USMCFLYR

The radar is very important for the intercept and a necessity if intercepting in IMC (or marginal VMC)

USMCFLYR

AZFlyer

Interesting read. Thanks for the link. I'd bet you are right!

Flight was in SE Arizona, close to Mexico.

USMCFLYR

Were you operating in a MOA or some other SUAS (like the R-2302)?
I'm not sure about the boys out in Arizona, but it would have been very unusual to be intercepting a GA aircraft without a *real* reason to do so; and certainly not as close as they were to you. Maybe the ANG operates differently, but if I shadowed a GA airplane out of the MOA or example to make sure he was clear it is a fair certainty that he never knew I was there. Was there any communication between the two of you or with ATC to inform you that you were going to be a TOO and get your consent if you actually were just a training asset that day?

AZFlyer

I should have mentioned earlier that it was a training exercise with CAP and AZANG. I'm a CAP pilot in my local CAP unit. We had around 4-5 CAP aircraft airborne and there were two AZANG vipers participating.

So no, it wasn't an impromptu training intercept with some local GA pilots.

edit: 1000 posts! Only took 4.5 years.

LowSlowT2

Wouldn't you be getting an initial vector from someone anyway?

USMCFLYR

Initial vector most likely, but in the last stages you are more than likely using some onboard sensors.

USMCFLYR

LowSlowT2

What happened to the good ol' Mk I eyeball? Lazy bar-stewards! Over-reliant on technology...probably let the autopilot do your TFR for you too!

It just seems that VID would be all but mandatory for inside CONUS intercepts. And a slow-speed interceptor would be handy for the overwhelming majority of these - although I see a huge plus in dash speed capability because you can't be everywhere and have to come from somewhere.

Just use ETCAS for the last stage of the intercept...

USMCFLYR

I'm a HUGE fan of the Mk1 Mod0 eyeball, but that TD box in the HUD certainly helps picking out the tiny dot on the horizon when you're closing at 300-400 kts. Actually - my eyeball was probably never as calibrated as it is right now in my present job. I think I probably spend more time now than ever before trying to pick out the relative slow movers now that I am one of them and like to hang out within terminal areas at low altitude and work opposite direction at uncontrolled fields What is this about an autopilot and a TFR? VERY little use of the autopilot - mostly hand-flying - and that is a good thing.

I have no doubt that ALL intercepts with the CONUS and those trangressions of the ADIZ. That is the whole purpose of these intercepts is to get a VID. Usually they wouldn't require anymore than a single pas so it isn't like I would be trying to fly formation on a C-152. We have TTPs for escorting Helos that would work just fine for escorting a slow moving GA out the area if it were required.

USMCFLYR

N2264J

Am I?

Hundreds of billions of dollars are poured into the military and intelligence every year and at the precise time when we need it the most - nothing. I don't think the US is getting good value for its money, do you?

No one from the FAA, NORAD or the military was fired for the breach on 9-11. In fact, the CIA director got the Medal of Freedom when he left office.

Don't you think that's odd?

USMCFLYR

Yes

You should start with campaigning for the position of Neighborhood Watch President and start to work your way up the political ranks so that you can fix all of the problems since you have watched every episode of '24' and are so informed of our military footing and the holes within the system. If you start with preventing every act of lawlessness on your own street, maybe you'll have a leg to stand on.

Just like safety - you can win the fight and prevent the unthinkable 99 out of 100 times, but people like you will only focus on the 1% when the bad guys got through. You have NO IDEA what successes our intelligence, law enforcement, and military have performed that have kept you safe all these years.

What I think is odd is a person who is so obviously uneducated in this particular area of practice, who seems to be a conspiracy theorist, or worse case - trolling web boards, keeps coming back for virtual lashings, and continues to show the rest of us his/her misguided ramblings.

It is entertaining though Don't go anywhere.

USMCFLYR