DUSTY 21 / 22 – 12:53 P.M. / 1953Z

“Now it gets interesting,” Maj. Jim Hayward said over the intercom.
The B-1’s were now approaching Point Mike on IR-207, where the complexity of the mission would change. After passing Point Mike, the B-1’s would exit the relatively flat areas of the Antelope Valley, and could now fly anywhere from one hundred feet above the surface, up to as high as thirteen thousand feet, while weaving in and around valleys and mountainous terrain. Even though they were on a NOTAM’ed Instrument Training Route, the danger of a VFR aircraft flying in the area was an unknown wildcard. Therefore, all members of the flight crew were on high alert. Aircraft commanders, Major Bill Levon in Dusty-21, and Capt. Tim Reid in Dusty-22, were paying extremely close attention to the HUD’s (Heads Up Display) as they deftly maneuvered their five hundred thousand pound aircraft along the route at over four hundred knots. At their stations in each aircraft, both Offensive Systems officers were in contact with Range Control at Restricted Area 4802, coordinating their ETA, (Estimated Time of Arrival) getting updates on the wind and weather in the area, while also making the calculations necessary for the dropping of the ten “Mark-82” five hundred pound conventional bombs that each aircraft would release in the target area.
Coming up on Point Mike, Defensive Systems officer Capt. Paul Greene suddenly called out. “Bogies at ten o’clock and twenty miles. Three targets…altitudes indicate four thousand through eight thousand five hundred.”
“Direction of travel!” Major Levon replied, his response not as a question.
A few seconds went by until Capt. Greene responded.
“Targets appear to be operating at a local airport in the same vicinity,” Capt. Greene said referring to the Chico, California airport that was to their north.
“Keep and eye on them,” Maj. Levon commanded. He then pushed his microphone talk switch. “Dusty two-two! Traffic eleven o’clock for twenty…we’ve got a tally on them. Continue monitoring area ahead!”
After several silent, but tense minutes, the two B-1’s safely flew past the Chico area and passed Point Mike, then turned to a more northeasterly course.
“Commander to D-S.” Maj. Levon said over Dusty-21’s intercom. “Sweep down range to the southeast. Turn in sixty seconds.”
The pilots senses in both aircraft had intensified, each keenly aware that turning two heavy, fast moving aircraft like the B-1’s into a hard right turn at four hundred knots in mountainous terrain while still maintaining formation, left little room for error. Even though this was a training mission, each flight crew trained and acted as if they were on a real bombing mission in enemy territory.
Mistakes could not be made, especially with live ordinance in the bomb bays.

OAKLAND CENTER AREA E – 12:59 P.M. / 1959Z

After retrieving his headset, Bill walked over to sector forty-five, attaching his headset to a small plastic clip that hung from his eyeglasses.
As he received the sector briefing, Bill scanned the radarscope noticing the usual active military airspace’s and the various fast moving targets within. The controller giving the relief briefing, Lorraine Conners, pointed to two flight progress strips.
“You have strips of a Dusty-21 flight in IR-207. They have not called on frequency yet, so I did not get an estimate at Point Quebec. I assume that they were previously cleared through to R-4802.
Bill looked at the flight progress strips, not noticing anything unusual about the military flight.
“You may have to check their time reference this Seneca that is coming out of Reno Approach on Victor one-thirteen,” Lorraine said. “Otherwise everything is pretty normal.”
“OK,” Bill replied. “I’ve got it, no questions. See you tomorrow.”
Settling in at the sector, Bill Parks adjusted the brightness on his communications screen and took a look at several of the flight progress strips. Glancing back at the radarscope, Bill noticed a data block that appeared, just outside the sector boundary. Slewing the cursor over the data block, Bill took the hand-off from Salt Lake Center on one of the first aircraft that was headed inbound to Reno.

HELICOPTER N15C – 1:18 P.M. / 2018Z

As Alex continued to examine the power lines, he noticed a slight, unusual movement in one of the lines.
Half throwing, half dropping the clipboard, Alex grabbed the helicopter’s flight controls. Suddenly, one of the power lines snapped free, the end flinging over the top of the Jet Ranger. Even over the noise of the engine and rotor blades, Alex could hear the whistle of the wire as it flew by.
Alex was caught off guard when one of the communications wires struck the helicopter’s right skid, snapping the Jet Ranger violently nose down. Struggling with the controls, Alex spotted more power lines only a few feet away.

RENO TRACON – 1:19 P.M. / 2019Z

“Ahhh…Reno…this is Seneca two eight three. Can you tell me what the weather conditions are along Victor one-thirteen…up by Sod House?”
“Seneca two eight three,” Jeff replied. “That area is too far to the northeast of my airspace. In fact, you are almost out of my airspace at this time. Contact Oakland Center and they’ll be able to give you that information.”
Just after Jeff made his radio transmission, an airliner that had just departed Reno check on frequency. The airliner’s call blocked the frequency read-back from Seneca two eight three.

SENECA N10283 – 1:31 P.M. / 2031Z

The concern about the weather ahead caused a slight tightness in his chest, which caused Chad to unconsciously start breathing more rapidly. All he needed to do now was to contact Oakland Center. After calling them three times and not getting any reply, the thought struck the fifty five year old pilot that maybe he should cancel the VFR-on-Top portion of his flight plan and change his clearance back over to IFR.
Glancing down at the writing pad, Chad double-checked what frequency that he had written down. As he did, his sunglasses slid slightly down the bridge of his nose.
Reaching up with his right hand to adjust his glasses, Chad thought he noticed some movement to his left.

DUSTY 21 / 22 – 1:33 P.M. / 2033Z

The two B-1’s were in a descending right turn, coming around a mountain ridge, indicating three hundred knots.
“DUSTY FLIGHT!…TRAFFIC!…TRAFFIC!…DUSTY TWO ONE!…BREAK LOW RIGHT!…BREAK LOW RIGHT!” Defensive Systems officer Capt. Greene yelled into his intercom mask.
Maj. Levon immediately responded to the instructions, sharply banking and diving the giant bomber while looking at the warning displayed on his instrument panel.
Co-pilot Maj. Hayward unconsciously held his breath when he spotted the twin engine aircraft, only a few miles away.
Capt. Reid in Dusty-22 instinctively reacted.
Hearing the warning and seeing Dusty-21 break low right, Capt. Reid pulled the B-1 into a hard, climbing left turn as warning shouts came from his DSO.
Swearing to himself after seeing how close they were, Capt. Reid hoped that they would climb above the other aircraft in time.