250 GUARD 1
150.5625 AIR 2
148.1250/143.5500 Primary
148.1500/143.7000 Secondary
148.1375/143.6250 Tactical

CAP ISR radios:

396.8750 1
397.1250 2
397.1750 3
397.3750 4
397.4250 5
397.4750 6
397.5500 7
397.9500 8
398.0500 9
399.4250 10
399.4750 11
399.7250 12
399.9250 13
399.9750 14

Media (should be using remote pickups around 450 mHz):

1290 WHIO-AM - live @ 5 PM
95.7 WHIO-FM - live @ 5 PM
99.1 WHKO-FM - live @ 6 PM, fireworks simulcast

Wright-Patterson TRS


Thanks to Jared Soergel for the above information. If anyone catches anything not listed above please post in the comments.