In the 1980 and 90s, this was a USAF base that flew B-52 bombers and KC-135 tankers. I flew a PAR approach into there once, in a CH-135 Twin Huey, en route from YCX yo YOY. On short final, we were called "dangerously left of centerline" by the radar controller. Getting out of clouds at about 300 ft, we were about half way between the centreline and the edge of the runway... In a B-52 (wingspan = 185 ft), I agree that it would have been touchy, even on a 300 ft-wide runway; the wing-tip outriggers would have been in the daisies... but in a helicopter??? Anywhere within half a mile of the button is close enough! After "landing" on the runway (skid-equipped helicopter) we had to "roll" all the way to the high-speed turn-off, about 2/3 of the way down the runway, to air-taxi all the way back behind a follow-me truck to the transient ramp, abeam the threshold of the runway we had shot the approach to, at the south end of the airport. I guess helicopters were unusual beasts for their Operations staff.
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KLIZ
🔗 Thu, 03 Mar 2016
— Anonymous Flyer at Loring International Airport, United States Reply
It was always a tough and long approach as a TACAN APP 17,000 ft, at PQI decent and right turn to RWY-1 and winters are much harder.
Previously Loring Air Force Base (was KLIZ?)
🔗 Sat, 20 Dec 2008
— @32Aret at Loring International Airport, United States Reply
In the 1980 and 90s, this was a USAF base that flew B-52 bombers and KC-135 tankers. I flew a PAR approach into there once, in a CH-135 Twin Huey, en route from YCX yo YOY. On short final, we were called "dangerously left of centerline" by the radar controller. Getting out of clouds at about 300 ft, we were about half way between the centreline and the edge of the runway... In a B-52 (wingspan = 185 ft), I agree that it would have been touchy, even on a 300 ft-wide runway; the wing-tip outriggers would have been in the daisies... but in a helicopter??? Anywhere within half a mile of the button is close enough! After "landing" on the runway (skid-equipped helicopter) we had to "roll" all the way to the high-speed turn-off, about 2/3 of the way down the runway, to air-taxi all the way back behind a follow-me truck to the transient ramp, abeam the threshold of the runway we had shot the approach to, at the south end of the airport. I guess helicopters were unusual beasts for their Operations staff.