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C-17 Lands at Wrong Airport


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Some folks do it all the time.

Doesn't answer his question.

Can you think of a reason a pointy nosed guy would want/need to land at an uncontrolled field? And if so, do you really think he would give a shit if he nailed his downwind radio call?

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Can you think of a reason a pointy nosed guy would want/need to land at an uncontrolled field?

CO ANG F-16 did attempted to at Lamar Colorado couple years back after his engine shit the bed. Punched when the jet went off the runway.

And if so, do you really think he would give a shit if he nailed his downwind radio call?

fvck no!

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Peacetime or combat?

Exactly.

I'm not talking about accidentally landing at an uncontrolled field, and I'm not talking about landing on a dirt strip in dirka-dirka stan. I'm talking about filing to and landing at an uncontrolled CONUS field - the subject of this thread.

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Exactly.

I'm not talking about accidentally landing at an uncontrolled field, and I'm not talking about landing on a dirt strip in dirka-dirka stan. I'm talking about filing to and landing at an uncontrolled CONUS field - the subject of this thread.

Scheduled mission to land at Dannelly field to return F-16 maintainers home from a deployment. Tower was closed (early morning arrival). We landed without issue...without tower, SOF or an O-6 sitting there making sure we did what we were trained to do. Although I will admit my Co-Pilot was concerned that the tower wasn't there to say "cleared to land".

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Why would we land at an uncontrolled field?

Some folks do it all the time.

Peacetime or combat?

Ah, the joy of every other African airfield...when you carry your own "verbal judo" equipped SF troops it happens quite often, but only if you have space for said security peeps in your airplane.

The Herk is the best and probably lands at uncontrolled fields as much as any AF prop-job.

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Exactly.

I'm not talking about accidentally landing at an uncontrolled field, and I'm not talking about landing on a dirt strip in dirka-dirka stan. I'm talking about filing to and landing at an uncontrolled CONUS field - the subject of this thread.

I land at uncontrolled CONUS fields all the time for various training purposes. In just the past 6 months I've been to 57B, AVX, 2NC0, L05, 1Z1.....Literally hundreds of uncontrolled fields in the past 8 years. Partly because the opportunity has presented itself and I enjoy it, but also because keeping the VFR skill set sharp is relevant to my job.

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I land at uncontrolled CONUS fields all the time for various training purposes. In just the past 6 months I've been to 57B, AVX, 2NC0, L05, 1Z1.....Literally hundreds of uncontrolled fields in the past 8 years. Partly because the opportunity has presented itself and I enjoy it, but also because keeping the VFR skill set sharp is relevant to my job.

Valid. Most uncontrolled fields are <8K, so guys like me can't comprehend why/how you would land there.

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Had a copilot a few weeks back when we were flying VFR cross country who didn't know "nee odd sweeven" (but both the FE and gunner knew it).

We just fly below 2000' and call it good.

The best strips to land at are uncontrolled (STS). Some USFS landing fields in the mountains are the perfect place to shut down and have a BBQ/fishing trip when on a fini flight.

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LOL, I wonder when they regained SA? "Um, General, Sir...". That had to be an awkward conversation.

I'm thinking the best conversation had to be between the pilots when they stopped rolling. "Dude, nice landing." "Hey, thanks. Uh, where's the Follow-Me?" The next best was with the general. Way to look good in the joint arena.

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Valid. Most uncontrolled fields are &lt;8K, so guys like me can't comprehend why/how you would land there.

Good point, and I've never landed somewhere uncontrolled down range..... It's been done but not by me. I go to these little places stateside because there aren't many towered fields with slopes, turns, impossible TERPS, crumbling infrastructure, etc. to accurately simulate places I need to get into at times overseas. And honestly, a lot of it is just for fun.

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Good point, and I've never landed somewhere uncontrolled down range..... It's been done but not by me. I go to these little places stateside because there aren't many towered fields with slopes, turns, impossible TERPS, crumbling infrastructure, etc. to accurately simulate places I need to get into at times overseas. And honestly, a lot of it is just for fun.

FUN????? No No No No...you can't have fun in the AF anymore. Fun gets you Q-3s and/or paperwork.

Cooter

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Exactly.

I'm not talking about accidentally landing at an uncontrolled field, and I'm not talking about landing on a dirt strip in dirka-dirka stan. I'm talking about filing to and landing at an uncontrolled CONUS field - the subject of this thread.

CHS' aux field for assaults/touch and goes is uncontrolled. Also had to divert once to Stephenville Canada's old uncontrolled SAC strip when the whole east coast was socked in. Folks should be generally familiar with how to do it in case they ever have to

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What is the deal with the steep, S'ing down final, the airlines have to deal with at Tucson? Is that standard? I see it holding short and wonder if all the PAX are getting sick. (I know, small thread derail).

Not sure which direction you are referring to but I know coming from the east that approach control keeps you high as you pass over DM. Just to make it that much more special, they will vector you in tight. Throw in too fast and it gets to be a real rush to get as much drag out as you can to get the thing slowing down and going down.

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Not sure which direction you are referring to but I know coming from the east that approach control keeps you high as you pass over DM. Just to make it that much more special, they will vector you in tight. Throw in too fast and it gets to be a real rush to get as much drag out as you can to get the thing slowing down and going down.

Ive seen it on 29 and 11, and I have done the practical SFO formation full stop to 11, I was just wondering why the airliners deal with it.

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Ive seen it on 29 and 11, and I have done the practical SFO formation full stop to 11, I was just wondering why the airliners deal with it.

I've wondered this while being a passenger coming in on 11. Between 5-10Nm remaining, airline has done a few check turns upwards of 20 degrees it felt like. I was nervous we weren't lined up by then

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C-17 guys, what's the takeoff ground run of an unladen Globemaster... in the heat of the summer... on thin concrete... in the middle of a city?

Critical Field lengths are in the 3,000' range, TO Ground run is probably somewhere in the 1200-1500' range. If you're slick floor and low gas which I'm sure they were, a max power takeoff wouldn't be an issue. Heck, we were getting numbers in the sim yesterday for a 3/4 flap approach onto an assault runway (3,500'). Just in case you want to do something amazing (Like land at your home field).

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Well let's get back on the subject of this thread.... What's gonna happen to aircrew and/or leadership, think they will throw this under the table and create it hush hush or make an example and see their articles on the next edition of Torch magazine?

Edited by Dave
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