Chania (Souda Bay) LGSA/CHQ 2017 MIL

[Trabanti]

Schoen! Thanks for the heads up last night for the Israelis. If not for you I would have missed them as I was originally planning to get a haircut this morning.

Log of today, including locals (should I omit those?) but excluding civies, in chronological order:

538 F-16C 340 Mira
607 F-16D 340 Mira
602 F-16D 340 Mira
518 F-16C 340 Mira
500 F-16C 343 Mira
600 F-16D 343 Mira
511 F-16C 343 Mira
617 F-16D 343 Mira
842 B200T IDF/AF 135 Sqn arr 11.00/dep PM
730 B200T IDF/AF 135 Sqn arr 11.15/dep PM
721 B200T IDF/AF 135 Sqn arr 11.30/dep PM
4064 F-16C Polish AF arr 11.50/dep PM
4066 F-16C Polish AF arr 11.50/dep PM
(16)5832 C-40A USN arr 14.40
40126 C-21A 76AS arr 15.20/dep

Was a good day. 115 combat wing was more active than yesterday with multiple waves of 8 F-16s (4 per sqn) simultaneously. Nice visitors, my wishes from last night were granted!

The German Transalls departed this morning and the EP-3E left at 9 for another long mission. Still wasn't back at 5 pm when it started raining and I got hungry.. The N.Y. ANG Globemaster was gone this morning. Rest is unchanged, sitting on the ramp in covers, waiting for God knows what... (snow, world peace?): RQ-4, Iraqi Falcons, E-3 and the paramilitary sneaky stuff. Also the RC-135 is still here. Looks like it's alternating days with the Orion..

[Trabanti]

25 Oct visitors:

(16)5830 C-40A USN
1x C-21A 76AS

I didn't note the locals but it seemed like the same airframes as yesterday were used. Will check my photos later.

Only spent a few hours in the morning and evening here. The Global Hawk has been towed to the other side of the base, now parked on the western-most taxiway towards the 340 Mira shelter area (next to the line of dumped T-33s). Although still covered, there's a lot of activity around it at last.

Tonight again nightflying by the local F-16s, for the 2nd night in a row, as a 343 Mira pilot I bumped into at a coffeeshop told me.

The RC-135 took off early evening. Indeed it seems it and the EP-3, which got back home in the evening I assume, are taking turns..

C-40s 5830 and 5832 (overnighter) left somewhere during the day.

Still here, sound asleep: the USAF Sentry, 3 Iraqi F-16s, ATR42 (although I think this one does fly occasionally, at night usually), Dash 7 and Beechcraft.

[Trabanti]

Oct 26 visitors:

4069 F-16C Polish AF
4073 F-16C Polish AF
F-RADB A310 AdlA

The Polish came in for a lunchstop again. Not 100% sure on 4073 due to terrrible weather conditions here.

[Bennie]

Oct 26 visitors:

The Polish came in for a lunchstop again. Not 100% sure on 4073 due to terrrible weather conditions here.

En-route from the ME back to Poznan.

[Trabanti]

Today I only took a quick peek at 9 am and again at 6 pm. The 2 2-ships went out around 9 and were familiar airframes. I didn't bother writing them down:

527 F-16C 343 Mira
1x F-16D 343 Mira
1x F-16C 340 Mira
603 F-16D 340 Mira
G-FRAF Da20 Cobham
(16)5832 C-40A
N470JF ATR42 +1

ATR 470JF took off in the morning, but another was present on the ramp.

The Falcon 20 was there only in the morning (Greek side X-service platform), the Clipper in the evening.

By evening, the E-3 was gone at last. Maybe just a local mission? Too bad I missed the smoky take off.

The RQ-4 was back at it's original stand in the northeast end of the US platform today. No activities around it, same goes for the Iraqi Falcons, EP-3, 2 Beeches and RC-135.

Just now, 7 pm local, I think the Dash 7 took off as well.

Oh yeah, an Atlas B767 was parked on the cargo stand (easternmost position on the civil side).

No carrier in the Bay of Souda either.

[minotaur]

This was definitely a nice surprise:
Oct. 28: Scorpion prototype N532TX. A short stop on its way to Middle East, accompanied by a Textron-owned Cessna 680 (N339ES).

[Mr.Herkybird]

Egypt AF C130H SU-BEX is about to land Chania right now (EGY1822), followed by SU-BKU (EGY1823) at 11:07z.

[Trabanti]

The weekend here are more interesting than the weekdays, transit traffic wise. Something to remember for a future visit!

[Mr.Herkybird]

Expected at Souda tomorrow at 1215z, 6 Egyptain F16 from Jenaklis AB as Twister01.

[minotaur]

Expected at Souda tomorrow at 1215z, 6 Egyptain F16 from Jenaklis AB as Twister01.

Arrived right on time "Mr.Herkybird". Thanks for the info. Three F16C's and 3 D's. Callsign sounded like "Tiger" though.

[raameagle]

and the serials Minotaur please?

Regards

[minotaur]

and the serials Minotaur please?

C's: 9934, 9963, 9972
D's: 9811, 9853, 9854

[Mr.Herkybird]

Welcome, for tomorrow from 0845z-1245z, Cobra66 C12C 31216, Cairo based acft. Also 4 local F16 should leave to Ovda at 1110z.

[F17_114PM]

The HAF F-16 are coming from Araxos (335 Sq).
I suppose, they will make a fuel stop in Souda.

[Mr.Herkybird]

Correct, they arrived a few minutes ago as Tiger formation.