Chania Souda Bay Crete Report and Request for Help

[deanoitfc]

Dear all,

I have just spent a week in Chania, Crete at the Sensimar Kalliston Resort, more of which later.

I have never been to Chania before and flew in on G-TAWN from Gatwick and it is a large military airport with a small passenger terminal for the commercial flights. Ideally you need a left hand seat ending in A to see the transporter military ramp so of course I had the opposite side so was a bit frustrating as would have logged everything really easily especially on departure. The ramp held about 10 planes including ATR's, Dash 7's. C-130's and some KC/RC135's.

On the other side is the Greek Air Force base with lots of shelters for the fighter jets and the odd C130 or C-27J.

Airliner wise they can hold about 8 planes at any one time but the terminal is being revitalised and extended and it needs it! On departure you get very limited views from the windows at the gates. You can see the runway movements but its not easy as too many passengers for the gate areas.

Our resort was about 20 minutes away and at the welcome drink I saw a couple of planes on departure running along the coastline at about 3,000 feet. Result. The hotel is excellent with wifi even working on the beach. I ran my SBS from my room and used a tablet on the beach with FR24. Most of the military did not show on FR24 so SBS was essential to tie up. The daily F-16 flights never appeared on anything.

Airliner wise is very Scandinavian orientated with other standard charter airlines appearing and of course Aegean who frustratingly only used jets on the domestic flights.

The military movements I saw are below with some lovely exotica appearing. The two Pakistan C-130's were the highlight for me as such a surprise. I missed a few bits as was holiday but could see and hear everything from the beach.

One request I have is for the RAF Chinooks. I saw four of them flying but one never plotted. They were all there on arrival and departure so have been there a while. I saw ZK559/562/563 any ideas on the other one? If anyone knows of a site which shows daily movements would be great but I doubt if one exists.

Friday, 2 September, 2016 Chania (Khania)

F 4121 Alenia C-27 4121 Greek Air Force
F 4177 Lockheed Hercules 4177 Pakistan Air Force
F 4282 Lockheed Hercules 4282 Pakistan Air Force
F N212AZ Avions de Transpor16 Blue Ridge Aero Services      
    
    Saturday, 3 September, 2016 Chania (Khania)

F 08-6202 Lockheed Hercules 5681 United States Air Force
R 99-0076 de Havilland Canad76 United States Army

Sunday, 4 September, 2016 Chania (Khania)

F 06 BLUE Alenia C-27 4115 Lithuanian Air Force
62-4135 Boeing B.707 18475 United States Air Force
64-14849 Boeing B.707 18789 United States Air Force

Monday, 5 September, 2016 Chania (Khania)

F 157318 Lockheed P-3 Orion285A.5533 United States Navy
300 Lockheed Hercules 3604 Greek Air Force
900528 Swearingen MetroliDC-795M United States Navy

Tuesday, 6 September, 2016 Chania (Khania)

F ZK559 Boeing-Vertol H-47M7710 Royal Air Force
F ZK563 Boeing-Vertol H-47M7714 Royal Air Force

Wednesday, 7 September, 2016 Chania (Khania)

1023 Airbus A310 503 German Air Force

F ZH869 Lockheed Hercules 5444 Royal Air Force
ZM402 Airbus Military A417 Royal Air Force

Thursday, 8 September, 2016 Chania (Khania)

F 6007 Lockheed P-3 Orion285E.5774 German Navy
64-14844 Boeing B.707 18784 United States Air Force
F ZK562 Boeing-Vertol H-47M7713 Royal Air Force

Friday, 9 September, 2016 Chania (Khania)

F 166694 Boeing B.737NG 40573 United States Navy
F F221 VFW Transall 224 French Air Force

If anyone can help with my request that would be lovely and please do not hesitate to contact me for any information

Best Regards

Dean

[rh226]

Hi Dean,

Absolutely great to see a report from Chania/Souda Bay that covers more than one day!!!

Glad you didn't spot at the fence - the Greeks take a very dim view of spotters especially military ones.  Remember a few years back??

Your Pakistani C-130s were on their way back from Red Flag at Nellis (departed on 29/08) as support for the Pakistani F-16s.  Eastbound from Nellis, they routed via Westover AFB (Massachussetts), St. Johns (Newfoundland), Lajes (Azores) and Chateauroux/Déols (France), before arriving at Souda.   However, I suspect that Souda is a stop-off point on the PAF regular stateside run.

I see you managed to get one of the two French ELINT C-160Gs - the other is F216.  Also the EO-5C "Crazy Hawk" 99-00076 (is also N176RA reg not cancelled)

There were six Chinook HC.6s down in the Med, but I'm afraid that I don't know which ones.

Regards,

Bob

[deanoitfc]

Hi Bob

Thanks so much that was all very interesting. There was definitely another French Transall flying but I kept missing it as they left quite early and I was on holiday!

The Crazy Hawk only had N176RA on it as got a picture on departure. I am sure they was another one there as well.

I have tried to attached the picture but the file is too big

Thanks again

Dean

[Deleted]

Nice log Dean with some exotic aircraft- only went to Chania to sit and drink and eat around the lovely harbour they have when I visited Crete a number of years ago staying in Rethymnon. Never ventured out to the airfield although if I remember rightly two Corsairs used to fly around the island each day. 

Bob

[slogen51]

Hi Dean nice report but which resort/hotel did you stay in? Ta.

I have been to Crete and got the bus to Chania airport. You can spot the mil by walking left from the terminal towards the EOR. There are some holiday homes and some seats near the holding point where you can read off the vipers as they hold for take off. There is a no photos sign.