Leg 16 Special Ops

[needles 1,013]

Hi Guys,

Here is the story of Leg 16. Tamchy UAFL (Ysykkul) to Bagram OAIX.

A scrambled telephone call blasted it's way through the cool, very early AM in my apartment in Tamchy, Kyrgyzstan. (Pronounced - Kurg - istan).

My employershad a very important mission for me and all I was told was, that I had to get myself to the nearest airport/field, where I would be met by a pilot who was instructed to drop me at Bishkek.

I forgot to mention that I have a military position and that is all I am allowed, or willing to divulge to you.

I have quite a few years of varying military experience and although I was supposed to be on vacation, the experience I have gained over the years would come into play this very day.

When I am ordered, by scrambled message, to get myself to a destination as quickly as possible, I DO NOT mess around.

So, I find myself at a concrete airfield on the shores of Lake Ysykkul in Kyrgyzstan. Early AM and approaching dawn.

I meet a guy. The only person on the apron who introduces himself as 'Alik'. Now I'm quite a big guy but this guy towered over me and his biceps were the size of my thighs. He spoke in a very well educated, husky Anglo-Russian brogue. To be honest, he scared me to death, even though I am capable of taking care of myself.

He indicates to me that we must get in the air as soon as possible and he straps a pack to my back and ushers me into my seat.

He's not wrong about A.S.A.P, I'm in the air before I realise what we are doing.

'What's the rush' I ask.

No answer from Alik, just a menacing scowl.

It's obvious to me that he doesn't want to be here any more than I do. So he settles the plane into a steady climb away from Ysykkul and I can tell from the direction we are heading that we are west bound.

I can see the weather buildng in front of us and to my horror, it looks very stormy out there.

Alik makes no attempt to divert from the thundery looking skies, instead, just heading for it.

I notice down to his left, there is a blue container in the door pocket.

Could that be what this is all about?

I don'twant to distract him as the clouds are really building and I also doubt I would get a reply.

In no time at all we are getting lightning flashes and thunderous claps all around us.

Alik speaks for the first time since we met. He tells me to ready myself, as the pack he generously strapped to my back, was in fact a parachute.

'WHAT!' I shout.

'You are to be dropped near another airfield where you will get further instructions'. Alik says.. He passes me the blue container and tells me to take great care of it.

I stuff it into my suit and mentally prepare myself for what is to be the only jump I have done in a storm. Not to worry, I have years of practice and I check my equipment. All seems in good shape.

It looks like we are coming through the other side of the storm, which is a small bleesing for me.

Alik tells me we are almost at the drop zone, so I ready myself at the exit.

I take a quick look to the front and notice an airfield in the distance. Alik turns and counts me down for the jump.

Alik - 'Five, Four, Three, Two, One, JUMP!!!

I'm away.

Alik told me to head to the right of the airfield and land near a small copse of trees, where I would be met by someone who will have my next orders.

I'm only too glad that the storm is behind me now. So I try to keep the airfield in sight. I don not want tobe landing in somebodies back yard.

I can now see ta group of trees to the right of the airfield, so I aim for that area.

I'm down at last and I bury my chute. Shortly after I am aware of someone else in the trees, so I hide and wait.

As the stranger comes close I tackle him to the ground with hardly any noise.

He is the guy that is to give me my next orders.

He hurridly tells me that we have the use of a super spy plane that is in a hangar on this airfield.

All I have to do is get in, get to the controls of the plane and do what I have been trained to do.

I have to use the equipment to fly over hostile territory and photograph enemy movement on the ground. Mainly across the various border crossing points along the Afghan-Pakistan border.

I leave my friend in the woods and get myself into the airfield.

Once in I locate the hangar with my little toy inside.

I have it quickly set up and ready for takeoff.

I secrete the blue container inside my 'Big Boys Toy' and make sure it is held firmly in place so as not to damage any of the onboard computer equipment.

I now have to hide for the duration of the flight as this is an unmanned aircraft.

I have the controls and it's just like using a very expensive remote controlled airplane. But this one costs millions of pounds.

I have a good knowledge of using this , as I have trained with this since it was first produced.

My initial flight will be fairly high altitude, but as I near the border crossings I will have to bring her down.

I take off and she purrs like a kitten. Very fast and ultra manouverable to boot.

She is away into the darkness and all I can see is the view from the front camera onboard the craft.

A few twists and turns to make sure she is responding well and then onto the course proper.

The sun is coming up quick and I need to be at Bagram before my little craft gets too many eyes on her.

Over built up areas now but too fast for the locals to get a look at her.

The computers are telling me everything is ok and she is flying like a dream. The only real problems are normally on takeoff and landing.

THe front cam' sees more cloud ahead.

If there are enemy insurgents down there, she will find them and relay the images back to the troops on the ground.

A wee bit of zig-zagging to cover the whole area of interest.

On my way again. A little concerned that with all this cloud she may not see enough.

Looks like company at 7 O'clock. Must keep a close check on that craft. Too close and I will have to abort.

The sun is up now which makes my job a tad more difficult. If she is seen , she may get shot down. As this is a reccie, she has no weapons on board.

Taking a low sweep over the hills close to target base. Surely insurgents wouldn't be so stupid to get this close to so many troops.

Decending now into the morning Afghan mist.

Very hazy, looks like the gear has locked into place nicely.

Lining up for finals. Just caressing the joystick on my console now. No last minute twitches otherwise I could lose her on landing.

Runway in sight for the forward camera. Gently gently.

She's down and safe.

Parked up and waiting for the pickup. It appears there were insurgents in the area which my UAV scanned. The images and co-ordinates were then relayed back to local troops to deal with.

No enemy contact during the flight though, so the baton made it safely to Bagram.So whenever you are ready to come and retrieve it Phil, it's yours to continue. Good Luck

I did try this leg with a C-130, but as I'm a GA pilot I didn't have enough time to master it. Maybe next time.

Thanks for looking and hoped you enjoyed it.

[rosariomanzo 545]

Won-der-ful!

Breathtaking shots and a very nice commentary.

[stu7708 244]

Great captive story and some very nice shots Brian..

Where can I get my hands on that UAV, or is that info on a need to know basis :biggrin:

[remingtonbox 18]

Awesome leg! The UAV was a perfect fit for this adventure... How did you get the paratrooper dude?

[mutley 4,498]

A successful mission 008, I knew you could pull it off. Those millions spent in your special training paid back big time today.

Of course a secondary benefit was to the troops in getting the coords of the insurgents let's hope they are swiftly dealt with.

Bad news about Alik I'm afraid, he came down in that storm on his return but survived the landing, I have sent in Sergi in to pick him up.

Sorry I could not be there in Bagram to meet you but the news got out and I had to send in wisemanp, you know, 004.

Thanks for a very entertaining post Brian, The UAV is a first in the Challenge and your shots showed it off really well.

Time to stand down, until the next time?

:biggrin:

[hurricanemk1c 195]

An entertaining post - well done!

[needles 1,013]

Great captive story and some very nice shots Brian..

Where can I get my hands on that UAV, or is that info on a need to know basis :biggrin:

Hi Stu, thanks for your comments. Much appreciated. First Class Simulations, is where to get the UAV,

[needles 1,013]

Awesome leg! The UAV was a perfect fit for this adventure... How did you get the paratrooper dude?

Hi Remingtonbox,

Here is where to get the jumper.

http://www.simviation.com/simviation/do ... hp?ID=2937

Just follow the 'read me' file.

It is installed as an aircraft. When I was flying the cessna, I got to the point where I wanted the Jumper to go and then switched to the Jumper using 'select aircraft'.

Hope you liked it. Just a little entertainment I feel.

Cheers for looking.

Needles

[needles 1,013]

Thanks for your comments guys. Much appreciated. I had great fun doing it and the paratrooper is really weird but great fun.

I am hoping that by ATWC IV, I will have mastered the C-130. Very complex.

Thanks again and glad you liked the post.

Kindest Regards

Needles aka '008'

[rob16584 42]

Brilliant Brian! :biggrin:

Deffinately my favourite post so far as it was so different. It's the first time the baton has parachuted out of a plane that I can remember. That post was a real 'page turner'

[needles 1,013]

Brilliant Brian! :atwc:

Deffinately my favourite post so far as it was so different. It's the first time the baton has parachuted out of a plane that I can remember. That post was a real 'page turner'

Cheers Rob, Glad you enjoyed it. I stumbled upon the jumper wilst scanning the web for aircraft and it turned out to be quite amusing.

[wisemanp 0]

Nice one Brian - 008, loved the UAV, a challenge first I do believe.

I will meet you in the mess room tomorrow morning for the all important baton exchange?

[Dizzy 0]

wow very interesting. Was a good read 008.

And don't worry about learning the C130. A real C130 pilot once told me if you can fly a Cessna you can fly the Herc. Somehow I believed her as I watched the Herc she was captaining climb out of the airport in an unrestricted climb.

[needles 1,013]

wow very interesting. Was a good read 008.

And don't worry about learning the C130. A real C130 pilot once told me if you can fly a Cessna you can fly the Herc. Somehow I believed her as I watched the Herc she was captaining climb out of the airport in an unrestricted climb.

Hi Dizzy,

I have tried all sorts of take offs with the herc' but always seem to get a stall for some reason. I can't find info about prop' feathering anywhere. Is this why I'm having probs'?

[Dizzy 0]

Are you using the CS/JF C130?

The props are controlled automaticly. There is no leavers for them. But to feather a prop pull the fuel conditioner lever all the way back to the stops and it'll shut down an feather the engine for you. To restart take that same leaver and push it to the forward stop and it'll start it again if your in the air.

[needles 1,013]

Are you using the CS/JF C130?

The props are controlled automaticly. There is no leavers for them. But to feather a prop pull the fuel conditioner lever all the way back to the stops and it'll shut down an feather the engine for you. To restart take that same leaver and push it to the forward stop and it'll start it again if your in the air.

Hey Dizzy,

Just got the box out to check which AC I am using and guess what! It's the Just Flight 'A400M Airlifter' I've got. I don't know why I said C-130. But Mutley might vouch for the fact that I am somewhat of an air head. (because of medication),I might add.

Thanks for the reply anyway. Much appreciated. :atwc:

[Dizzy 0]

No problem, glad i could somewhat help

[mutley 4,498]

t Mutley might vouch for the fact that I am somewhat of an air head. (because of medication),I might add.

Thanks for the reply anyway. Much appreciated.

Your the sanest man I know Brian! :nea:

[allardjd 1,853]

Just getting caught up with ATWC reading. Great flight leg. The story, the jumper, the Predator were all top notch.

This is not, however, the first time the baton has made a jump - the earlier one was a bail-out, into the drink near New Zealand in the original ATWC, way back in April of '07.

See here...

viewtopic.php?f=11&t=187

...and the rescue...

viewtopic.php?f=11&t=189

John

[needles 1,013]

Hi John, Just had a look at the links you posted. Excellent and dramatic rescue shots. Glad you liked my post too.

Regards