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Author Topic: Military ATC Training Exercise  (Read 22040 times)

Offline lajim

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Military ATC Training Exercise
« on: January 31, 2014, 02:02:47 AM »
I accidentally came across this and recorded from my personal scanner.  It's a training exercise for a very new military air traffic controller and she's having her ups and downs.  The controller doing the training is very patient and professional as he helps her correct mistakes.  We are so used to the rapid fire and accurate voices of most controllers; this is a reminder you don't start out that way.  I'm not sure why this was broadcast over the air (maybe someone just hit the wrong button?).  Enjoy!



Offline StuSEL

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Re: Military ATC Training Exercise
« Reply #1 on: February 01, 2014, 07:43:46 PM »
There is no instructor voice present on this frequency. We can tell it's a newer controller, but the guy talking on the other end is a pilot, not an instructor.

Offline lajim

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Re: Military ATC Training Exercise
« Reply #2 on: February 02, 2014, 04:31:02 AM »
IMHO, it sounds like the male is playing the different "voices" that the female trainee is communicating with (i.e., Fist 24, Fist 25, adjacent Sector 10 controller).  Thus, the conclusion that he is an instructor.  If the male voice is a pilot, then how would he know how to respond to her controller-to-controller hand-off request?  He sounds much more like an air traffic controller who is just being the "voice" of Fist 24/25 in this training simulation.  Am I missing something?  Would appreciate the input of anyone else.

 

Offline Rick108

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Re: Military ATC Training Exercise
« Reply #3 on: February 02, 2014, 11:35:06 AM »
Jim, I have the same impression as you do.  My assumption when I heard this was that the "pilot-side" conversation was actually an instructing controller playing the role of the pilot and other controller(s).  At one point, doesn't he even correct some of her instructions?  My only question is - why was this training session being transmitted live on some frequency?  Maybe a mistake?

Offline sykocus

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Re: Military ATC Training Exercise
« Reply #4 on: February 03, 2014, 02:57:06 AM »
It sounds like she's running a simulation. Some simulators use the real ATC equipment and can be used to run life traffic with a couple of keystrokes. I've seen simulators where you keyed up the PTT on you headset but only keyed up an intercom to the "pilots" headset, not a live frequency. I don't know why they would be using a live frequency or why the instructor is using it while "instructing". My guess is it's either an accident or they're using an unpublished frequency for training during downtime. FASFAC is basically a range control so if there's no planes in the range then they probably need the frequency for something else.

Offline StuSEL

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Re: Military ATC Training Exercise
« Reply #5 on: February 04, 2014, 06:30:47 PM »
Oh, sorry guys. It does indeed sound like they're conducting training on a real frequency, which is pretty weird. Apologies for the confusion on my part.

Offline JetScan1

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Re: Military ATC Training Exercise
« Reply #6 on: February 04, 2014, 08:11:46 PM »
Good reception of the controller(s). Just curious where you are located to be able to hear the controllers so clearly ? What do you normally hear on this frequency ?

As far as I can tell from Googling, the "Fist" callsign is used by VFA-25 squadron out of Naval Air Station Lemoore.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VFA-25

I can't quite make out the clearance she gives to "Fist 24". It sounds like cleared to Marvia? via TIGHT? FIXER? CARRL? direct. I see a waypoint CARRL on the charts and it's a published fix on the arrivals into Lemoore but I can't find anything that resembles the other two. Anyone ? 




Offline lajim

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Re: Military ATC Training Exercise
« Reply #7 on: February 04, 2014, 09:19:16 PM »
This is one of Beaver Control's tactical frequencies that is typically used for various types of combat training (e.g., intercepts).  Based on the hand off to Oakland Center, this training simulation was somewhere off the coast west of Big Sur.  I'm located well to the south near Pasadena and would not have been able to hear a transmitter in that area.  I believe that Beaver uses various transmitter locations including a site on San Clemente Island.  Given my elevation above 1,000 feet, I have fair line of site/reception to that area even though it is 60+ miles away.  However, reception can be excellent if there is a strong temperature inversion which was the case when this was recorded in May 2013.  Given that the simulation was in central CA and it was being transmitted in southern CA leads me to believe someone hit the wrong button down at Beaver.

My read of the routing was cleared to Lemoore via Kite (spelling?), Big Sur (BSR), CARRL, Direct.

Offline JetScan1

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Re: Military ATC Training Exercise
« Reply #8 on: February 04, 2014, 11:17:46 PM »
Quote
I'm located well to the south near Pasadena and would not have been able to hear a transmitter in that area.  I believe that Beaver uses various transmitter locations including a site on San Clemente Island.  Given my elevation above 1,000 feet, I have fair line of site/reception to that area even though it is 60+ miles away.  However, reception can be excellent if there is a strong temperature inversion which was the case when this was recorded

That is impressive reception at that distance. I've had a few similar, but very rare, VHF experiences with inversions/ducting like that. What type of radio/antenna setup were you using ?

Quote
My read of the routing was cleared to Lemoore via Kite (spelling?), Big Sur (BSR), CARRL, Direct.

Makes sense. I see BSR and CARRL on the chart, but nothing that resembles Kite ? 


Offline lajim

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Re: Military ATC Training Exercise
« Reply #9 on: February 05, 2014, 10:39:28 PM »
I'm using a discone on the roof with a PRO-2006.  My best "inversion/ducting" reception for a land station was the Tijuana ATIS and approach at 132 miles (clearly readable a few times in 10 years).  However, in the spring/summer, there are multiple days when conditions allow for various San Diego area ATIS, Tower, and SOCAL frequencies to be heard.  These airports are all around 100 miles away.