Strike Force Zulu - Chapter 6: 11:20 March 31st

“Flight Uniform Sierra Alpha Foxtrot Six Five, six heavy ships, requesting immediate instructions and guidance for landing at Echo-Golf-Echo. Clearance code Echo-Nine-Bravo.”

Edward Billings felt harried as he watched his radar screen and listened to the radio traffic that just came in. Quickly looking up the clearance code he cursed mentally. In addition to the standard civilian traffic, he now had an unscheduled, high priority request informing him of an inbound flight of six C-5 Galaxies.

These were the largest planes in the United States Air Force inventory and if they were fully loaded, each would need almost a third of the entire length of their nine-thousand foot runway in order to land, slow down, and navigate off of the runway. While that was not too problematic, the take-offs later might be an issue. What was problematic though, was that the airport’s flight schedules would get messed up by this unexpected intrusion. Needless to say, the civilian passengers would not be amused by a flight delay of over thirty minutes in order to allow all six of the large aircraft to land and taxi out of the way over near the High-Altitude Army National Guard Aviation Training Site so whatever they had on board could be offloaded in a somewhat secure manner. But that was not Edward’s problem.

“Uniform Sierra Alpha Foxtrot Six Five, this is Echo-Golf-Echo Tower, read your transmission. Copy six ship flight of heavies, stand by for instructions and guidance. We need to clear the tarmac and put other flights in the area on hold while we get you situated.”

“Roger that Echo-Golf-Echo Tower, Flight Uniform Sierra Alpha Foxtrot Six Five standing by. We are currently on approach at six zero mikes altitude Angels Sixteen. Ships are separated and will land individually. Advise if we will need to go around.”

Edward blanched, at sixteen thousand feet, these Air Force pilots would be cutting it pretty close to the peaks of the surrounding mountains, and while they were sixty miles out, they would be overflying the runway within minutes.

“Guys! I need you to get all flights on the ground to immediately taxi away from the runway other than the one who is about to take off right now. Tell them we have a military flight with immediate needs. Bill, get the ground crews ready with ‘Follow Me’ trucks to guide these beasts over to HAATS as soon as they are slow enough to make the turn. We have six heavies inbound and they will be coming down within minutes.”

The tower control room broke into an excited, but composed, burst of energy as everyone re-doubled their efforts to quickly advise the planes on the ground and those inbound of the situation so they could quickly move out of the way.

“Flight Uniform Sierra Alpha Foxtrot Six Five, Echo Golf Echo Tower, drop speed to miniumum on approach. We should be able to accommodate immediately. Copy flight is separate ships for landing. Lead ship is now Six-Five Alpha, last ship is now Six-Five Foxtrot.” Edward looked at the board and saw the field and air were clear. “Six Five Alpha, you are cleared for landing. There will be a Follow Me awaiting you at the end of the run-way. Remaining ships of Six Five, I will advise when the next ship is clear to land, if needed bypass the airfield and circle around for another pass.”

“Echo Golf Echo, Six Five Alpha copies and complies.”

“Six Five Bravo, copy.”

“Six Five Charlie, copy.”

“Six Five Delta, copy.”

“Six Five Echo, roger.”

“Six Five Foxtrot, copy.”

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Edward breathed a sigh of relief as the last C-5 lumbered past the tower following sedately behind the Follow Me truck headed over to the Army National Guard facility on the North-west of the airport. He really wondered what was going on that needed six of these beasts to be here all at once. As a member of the National Guard himself, he knew that the facility normally could host only twelve trainee pilots and their aircraft, assuming the pilots brought their own. There were already two Blackhawks, a Chinook, two Kiowas, and three Lakotas over there currently. Maybe it was equipment or something…

Shrugging his shoulders, Edward went back to work with the regular traffic hoping that the Galaxies would not be taking back off too soon. The flight schedule was already messed up and pissing off the skiers and snowboarders coming up here to Vail or Snowmass would just make them decide to fly to DIA* next time.