AWACS
- Management in the air
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A
new article for the main independent leading Romanian aviation magazie
TopguN |
Dutch
Aviation Support 2008
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Aeronautica
& Difesa reports: About serious business and pleasure in your work !!
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A
flight with the E-3A Sentry from Geilenkirchen Germany |
For
photographic impression |
![](/2008/Fuerza/AWACS%20FOR%20SITE/8-%20BROADS/AwacsSite-42.JPG) |
Early
in the morning (21-04-2008) about 05.00 Geilenkirchen Germany awakes... |
![](/2008/Fuerza/AWACS%20FOR%20SITE/6-%20DETAILS/AwacsSite-27.JPG) |
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We
arrive at the main gate, and enjoy the entree and the specific
radar-radomes all over the place |
![](/2008/Fuerza/AWACS%20FOR%20SITE/6-%20DETAILS/AwacsSite-29.JPG) |
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Pilot
Major Chris Balatsoukas welcomes us, gives us flight information, safety rulesand instructions |
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After
info about area of today's flight, the crew boards for a whole day flight |
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A
view in the cockpit, and the procedures start |
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Major
Balatsoukas and 2nd pilot Maj. Stefano Cianfrocca will take care of the
take-off |
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Board
mechanics and technicians also start their checks |
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The
Sentry starts it's mission, and is flying to higher altitudes |
![](/2008/Fuerza/AWACS%20FOR%20SITE/4-%20DURING%20MISSION/AwacsSite-13.JPG) |
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Several
modernised digital colorscreens are manned, all switchable to every
possible mode |
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Sometimes
teams are changed to have a rest period, as the pilots also do |
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To
get an idea how these crews work, please read our article (scroll down) |
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It's
really amazing what this AWACS can see and do, unbelievable almost ! |
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The
Sentry takes position, a refuelling exercise is on the program |
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An
ANG tanker very slowly approaches, and from the cockpit you see the boom
coming in... |
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The
boom almost seems to hit and enter the cockpit, but the 'Boomer' does his
job well... |
![](/2008/Fuerza/AWACS%20FOR%20SITE/5-%20REFUELLING/AwacsSite-25.jpg) |
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After
the tanks have been filled up againg the ANG tanker swings away |
![](/2008/Fuerza/AWACS%20FOR%20SITE/7-%20VERTICALS/AwacsSite-32.JPG) |
A
detail the other way around, platform and tower, shown as some details. |
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And
some badges, as worn by the crew members |
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Detail of the special coloured AWACS as we saw it on various shows this
year |
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The plane ends it's flight, we also do with this photographic impression |
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The
crew gets home after a straining day of hard work ! |
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We
hope you liked our photographic impression, to show you details of this
interesting job ! |
Thanks
to all crew and they who were helpfull to us ! |
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