RV on the ground at Travis AFB

C5Engineer · #1 09-01-2011, 03:03 PM

Saw an RV sitting on the ramp amongst our C5s, KC-10s, and C-17's yesterday. I started asking around and the only info I received was that the pilot had accidentally landed there without clearance. I'm not really sure how this is possible so I thought I'd ask if it had came up on the forums or not to see what the deal was.

LifeofReiley · #2 09-01-2011, 03:12 PM

The pilot probably had some type of an issue in regards to safely continuing flight in the airplane and landed there to check things out... been there and done that on a flight to Florida from Texas. Most of the time it involves a few questions and a little checking out the situation and you can fly on out if the issue that made you land can be resolved. BUT, a few have ran into some real pricks with Power on their minds. I think some forget that the US citizens own the fields that they work on.

Bob Axsom · #3 09-01-2011, 04:03 PM

Travis used to be a SAC base back in the day and MATS operated out of there taking troups on C-97s to the Far East via Hawaii (Hickam), Wake and Tokyo. Nut Tree is not far away and I believe the "Pilot's Guide to California Airports" used to have a warning about the nearness of Travis with virtually identical runway orientation. Nut Tree is at the bottom of the North side of the San Francisco Sectional Chart and Travis is at the top of the south side of the same sectional. And then there are pilots that fly to work in their RV's with authorization to land on military bases. When the Big Country Air Fest (BCAF) air race is flown out of Dyess AFB (SP?) all participants have to have properly completed DD forms submitted before they can land there. My insurance company completed the form (something like private aircraft using DOD facilities proof of insurance) even though I never flew there this year. Could be a completely normal operation.

Bob Axsom

Geico266 · #4 09-01-2011, 04:11 PM

I was told by the Omaha SAC Base Commander at an open house (they sponsor every year for civilian locals) that if you need to land at SAC due to emergency you are welcome, but he said; "Expect a warm welcome from 18 year old kids with M-16s just itching to use them" .... so; "Do as they say....please, it will save me a lot of paperwork".... and expect an extended stay with no courtesy car until things are "verified".

I wonder if they would keep me longer knowing I was Navy.... or just start shooting?

The Base Commander was very cordial about it though, he did say if you need to land announce, state request, and comply with instructions.

C5Engineer · #5 09-01-2011, 05:04 PM

I'd like to give the benefit of the doubt but if he landed at Travis thinking he was at Nut Tree probably time to try another hobby. They are 7 miles apart are separated by two cities, a freeway, and a 1500ft line of hills. Nut Tree has one 4700X75ft runway and Travis has two 11,000ft runways, miles and miles of concrete ramps and it's own zip code. With GPS and clear in a million weather..well you see where I'm going with this.

Same goes for a precautionary landing. There are 3 fields within 15 miles that are uncontrolled and easy to get in and out of. Unless I was on fire or gliding I think I'd pass on the hassle that would ensue after landing at a Military Installation without clearance or permission.

I'll keep my ears open to see what the deal was. It was pretty interesting seeing an RV sitting next to a C5. I've been trying to figure out a way for years to get my a pic of my plane sitting next to one.

MartinPred · #6 09-01-2011, 05:06 PM

I land at Offutt and Holloman all the time. Any Air Force member or retiree can apply for a civil landing permit to land at Air Force bases. Probably someone there TDY.

-Matt
402BD

Mel · #7 09-01-2011, 05:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by C5Engineer

Same goes for a precautionary landing. There are 3 fields within 15 miles that are uncontrolled and easy to get in and out of. Unless I was on fire I think I'd pass on the hassle that would ensue after landing at a Military Installation without clearance or permission.

You never know what some people will do. When I was in the Air Force, we had a guy in a Cessna 150 @ 10,000' choose Carswell AFB for emergency landing. Carswell was a SAC base at that time. He had a BIG welcoming party at the runway.

Have any idea how many airports are within gliding distance from 10,000' over Ft Worth?

He could probably even have made his destination.

Check6 · #8 09-01-2011, 05:12 PM

Matt is correct. I do the same thing. Have had my RV6A sitting on the flight line with F16s and Raptors. Looks cool but obviously out of place.

newtech · #9 09-01-2011, 05:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MartinPred

I land at Offutt and Holloman all the time. Any Air Force member or retiree can apply for a civil landing permit to land at Air Force bases. Probably someone there TDY.

-Matt
402BD

Do you know if prior Air Force (10 years) is allowed the same privilege?

Huck · #10 09-01-2011, 05:44 PM

Quote:

I'm not really sure how this is possible

I actually landed at Travis without a clearance once.......

But it was in a Gemini MD-11, weather was at minimums and it was New Year's Eve 2001. The copilot was new and gooned up the radio freqs - instead of switching to tower he went back to the earlier approach freq. We broke out, the runway was clear and I landed rather than go missed (didn't have any extra fuel).

Talked to the tower on ground freq and they were very nice about it - they said they knew what we were doing.....

Reali