Radio Intercept: In Flight Emergency: SILVER 52/ SABER 52?

Intercepted on 356.600 MHZ - "SILVER 52" declaring an in flight emergency due to a problem with his number seven engine.

He was talking via a phone patch to RICHMAN and said they were declaring an IFE and would be landing in 30 minutes.

I'm guessing Silver 52 is a B-52 because I don't know of any other USAF aircraft that has that many engines.


-Steve

Time: 2:03 PM CDT
Frequency 356.600 MHZ
Callsigns: SILVER 52 with phone patch to RICHMAN

Update: After listening to the intercept many tiimes, I believe the call may be SABRE 52. This may be a B-52 returning from RED FLAG.

Listen for yourself at the link at the right and let me know what you think.

-Steve Douglass


Update: I received a few e-mails regarding this post asking me if the aircraft landed safely. I'm assuming it did because I would have seen something on the news wires if it happens.

An engine out on an eight engined powered aircraft is no big deal, unless it is on fire, which I don't think it was. I'm pretty sure declaring an IFE is SOP with any engine problem.

On the lighter side, a buddy e-mailed me his favorite B-52 joke.


An F-16 was flying alongside a B-52 as escort over Iraq during Operation Desert Storm.

This was well after the Iraqi AIr Force had been so pummeled by the USAF that they didn't dare send as much as a kite up into the air with out fear of calling down the wrath of God on their heads, but still, F-16s were sometimes sent along just in case someone did decide to take a pot-shot at the big lumbering BUFFs.

Anyway, after dropping its tonnage, the F-16s and B-52s set up for a long and uneventful high-altitude trip home.

Bored, the F-16 jockey radioed the B-52 pilot and said "Bet you can't do this!" and then executed a beautiful T-Bird inspired spiraling barrel roll.

The B-52 pilot, not one to be one-upped by the Falcon driver said, "Big deal - bet you can't do this!"

After a minute the puzzled F-16 pilot flying off his wing, still expecting the BUFF to perform some type of aerial maneuver radioed back, " Bet I can't do what? I didn't see you do anything?

The smug BUFF pilot radioed back.

"I just turned off an engine."


-Steve