Fight plan question

[bunny1]

A good few years ago now, I had the opportunity to fly in the right hand seat of a Cessna Citation that was on a positioning flight.

As the flight went out over the North Sea, the captain filed a flight plan. From memory there was a box you could tick to allow your fight details to be offered to the military, so you could be used as a target for intercept. However, I can find no sign of this on my current example of a plan, so wondered if my memory was wrong. Did this ever exist, and if so, does it still?

[chevvron]

Embellish again, can anyone help? Is it still done?

[juan kossof]

You used to be able to put RMK/EMBELLISH in Field 18. Have to admit that I haven't seen it for a while though!

[fantaman]

I've never seen said box. All the crews I've worked with have always used RMK/EMBELLISH in field 18 as juan kossof stated.

[Pierre Argh]

I believe you still can add "Embelish" to RMKS... but whether the RAF have got anything that is a. serviceable, b. in the country, c. can catch a Citation is another matter?

(Suggest you have to be off-route for it to work though?)

[cleo]

Don't ever remember a tick box - but ITEM18 as advised by previous posts has been the accepted method. I have known High Wycombe call handling agents to ask if a crew are willing to be used as embellished target! :hmm:

[NoseGunner]

Embellished someone the other day in CAS (maybe TOO is more accurate) not because they had it in their flight plan but because they were squawking the correct Mode 1 (4100) - we noticed and asked GCI who checked with their controller who said no probs.
Edited to say that it cant have technically been TOO cos it wasnt a Fast Jet!!! Dont want to get in trouble!

[spekesoftly]

No real need for 'Embellish' these days - a few minutes R/T silence should do it! :E

[wingman863]

What exactly would you do to such an aircraft. Obviously you dont blow it out of the sky but what does "Embelishing" entail?

[NoseGunner]

Embellish means fly an intercept, usually ending with flying on the wing (observing all legal min ranges, of course!)

[SirToppamHat]

Before all the civvies out there get excited and we start getting complaints about ac NOT being intercepted despite being 'Embellish' on the Flight Plan, the rules in the UK are pretty specific. Within the UK, practice intercepts are prohibited on civilian ac unless part of a pre-briefed exercise. That last bit is what allows the mil to intercept those nice people at FRA, some of the contractorised training ac out of Cranwell, and the odd (empty!) airliner offered up by Virgin (nice one Mr Branson).

Typically, an 'Embellish' intercept will involve the controller of the target ac being contacted by the GCI (Fighter) Controller to confirm the status of the traffic and check that the captain is still happy to be intercepted (normally by a live-armed ac). Coordination is effected to ensure that the initial part of the intercept is completed without breaking standard separation in height (normally 1000', but varies with altitude).

Once the fighter calls visual with the target ac, the GCI controller calls the ATCO working the target to confirm that the Captain of the target ac is happy to continue and for the fighter to climb/descend to co-level. At any stage, the captain of the target ac can terminate the intercept, or stipulate any additional limitations (eg not within 600 yards) Once visual identification has been completed, the photos have been taken (or whatever), the fighter is 'hauled-off' the target and proceeds with his/her next task.

On occasion, control of the target ac may be transferred to the GCI Controller - this puts both ac on the same frequency for additional safety and/or banter as required.

ISTR we've done this subject before.

STH

[BEagle]

Yes - but sometimes we used to misident the target....off-airways airliners often used to get intercepted without their knowledge!

The 'Norwich flier' coming off airways throught he Bravo and Charlie Deltas springs to mind......:ooh:

[spekesoftly]

Would that be the Lightning that swopped paint with a PAZT?


The caption to a 1970s Flight Safety poster (jet wake) showing a picture of one of EE's finest always made me chuckle:-

"You don't have to hit them to hurt them" :uhoh: