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Air Traffic Monitoring => Listener Forum => Topic started by: eastern tristar on May 11, 2010, 09:40:25 AM

Title: What is a flight check?
Post by: eastern tristar on May 11, 2010, 09:40:25 AM
I am listening to JFK Tower (9:30am 5/11/10) and there is a P51 doing a "flight check" over the runways, they did one of the 4's and just did the closed 31L, what is this and why do they do it? 
Title: Re: What is a flight check?
Post by: dave on May 11, 2010, 09:53:15 AM
The FAA operates a fleet of airplanes/crews that check navigation aids and approaches to airports, among other things.  These flights operate under "Flight Check XX" callsigns.
Title: Re: What is a flight check?
Post by: rpd on May 11, 2010, 05:55:37 PM
I have never seen a P51 doing a flight check for the FAA.
Title: Re: What is a flight check?
Post by: rekno13 on May 11, 2010, 09:35:13 PM
Think you can find it in the archives and edit it down?
Title: Re: What is a flight check?
Post by: dave on May 11, 2010, 11:26:31 PM
And how do you know it was a P51?
Title: Re: What is a flight check?
Post by: rekno13 on May 12, 2010, 02:56:20 AM
Maybe it is PD? But I never heard of a PD51... Cars are usually 9 something?
Title: Re: What is a flight check?_Surface inspection
Post by: Cap747 on May 12, 2010, 01:57:33 PM
At this feed I heard the attached file, but my ears are not good enough to hear if it''s a p51  Callsign is nine nine....

This one does a surface inspection and lands at 4R ...
I took this recording from the 15:30 feed, if that's the right UTC time...
Title: Re: What is a flight check?
Post by: Cap747 on May 12, 2010, 02:18:36 PM
I am listening to JFK Tower (9:30am 5/11/10) and there is a P51 doing a "flight check" over the runways, they did one of the 4's and just did the closed 31L, what is this and why do they do it? 

They must love flying... it would be so boring if they didn't love it...
Title: Re: What is a flight check?
Post by: Unbeliever on May 12, 2010, 02:24:31 PM
P-51's usually call in as "North American 123AB" and not "P-51 123AB".

--Carlos V.
Title: Re: What is a flight check?_plus PD15
Post by: Cap747 on May 12, 2010, 03:29:28 PM
Got to find the flight check audio, it really says nowhere it is a P51.
I did hear the PD15 (Police helicopter) if I heard it right....
Though I didn't used it in this recording....

[Edit] Added a little conversation for PD15 too...
Title: Re: What is a flight check?
Post by: heliUD on May 12, 2010, 04:18:38 PM
A really interesting catch, thank you!

The aircraft should be this one:

http://jetphotos.net/viewphoto.php?id=6721555 (http://jetphotos.net/viewphoto.php?id=6721555)
Title: Re: What is a flight check?
Post by: eastern tristar on May 12, 2010, 05:15:32 PM
oops, I went back to listen to what I heard yesterday, and it turns out flight check76 wasn't a P51 but there was one flying around when I switched over to listen to JFK departure after flight check 76 flew over 4R (at 1314:38), then when the controller told fight check 76 to contact NY approach he then told JB 1305 to look out for the P51 - silver and I thought he was referring to flight check, but I was mistaken.  When I went back and listened to departure, he was talking to the P51 (with the 337 fighter squadron) just before flightcheck checked in (at 1314:17). Sorry, I guess that's what happens when you jump around frequencies, you can't always trust everything you hear.
Title: Re: What is a flight check?
Post by: Cap747 on May 12, 2010, 06:05:45 PM
I listened to the departure feed but not going to post it here.

This was a strange happening: 1st the N8670P (Cessna 170) then a avianca if I heard it right then 751 romeo bravo (P51 Mustang)

It's the
North American P-51D 44-13903 NL 751RB Leestown Aviation Warhawk, Inc, Dover DE - Operated by Warbirds over Long Island Fly, Static

Found at: http://www.warbirdsandairshows.com/readingairshow2007.htm
Title: Re: What is a flight check?
Post by: Hollis on May 12, 2010, 11:19:35 PM
Flight check:
An aircraft flown by FAA pilots on aircraft specially equipped with electronic gear to measure and/or calibrate Rnav systems such as ILS.
Note on the Cap747 audio that he did a missed approach, then side steps, plus precise headings, etc. Standard procedures.
Guess who was working him? Good old Dennis, our favorite JFK tower controller.
Title: Re: What is a flight check?
Post by: dan9125 on May 13, 2010, 09:41:55 AM
The President is coming to Buffalo today, I'm hearing flight check doing some work right now at KBUF. Wonder if thats standard procedure when Air Force One flies in??

 Dan (KBUF)
Title: Re: What is a flight check?
Post by: ogogog on May 13, 2010, 11:06:51 AM
The President is coming to Buffalo today, I'm hearing flight check doing some work right now at KBUF. Wonder if thats standard procedure when Air Force One flies in??

 Dan (KBUF)

no ,unless there was a navaid outage that had to be cleared before A1 could arrive.
Title: Re: What is a flight check?
Post by: djmodifyd on May 13, 2010, 11:59:06 AM
The President is coming to Buffalo today, I'm hearing flight check doing some work right now at KBUF. Wonder if thats standard procedure when Air Force One flies in??

 Dan (KBUF)

Nope, just a coincidence.  I've worked AF1 3 times, and so far they havn't flight checked once. 
SO im guessing coincidence, or for some special reason it needs to be done for AF1