Nellis Range activity June 2015

Weapons school used to hold "graduation", officially known as Mission Employment Phase (MEP) during the first two weeks of June and December. Looking at the flight operation webpage, it looks like they consolidated this into roughly one week and a bit later in the month.
www.nellis.af.mil...
They are also calling it "Advanced Integration'.

Also scheduled is JFEX, which used to be called MAFEX. This is scheduled on June 20th, a Saturday of all things.
www.lazygranch.com...
Now maybe they had to schedule this on a Saturday because of a comflict with MEP.

Both events provide good scanning and photo ops. However relevant to Groom Lake, it was nice when the last half of June or December (if you could take the cold) had no Nellis activity because then everything you saw or heard on the scanner was Groom Lake related.

If you want to watch JFEX, the route to the viewing location is found on the following page under "KENO".
www.inplanesight.org...
This requires off road tires. I don't care if you have 4WD since the route isn't particularly hilly, but the rocks are really sharp. Drive slowly and consider running your tires a little lower in pressure than normal to give them more flex.

I can testify that the JFEX date is not cast in concrete. I don't think the USAF particularly likes the spectators. One year the road was blocked. Another year the event date was changed. There was talk of building another airfield rather than using the KENO airstrip, but I don't think it got funded.

Thanx..this is intriguing.. back home on the Nevada range! This appears bigger? Is that right? Don't hold back... you are the forum master... tear it up!

Some NOTAMs around the range. (Notice to Airmen.) Times are Zulu.


This might effect the Beech Janets.

M0068/15 - ANGELS PEAK/CREECH CONTROL TOWER RADAR OTS, POSSIBLE DELAYS CAN BE EXPECTED DUE TO THE INCREASED VFR PATTERN SEPARATION STANDARDS BEING USED. 11 JUN 15:30 2015 UNTIL 11 JUN 21:13 2015. CREATED: 08 JUN 16:00 2015

Boulder. This is a civilian UAV test zone.

!RNO 04/046 BLD AIRSPACE UNMANNED ACFT WITHIN AN AREA DEFINED AS 3NM RADIUS OF BLD197007 SFC-400FT AGL 1504141800-PERM

Bicycle Lake

M0108/15 - SHADOW UAS OPERATIONS WILL BE CONDUCTED DURING ROTATION 15-08 (30 MAY THRU 13 JUNE). AIRSPACE IS 4KM RADIUS AROUND NU333923, SFC – 2,000 AGL. POC DESERT RADIO AT 760-380-7559 OR AIRSPACE CONTROL AT 760-380-4324 (DSN 470). 02 JUN 14:43 2015 UNTIL 13 JUN 23:00 2015. CREATED: 02 JUN 14:45 2015

Bicycle Lake

M0107/15 - SKULL CRUSHER TOWER WILL BE OPERATIONAL DURING ROTATION 15-08 (30 MAY THRU 12 JUNE). AIRSPACE IS 2KM RADIUS AROUND NU324919, SFC - 1500 AGL. ALL AIRCRAFT INBOUND TO CONTACT SKULL CRUSHER TOWER ON VHF 139.250 PRIOR TO ENTRY. 02 JUN 14:39 2015 UNTIL 13 JUN 23:00 2015. CREATED: 02 JUN 14:43 2015

Nellis

M0214/15 - ARFF HAS A CRITICAL LEVEL OF SERVICE FOR C-5 AND A REDUCED LEVEL OF SERVICE FOR KC-10 AIRCRAFT. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT NELLIS FIRE DEPARTMENT AT 682-9630. 04 JUN 23:01 2015 UNTIL 30 JUN 23:59 2015. CREATED: 04 JUN 23:01 2015

Tonopah Test Range. This is probably for weapons school or JFEX.

M0101/15 - RESTRICTED AREA HAZARD, VFR OPERATORS USE CAUTION FOR INCREASED VOLUME OF HIGH PERFORMANCE MILITARY FLIGHT OPERATIONS THROUGHOUT R4809A. 08 JUN 16:00 2015 UNTIL 24 JUN 20:00 2015. CREATED: 05 JUN 16:45 2015

Doing some email with a Vegas local, it looks like the JFEX did take place on the 20th. Eventually Nellis will post some photos and perhaps video.