Symphonik From United States of America, joined Sep 2005, 154 posts, RR: 0 Posted (7 years 1 month 5 days 13 hours ago) and read 1622 times:
Anyone know if Air Force One will be communicating on the normal frequencies on approach to KNUQ today? I'm not sure if they change frequencies for these high-profile military flights or not.
Planespotting From United States of America, joined Apr 2004, 3438 posts, RR: 5 Reply 1, posted (7 years 1 month 5 days 13 hours ago) and read 1623 times:
I would imagine Air Force One uses some encryption, even when operating within civilian frequencies...
has anyone out there ever heard "Chicago Center, Air Force One is with you out of 10.1 for 1-8-0" or anyting like that?
EMBQA From United States of America, joined Oct 2003, 9286 posts, RR: 13 Reply 2, posted (7 years 1 month 5 days 7 hours ago) and read 1579 times:
Quoting Planespotting (Reply 1): I would imagine Air Force One uses some encryption, even when operating within civilian frequencies...
Nope... I've been at two airports where AF1 was visiting. They just use the standard freq. and the call sign 'Air Force One' if the Prez is on-board. Nothing special.
has anyone out there ever heard "Chicago Center, Air Force One is with you out of 10.1 for 1-8-0" or anyting like that?
Actually, yes I have, but it was CLE Center. If you have ever heard the 9-11 ATC audio tapes of ATC talking to / about AF1 it was some pretty interesting stuff.
[Edited 2006-04-22 02:52:07]
"It's not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog"
SlamClick From United States of America, joined Nov 2003, 10062 posts, RR: 71 Reply 4, posted (7 years 1 month 3 days 17 hours ago) and read 1500 times:
Quoting Planespotting (Reply 1): I would imagine Air Force One uses some encryption, even when operating within civilian frequencies...
Crypto gear is extremely security sensitive. If a voice scrambling 'box' was let out of the sight of its handler the algorithms in use at the time, and possibly even the technology itself might have to be considered compromised. I can assure you they don't just go out and install them at dozens or hundreds of ATC facilities.
Quoting Symphonik (Thread starter): I'm not sure if they change frequencies for these high-profile military flights or not.
Situational awareness as it relates to air traffic is as important to the safety of the President as anything else is. Again, would you really want every controller who handles the President's plane from one coast to the other to have to use some secret frequency just for that occasion. It sounds to me like a good opportunity to run a couple of planes together!
Quoting Planespotting (Reply 1): has anyone out there ever heard "Chicago Center, Air Force One is with you out of 10.1 for 1-8-0" or anyting like that?
Yes. On many occasions.
I think it is possible that they, like many military aircraft, might make some use of the regular UHF frequencies along the way. For one thing, there is less chatter on those. For another, a relatively low profile is probably a good thing.
I was headed down the east coast a couple of years ago and was held down to the mid-twenties for about forty miles farther than I thought normal. They just said 'for traffic' so I motored along patiently waiting for higher. Pretty soon I see a four-holer coming opposite direction and that caught my eye. You don't see many four-holers in US domestic airspace anymore. Then I noticed that it was a 747 and that was a real surprise. Normally about the only place you see those is right near LAX, JFK, SFO and the like.
Well, the paintjob stands out pretty good. From fifteen miles away or so I could tell it was Air Force One. He was at 290 and I was at 280. He passed about a mile or two to the right of me and I never heard his callsign. I've always assumed that center was talking with him on 'uniform' but when they get onto approach and tower at civil airports, it has been my experience (Nixon, Carter, Reagan, Bush Sr. Bush Jr.) that they use the regular VHF frequencies and the famous callsign.
Happiness is not seeing another trite Ste. Maarten photo all week long.
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