Narrative:

I was the flight lead of a flight of 7 fgt's tasked to fly low altitude approximately 160 mi to simulate an airfield attack on a west german airfield. This mission was one of several flown in west germany to familiarize air nat'l guard pilots with flying conditions in central europe. During this mission, which was planned to be flown at 500' AGL until within the published low fly area, then at 250' AGL to the target. En route to the airfield (target) the visibility and ceiling became reduced to such a low state rendering low level flight hazardous. With 5 fgt's and 2 other type fgt's following closely behind, I elected to route abort. Straight ahead on course into the WX, I instructed the remaining flight members to continue along the routing and to climb to VFR conditions above the WX. VMC was obtained at 9500' MSL. However in the process of preventing a midair collision between the 9 aircraft involved, it was necessary for me to climb to 10500' MSL to remain VMC. At that point I switched the flight to the frequency for clutch radar. I was advised by clutch radar of the need to be on an IFR clearance to be above 10000' MSL in germany. I acknowledged this and continued in VMC under clutch radar IFR control until I could re-enter the low altitude route structure. I was not made aware of any conflicts with other aircraft, however I feel the preparation I received from our USA.F. Host unit was inadequate to prepare me for this mission in unfamiliar airspace restrictions under less than favorable WX conditions. My suggestion is that stateside flying units sent to europe be allowed to fly more sorties with their host units prior to flying more complex missions in the european airspace.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AIR GUARD UNIT OPERATING IN FOREIGN COUNTRY ON LOW LEVEL MISSION ENCOUNTERS WX AND CLIMBS TO ON TOP WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: I WAS THE FLT LEAD OF A FLT OF 7 FGT'S TASKED TO FLY LOW ALT APPROX 160 MI TO SIMULATE AN AIRFIELD ATTACK ON A WEST GERMAN AIRFIELD. THIS MISSION WAS ONE OF SEVERAL FLOWN IN WEST GERMANY TO FAMILIARIZE AIR NAT'L GUARD PLTS WITH FLYING CONDITIONS IN CENTRAL EUROPE. DURING THIS MISSION, WHICH WAS PLANNED TO BE FLOWN AT 500' AGL UNTIL WITHIN THE PUBLISHED LOW FLY AREA, THEN AT 250' AGL TO THE TARGET. ENRTE TO THE AIRFIELD (TARGET) THE VIS AND CEILING BECAME REDUCED TO SUCH A LOW STATE RENDERING LOW LEVEL FLT HAZARDOUS. WITH 5 FGT'S AND 2 OTHER TYPE FGT'S FOLLOWING CLOSELY BEHIND, I ELECTED TO ROUTE ABORT. STRAIGHT AHEAD ON COURSE INTO THE WX, I INSTRUCTED THE REMAINING FLT MEMBERS TO CONTINUE ALONG THE ROUTING AND TO CLB TO VFR CONDITIONS ABOVE THE WX. VMC WAS OBTAINED AT 9500' MSL. HOWEVER IN THE PROCESS OF PREVENTING A MIDAIR COLLISION BTWN THE 9 ACFT INVOLVED, IT WAS NECESSARY FOR ME TO CLB TO 10500' MSL TO REMAIN VMC. AT THAT POINT I SWITCHED THE FLT TO THE FREQ FOR CLUTCH RADAR. I WAS ADVISED BY CLUTCH RADAR OF THE NEED TO BE ON AN IFR CLRNC TO BE ABOVE 10000' MSL IN GERMANY. I ACKNOWLEDGED THIS AND CONTINUED IN VMC UNDER CLUTCH RADAR IFR CTL UNTIL I COULD RE-ENTER THE LOW ALT ROUTE STRUCTURE. I WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF ANY CONFLICTS WITH OTHER ACFT, HOWEVER I FEEL THE PREPARATION I RECEIVED FROM OUR U.S.A.F. HOST UNIT WAS INADEQUATE TO PREPARE ME FOR THIS MISSION IN UNFAMILIAR AIRSPACE RESTRICTIONS UNDER LESS THAN FAVORABLE WX CONDITIONS. MY SUGGESTION IS THAT STATESIDE FLYING UNITS SENT TO EUROPE BE ALLOWED TO FLY MORE SORTIES WITH THEIR HOST UNITS PRIOR TO FLYING MORE COMPLEX MISSIONS IN THE EUROPEAN AIRSPACE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.