Thieves stealing ILS equipment! ??!!

[Rgbeard]

Those of us on the West side of Phoenix have a little bonus for dealing with Luke AFB.

Luke has an old "Aux" base, North of KLUF on which they've installed a full-bore ILS. The F-35/F-16 crowd uses it, and as available, us GA pilots can use it. Without it, we have to hit the far-East not-really-in-the-valley to find an ILS (Casa Grande, CGZ). It's not "well-advertised" but those of us in-the-know can take advantage of it.

Today I learned that the Aux ILS is out of service for the forseeable future.

As has happened, since it's a closed facility, with no usable runway surface, it's trodden on by the local off-roaders and other "interested" locals. It's not unusual to have some of the ILS components damaged or missing.

The Radar Controller at LUF today told me that, this time, they cleaned house quite well, and the whole ILS environment is entirely stolen. I'm pretty certain this doesn't mean antennas, but the radio equipment and possibly the feedlines.

Now they need to assess the costs to reinstall it. Sigh.........

 

[Pilawt]

Somewhere south of the border the cartel is setting up an all-weather dirt airstrip ...

 

[schmookeeg]

Guessing that's a few mil in government cheese sold for scrap pennies.

I'm becoming more and more malthusian as I age.

 

[Clip4]

stole it for the copper.

 

[aftCG]

Wait. Does Arizona ever have IMC?

 

[Mtns2Skies]

Wait. Does Arizona ever have IMC?

It's for the haboobs.

 

[Tantalum]

..and here I am learning something new on POA again

 

[Mtns2Skies]

..and here I am learning something new on POA again
View attachment 102235

"Atmospheric Gravity Current" Sounds like something out of Interstellar.

 

[Pilawt]

"Atmospheric Gravity Current" Sounds like something out of Interstellar.

Those things look like something out of science fiction when you see one coming at you.

 

[schmookeeg]

..and here I am learning something new on POA again
View attachment 102235

Shame on me for assuming it was describing the ASU "Talent"

 

[Tantalum]

..side note. If any of you have seen Dune they fly into something akin to a 'haboob' .. our hero is basically told to go VFR on top.. "climb over 5,000 meters and you should be 'on top'" - appreciated Villeneuve for that one

 

[Mtns2Skies]

Shame on me for assuming it was describing the ASU "Talent"

A very disappointing google result indeed.

 

[nauga]

"Atmospheric Gravity Current" Sounds like something out of Interstellar.

or an art-rock band.

Nauga,
and Brian Eno

 

[wilkersk]

stole it for the copper.

When I was stationed in the Phillipines back in the '70s, we had looters sneak onto the base almost every night in little wooden canoes. They'd steal anything they could carry, bolted down or not. The base police would ride around in pickups, firing flares to illuminate the beaches an hopefully catch them coming ashore.

One night, they literally hauled of an entire bronze compass rose "bucket". No one knows exactly how they were able to accomplish this. But, we never got a bronze one again. When they finally got a new one, it was aluminum.

 

[aterpster]

Wait. Does Arizona ever have IMC?

Several times a year KSEZ has 200 1/2. Then, there is KFLG. Also, KPRC and KGCN both have ILS.

 

[Rgbeard]

this might mess with your preconceived notions. Even the Valley of the Sun will, occasionally, get IMC. When it does happen, though, you need to consider ice.

yep.

IMC in the Valley often coincides with daytime temperatures around 50 degrees.

I have done the GPS approach into DVT and into GYR each of them reasonably close to minimums. That was 2019.

 

[aterpster]

this might mess with your preconceived notions. Even the Valley of the Sun will, occasionally, get IMC. When it does happen, though, you need to consider ice.

yep.

IMC in the Valley often coincides with daytime temperatures around 50 degrees.

I have done the GPS approach into DVT and into GYR each of them reasonably close to minimums. That was 2019.

I was stuck at PHX one time for three days because of unrelenting winter rains. The Salt River rose so high it starting flooding the airport. The company moved me to a hotel in Scottsdale.

 

[schmookeeg]

I was stuck at PHX one time for three days because of unrelenting winter rains. The Salt River rose so high it starting flooding the airport. The company moved me to a hotel in Scottsdale.

And then... the locusts came?

 

[LesGawlik]

Maybe when the KGFBI get finished with the PTA Moms, they can look at the sabotage and theft of FAA equipment.

 

[Pilawt]

I was stuck at PHX one time for three days because of unrelenting winter rains. The Salt River rose so high it starting flooding the airport. The company moved me to a hotel in Scottsdale.

And then... the locusts came?

Keep those stories coming. We have enough Californians here now.

 

[NealRomeoGolf]

Keep those stories coming. We have enough Californians here now.

Aren't you one of those Californians?

 

[Pilawt]

Aren't you one of those Californians?

That was a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away. The de-lousing process is almost complete.

 

[IK04]

Having spent an all-expenses paid vacation in Asscrackistan, I am all too familiar with Haboob and Shamal. Those guys will really ruin your day.

 

[luvflyin]

Keep those stories coming. We have enough Californians here now.

Lol. Is there an hierarchy amongst the expats there? Who's at the top of the food chain? If it's ex Peoples Republic of Washingtonians I may look into it?

 

[Pilawt]

Lol. Is there an hierarchy amongst the expats there? Who's at the top of the food chain? If it's ex Peoples Republic of Washingtonians I may look into it?

We've been chased out of every state on the west coast. So if AZ will take us they'll take anybody.

 

[azpilot]

..and here I am learning something new on POA again
View attachment 102235

I would recommend NOT flying in that. lol

 

[Timbeck2]

Well that sucks Rusty. I was planning on flying that ILS with my F-35 pilot buddy. The point is moot now but where did you find the approach plate?

 

[Rgbeard]

Well that sucks Rusty. I was planning on flying that ILS with my F-35 pilot buddy. The point is moot now but where did you find the approach plate?

I did some googling and if I recall correctly my Google search took me to the Southwest flight instruction something something organization I can’t remember the name of it right now.

 

[Pilawt]

For those from out of town, here's the "Luke Aux 1" airfield in the foreground (looking east).



http://www.airfields-freeman.com/AZ/Airfields_AZ_Phoenix_NW.htm#whitman

 

[N1120A]

Shame on me for assuming it was describing the ASU "Talent"

Here I was thinking we were laughing at bad plastic surgery

Several times a year KSEZ has 200 1/2. Then, there is KFLG. Also, KPRC and KGCN both have ILS.

That's unfortunate at SEZ, since their only approach has pretty high mins.

I was stuck at PHX one time for three days because of unrelenting winter rains. The Salt River rose so high it starting flooding the airport. The company moved me to a hotel in Scottsdale.

Would have been interesting to see the PDX flood.

And then... the locusts came?

Wally was retired before the locusts were an issue

That was a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away. The de-lousing process is almost complete.

We haven't completely rid CA of you yet, but we're working on it

 

[Pilawt]

Would have been interesting to see the PDX flood.

1948 was a lot worse, but this was VUO in January 1996:

 

[kgruber]

I am betting that is a "Super Stinson (230 Cont)" STC paid by Phil Fields, of Fields Chevytown in Portland. I am also betting that it is a straight floatplane, not an amphibian.