link on the image
Editor's Note:
My
apologies for the untimely fashion NEPTUNE no.3 came out. March was a
particularly hard month in real life but here we are and catching up.
Thank you for your support. Go Navy!
CAPT. Asra Kron
Saturday, March 31, 2018
Luxor Blue Angels Airshow 2018
Welcome to the Luxor International Airport Air Show, March 31, 2018.
Participating squadrons and schedule:
Navy Flight Demonstration Team Blue Angels - 12:00 SLT (noon)
Bull Rock Hornets - 13:00 SLT
Phoenix Aerobatic Team - 14:00 SLT
AUDIENCE SLURS
Luxor International Audience (limited audience please check with local officials)
Marine Corps Base Quantico (Tkachiev)
USS Defiant (Maxwell)
Blue Angels Demo Layout:
Sapas < Nepthys < Muta < Mentha
Lanig > Maxwell > MELIA > Abeona
DEMO SIM: MELIA
Base sim: Tseshkovsky (Luxor)
Bingo: Aleksandr Intl Airport - Svidler
SHOW ALTITUDES:
Demo - 75/85 meters
Waiting - 120/130 meters
Ceiling - 140 meters - DROP
Deck - 70 meters - PULL UP
Luxor alt - 65 meters
* TAKE OFF - FORMATION - 36
Arrow (reversed) 2-1-3
Arrow - smoke on
Half Cuban 8 - smoke on
* TAKE OFF - SOLOS - 36
5 up dirty roll on take off
6 up vertical pull
>>> PASS ONE
* ARROW
360 Pass - smoke on
** SOLOS
Opposing horizontal roll - smoke on
>>> PASS TWO
* ARROW
In-formation aileron roll - no smoke
** Solos
Section high alpha pass - smoke on
>>> PASS THREE
* ARROW
Dirty loop - smoke on
** SOLOS
Fortus - no smoke
>>> PASS FOUR
* ARROW
Single Farvel - no smoke
** SOLOS
Tuck away cross - smoke on
>>> PASS FIVE
* ARROW to ECHELON LEFT 3
Echelon left 3 parade pass - smoke on *
* Possible Tuck Under Break
** SOLOS
High Speed Roll - smoke on
Opposing Solo joins the Diamond after this pass to pass six
>>> PASS SIX
* ECHELON LEFT 3 to DIAMOND
Diamond parade pass - smoke on
** Solos
Solo Leader sneak pass
>>> PASS SEVEN
* DIAMOND
Diamond Loop - smoke on
** SOLOS
Solo Leader free style
>>> PASS EIGHT
* DIAMOND
Diamond Star Burst reforming to Echelon right 5 - smoke on
**
Solo Leader joins after
>>> PASS NINE
* ECHELON RIGHT 5
From Echelon Right 5 formation with smoke on (Melia)
Carrier break 180 from ABEONA and East may extend to Theia
LANDING
Thursday, March 15, 2018
The fleet's Vipers
The Navy does have operational General Dynamics F-16's, only they are named "Vipers" to set them apart from the U.S.A.F. "Fighting Falcons". Used in real life first at N.A.S. Miramar and the Navy Fighter Weapons School and to this day at N.A.S. Fallon with the Naval Strike Air Warfare Center (Topgun's heir), the "Vipers" serve in dissimilar air combat tactics (D.A.C.T.) training in the adversary role, providing the fleet with a light and highly maneuverable aircraft to fly against the front line naval fighters during TOPGUN engagements.
 |
| "Bad Girl 24" at N.A.F. Eagles Nest. |
 |
| Vipers on the tarmac at Miramar before an intercept exercise - class 1 of 2017. |
As in real life, N.A.S. Miramar has a number of F-16N Vipers used for D.A.C.T., increasing the capacity and options of the local aggressors. At this time we have 4 naval aviators assigned to the aggressor squadron (VFC-13 Saint Adversaries), who also fly the F-5E Tiger, the A-4 Skyhawk, and occasionally soviet fighters "acquired" for D.A.C.T. engagements in Vietnam with 7th Fleet. The VFC-13 squadron leader, CAPT. Vickster "Speed" Kühn, also flies an F/A-18B Hornet assigned to the N.F.W.S. (Black Zero Zero).
 |
| VFC-13 aggressors at Eagles Nest: F-15N Viper and F-5E Tiger. |
 |
| Bad Girls 24 and 26 over the Aldabra Sea, North of N.A.S. Miramar. |
Aggressor pilots come from front line squadrons at Miramar and also from TOPGUN crews that made top of their class, whom are given the option of becoming aggressors with VFC-13 as well as N.F.W.S. instructors. You can see the Viper's profile here!
CAPT. Asra Kron
NASMCO / TFCOM
Sunday, February 18, 2018
Armée de l'Air: French Air Power in Second Life
Base Aeriénne 701 Salon-De-Provence is now, in Second Life, located very near Paris! The layout is exactly the same as it was for the last years and in one region manages to recreate the atmosphere of the real life BA 710: the academy building, the hangars, the gardens, the tarmac and runway... all the elements found in the real life air base and school are present and, in a nutshell, remind us of it in a very clever and emotional way. A reference in Second Life's aviation history.
Click on the images to enlarge.
 |
| BA 701 Salon-De-Provence. Tout-prés de Paris en SL! February, 2018. |
 |
| One of the older Alpha Jets on display by the EPAA fallen heroes monument. |
 |
| The Alphas lined up on the apron at the previous BA 701. August 2017. |
 |
| Close up of the EPAA memorial. Lest we forget. |
 |
| Full line up at Salon during the 2017 American Tour season! Things of beauty. |
 |
| One of GE 314 Alphas captured during the Daystar International Air Show 2017. |
 |
| A PAF Alpha Jet in the maintenance hangar at Gordon's. 01/30/2018. |
 |
| CAPT. Asra Kron and Lcl. Paterne Lefavre at Gordon's. 01/30/2018. |
 |
| A rare moment and honor. Cougar with all the squadron at Gordon's. 02/15/2018. |
I was privileged to be invited to a rare occasion (documented above) at Gordon's, where the Patrouille de France en SL has their open skies base. On February 15, the squadron assembled there for the official team photo and I had the honor to take a photo with them during the session. A once in a lifetime moment. On that photo, from left to right, Lt. Chipoune, Cne. Patoulou, Lt. Tidus, Lt. Ariel, Lt. Jeremie Hottaling (Jenny), Col. Rhea Thor, yours truly "Cougar", Cdt. Aethalia Malies, Lcl. Mara Klaber, Cne. T'Sar Kanto, Lcl. Paterne Lefavre, Cdt. Gwenblonde and Cdt. Myrisse Loon. Oh happy day!
To all my friends at BA 701 best wishes for the 2018 Season. We will meet in the great blue sky and under it as well. Merci bien, de tout mon coeur!
CAPT. Asra "Cougar" Kron
Angel 7
SLURs to the Air Bases of the Armée de l'Air in Second life:
To BA 701 Salon-De-Provence - SLUR here!
To Gordon Regional Airport - SLUR here!
Friday, February 16, 2018
Few and Proud in Third Fleet: Upcoming USMC Squadrons
An illustrated guide to new squadrons assigned to the United States Marine Corps detachment in Third Fleet. VMM-262 The Flying Tigers, equipped with MV-22 Ospreys, and HMH-466 Wolfpack operating the MH-90 MHF (NH Industries NH-90), both stationed at MCAF Quantico, the marines air facility that together with MCB Quantico will be inaugurated next March.
You will find the profiles of the aircraft flown by the two squadrons following the links below:
It's a very exciting time in Third Fleet as we receive news that marines that served in SL before are turning to Quantico as a valid option to rejoin the Corps. We will welcome them into the fold and provide the support they require to once again represent proudly the real life naval institution that is the United States Marine Corps.
The same standards that govern Third Fleet apply to the 5th Marine Division, and we have a very capable officer in charge of this Third Fleet detachment, base and air facility. The options on the table are for the moment rotary wing, tiltrotor and heavy transport and cargo. Together with VMM-262 The Flying Tigers and HMH-466 Wolfpack, Quantico will mirror real life and become the home of HMX-1 The Nighthawks (Marine One) with MV-22's, and NAS Miramar will provide support for VMGR-152 Sumos, a KC-130/C-130T Hercules unit, and last but not least, Fat Albert Airlines, that is part of the Blue Angels demo squadron, flying a very special C-130T. More details on the remaining squadrons soon, along with a preview of MCBQ / MCAFQ. Stay tuned.
CAPT. Asra Kron
TFCOM
Wednesday, February 14, 2018
NH Industries MH-90 MFH Block 18 NH
NH Industries MH-90 MFH Block 18 NH, DD-80, BuNo 18003, from HMH-466, Wolfpack, stationed at MCAF Quantico. The 80 was the first MH-90 MFH delivered to MCAFQ and is flown by USMC Major Dominique “Alba” van Dongen. This model provides the Wolfpack with a wide range of operational options in the North Satori, South Nautilus area where Quantico is located but also enhances Third Fleet capabilities in the PATROU role in Tuarua Fiji, and provides CSAR in southern COMNAVAIRNAU.
The MH-90 size, range and workload makes the NH 90 an ideal alternative for the heavy helicopter role in the Fleet. MH-90 MFH is the SL USMC designation for multipurpose helicopter, NH90 the manufacturer designation, and MFH the USMC version indicator. The MH-90 MFH Block 18 NH is AAR enabled, and can perform hovering extractions of material and personnel by using the built in belly and side winches.
Real Life Notes:
The NH90 NFH is the most modern and the best naval helicopter in its class. It has been designed with safety and versatility in mind in order to fulfill the most demanding missions in the harshest
weather conditions for the XXIst century. The NH90 features a redundant fly by wire system, a full composite corrosion free airframe, two powerful engines, a fully integrated weapon system
as well as a wide cabin easily reconfigurable. It can operate from a
shore base or a Frigate up to sea state 5.
Among the multi-missions the NH90 NFH is capable of executing are Anti Submarine Warfare (ASW), Anti Surface Warfare (ASuW), Search and Rescue, Maritime Surveillance and Control, Limited Airborne Early Warning, Logistic Transport and Utility support, Vertical Replenishment (VERTREP), Casualty Evacuation (CASEVAC), and Special Ops, including Counter Terrorism and Anti-Piracy.
CAPT. Asra "Cougar" Kron
NASMCO / TFCOM
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)