Full LOG: Richard de Florennes' ELITE Tour 2007

[Richard de Florennes]

Spent two days in Southern Germany last week and luckily was back home and working and the field, when the non-flying spotters day at Lechfeld took place on the Thursday, as this would have been a disaster for me (I am only interested in active military aircraft in action ).

Here are my sightings of two very nice and successful days (did not mind going to Manching and Neuburg, as benefit was in no good relation to efforts in my eyes ...)

additions and corrections welcome

LANDSBERG TUESDAY 2007-06-19 (mainly)RW07
Weather: few/scattered clouds, sunny, clear air, light wind, warm

Based aircraft (Lufttransportgeschwader 61):
C-160D LTG 62 50+17 L09:25
C-160D LTG 61 50+40 L09:26
C-160D LTG 63 50+85 L12:19
UH-1D LTG 61 71+17 T09:30 L11:15
UH-1D LTG 61 70+89 no badge T09:45 L11:55 a5
UH-1D LTG 61 71+30 T09:55 L11:25 a12
UH-1D LTG 61 70+79 T09:57 L11:57 a11
UH-1D LTG 61 71+46 no badge T10:19 L10:32
UH-1D LTG 61 71+12 T10:30 L11:55 a4
UH-1D LTG 61 71+52 no badge T11:18 L11:11
UH-1D LTG 61 70+85 T11:38 L16:50 a4
C-160D LTG 61 50+92 T10:00 L11:40 a11
C-160D LTG 61 50+69 T10:08 L19:06
C-160D LTG 62 50+37 T10:20 L10:40
C-160D LTG 61 50+99 T10:23 L11:21
C-160D LTG 63 50+95 T10:43 L18:55 a2
C-160D LTG 62 50+10 T11:02 L11:54 a8
C-160D LTG 61 50+44 T11:32
C-160D LTG 63 50+96 T11:50

Detached aircraft (both for exercise "ELITE 2007"):
CN.295M Ala 35 T.21-07/35-45 T14:08 L09:48
Atlantic MFG 3 61+06 T12:27 L17:27




LECHFELD TUESDAY 2007-06-19 RW21
Weather: few/scattered clouds, sunny, clear air, light wind, warm

Based aircraft (Jagdbombergeschwader 32):
Tornado ECR JaboG 32 46+37 T13:48 L15:39*
Tornado ECR JaboG 32 46+51 T13:49 L15:40*
Tornado ECR JaboG 32 46+32 T14:17 L15:53*
Tornado ECR JaboG 32 46+29 T14:17 L15:53*
Tornado ECR JaboG 32 46+39 T14:19 L15:54*
Tornado ECR JaboG 32 46+44 T14:19 L15:54*
Tornado ECR JaboG 32 46+53 T14:22 L15:59+
Tornado ECR JaboG 32 46+52 T14:26 L15:56+

Detached aircraft (all for exercise "ELITE 2007"):
Falcon 20ECM 717 Skv 041 T13:37 L16:40
Falcon 20ECM 717 Skv 053 T13:41 L15:48
F-16D 343 Mira 618 T14:24 L15:33*
F-16C 343 Mira 500 T14:24 L15:34*
Tornado GR.4 9 Sqn ZG714/124 T14:28 L15:51#3
Tornado GR.4 9 Sqn ZD848/TI T14:28 L15:51#3
Tornado GR.4 9 Sqn ZA469/029 T14:29 L15:52#
Tornado ECR 155°Gruppo MM70../50-07 T14:32 L15:41*
Tornado ECR 155°Gruppo MM7047/50-43 T14:32 L15:41*
F-16C 151 Filo 93-0664 T14:35 L15:49+
F-16D 151 Filo 93-0109 T14:35 L15:49+
Su-22M4 8.elt 8103 T14:38 L15:33*
Su-22M4 8.elt 8308 T14:38 L15:34*
Tornado ECR 155°Gruppo MM7068/50-46 T14:59 L15:41*
Tornado ECR 155°Gruppo MM70../50-02 T14:59 L15:41*
MiG-21MF Baza 86 6807 T15:18 L16:05*
MiG-21MF Baza 86 5724 T15:18 L16:06*
Bo.105P KHR 26 86+69 L13:00
Bo.105P KHR 26 86+64 L16:43
Bo.105P KHR 26 87+34 L16:43
Bo.105P KHR 26 86+63 L16:43
Bo.105P KHR 26 87+75 L16:43


(notes: For the third year in succession, exercise ELITE ‘forced’ me to arrange another trip to Southern Germany due to the high quality and versatility of participating aircraft. Having left home in the middle of the night, I arrived at Landsberg at mid-morning after a long and nerve-killing six hours journey, where flying activity was already in full progress. Thanks to the intensive flying activity no less than a record-breaking eleven different based C-160s and eight UH-1s were noted in action within just three hours. A Spanish CN.295 and a rare German SIGINT Atlantic were welcome too.
As the morning at Landsberg could hardly have been any better, I continued my way to Lechfeld where flying activity for the afternoon wave just began with engine-startup of two Norwegian Falcons. Further highlights were pairs of Greek and Turkish F-16s, Polish Su-22s and Romanian MiG-21s, while a welcome four-ship Bo-105s stayed a little bit too far away for allowing a closer look at its identities.
After the ending of flying activities, I spent the afternoon with taking pictures of farming action and of the beautyful landscape before finding some sleep right in the middle of a a field between Lechfeld and Landsberg)



LECHFELD WEDNESDAY 2007-06-20 RW21
Weather: few clouds/blue sky, sunny, light haze, light wind, very warm

Based aircraft (Jagdbombergeschwader 32):
Tornado IDS JaboG 32 44+55 lzrd c/s T08:37
Tornado ECR JaboG 32 46+44 T08:47
Tornado ECR JaboG 32 46+54 T10:08
Tornado ECR JaboG 32 46+52 T10:08
Tornado ECR JaboG 32 46+29 T10:15
Tornado ECR JaboG 32 46+39 T10:15
Tornado ECR JaboG 32 46+26 T15:07

Detached aircraft (all for exercise "ELITE 2007"):
Tornado ECR 155°Gruppo MM70../50-07 T08:39 L10:12*
Tornado ECR 155°Gruppo MM7068/50-46 T08:46 L10:12*
F-16C 151 Filo 93-0664 T08:41 L10:04*
F-16D 151 Filo 93-0109 T08:41 L10:05*
Tornado GR.4 9 Sqn ZG714/124 T14:28 L15:51#3
Tornado GR.4 9 Sqn ZD848/TI T14:28 L15:51#3
Tornado GR.4 9 Sqn ZA469/029 spec c/s T14:29 L15:52#
F-4E-2020 171 Filo 73-1055 T08:55 L09:52+
F-4E-2020 171 Filo 77-0286 T08:55 L09:51+
MiG-21MF Baza 86 6807 T09:05 L09:56*
MiG-21MF Baza 86 5724 T09:05 L09:57*
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Tornado ECR 155°Gruppo MM70../50-02 T09:38
Tornado ECR 155°Gruppo MM7047/50-43 T09:38
Falcon 20ECM 717 Skv 041 T09:55
Falcon 20ECM 717 Skv 053 T10:00
F-16D 343 Mira 618 T10:23
F-16C 343 Mira 500 T10:23






LAUPHEIM WEDNESDAY 2007-06-20 RW09/RW27
Weather: few/scattered clouds, clear air, light wind, very warm

Based aircraft (Mittleres Transporthubschrauberregiment 25
& Heeresflieger-Unterstützungsstaffel 10):
CH-53GS MTHR 25 84+98 T12:51 L13:39
CH-53GS MTHR 25 84+52 T13:07 L14:27
CH-53G MTHR 25 85+06 T14:13
CH-53G MTHR 25 84+70 T15:31
Bo.105P1 HFUS 10 87+89 L13:58
Bo.105P1 HFUS 10 8X+XX L15:30
Bo.105P1 HFUS 10 87+22 L17:10
Bo.105P1 HFUS 10 8X+XX L18:33
CH-53G MTHR 25 85+06 L15:11
CH-53G MTHR 25 84+97 L18:55
CH-53G MTHR 25 84+60 E14:30
CH-53G MTHR 25 84+17 E14:50

Detached aircraft (all for exercise "ELITE 2007"):
A.109BA Wing Heli H41 L13:30
A.109BA Wing Heli H39 L13:30
A.109BA Wing Heli H30 T14:35 L15:28
A.109BA Wing Heli H22 T16:58 L18:20
A.109BA Wing Heli H41 T16:58 L18:25
A.109BA Wing Heli H39 T16:58

[Richard de Florennes]

(notes: after the long night, not much patience was required until flying activity at Lechfeld began again under very nice weather conditions in spite of thunderstorm beeing forecasted for the region. Luckily, this time also the two Turkish Phantoms were involved in the ELITE mission. As I had seen all I wanted there was no need to stay any longer at Lechfeld nor to return next day for the photoday which later turned out to be an non-flying day, oh dear – that would have been a catastrophy for me ...
Therefore I was double-lucky that I changed my plans on the minute and left Lechfeld at late morning for Laupheim. In spite of a major traffic jam I arrived early enough to experience all flying activities of the afternoon, featuring: five active CH-53Gs and two CH-53GS’, four Bo.105s and all four Belgian A.109 present for exercise ELITE. After the ending of flying activity a early evening I headed back home on order to experience the harvest of peas near Neuss at early afternoon next day. All in all a fast and hectic but thanks to this very successful and lucky aviation trip ...)