What's up with this plane circling Mobile, AL?

Sendero

Sendero

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Sendero
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Does anyone have any idea why this airplane is circling for hours over/near Mobile, AL? Twice today it has flown down from Mississippi and circled Mobile.
 
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Lot of antennas
 
http://www.commuterair.com/

Related?

"Our capabilities include modifications for US and international governments to enable special operations, including intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance."
 
Thanks for the link on commuterair. Interesting website and mission statements.

When hats just aren't enough


Tin-foil-hat-gotta-call-saul.jpg
 
It's circling right now..... Seems to be circling the same place. Not sure what that place is.
 
ahkahn said:
It's circling right now..... Seems to be circling the same place. Not sure what that place is.
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Yes its been on station for a few hours. Google maps does not have anything of any consequence that ive found where they are circling. Interesting.
 
ahkahn said:
It's circling right now..... Seems to be circling the same place. Not sure what that place is.
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I am betting either a drug stash house.... or the IRS is targeting a Tea Party meeting and sent there by Lois Lerner...:redface:
 
Jade Helm 15 is being extended out of TX to subdue a rogue outpost.
 
It's still circling now, close to midnight, round and round the same spot. About a 5 NM diameter circle.

Center of the circle looks pretty close to here:
7563 Bay Rd Mobile, AL 36605 (but it could be any of several houses half a mile away from there -- I couldn't identify the circle center that precisely.)

GPS, more or less, of the circle center: 30.535, -88.085

There are some residences along the waterfront right there. Also, some nearby businesses, according to Google Maps: Aker Subsea, Offshore Indland Marine & Oilfield Services Inc., and a closed Naval base that Google Maps identifies as Mobile Naval Complex

edit: the center of the circle is pretty close to what looks like a cellphone tower near the intersections of Bay Rd and Middle Rd. Maybe just a coincidence.
 
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For surveillance, the orbit isn't always centered on the POI. It could be miles in any direction.
 
Maybe he's just having a tough time mastering turns around a point.
 
Govt surveillance plane. They've been showing up in several cities around the country. The word is the FBI is running them, but they won't say why.

So...do you feel safer now?
 
Just as long as they stay away from WI, nothing going on up here, besides Airventure.
 
And what is up with the polka dot paint scheme on the top of the engine nacelle?

Anyone here know anyone in the national media to tip off. Slow news week right now and they are all pounding the Donald, they might appreciate something else they can pound on.
 
Dr. O said:
And what is up with the polka dot paint scheme on the top of the engine nacelle?

Anyone here know anyone in the national media to tip off. Slow news week right now and they are all pounding the Donald, they might appreciate something else they can pound on.
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Probably for satellite imaging, with a lower resolution satellite image it probably looks similar to a small cloud.
 
Maciej said:
Probably for satellite imaging, with a lower resolution satellite image it probably looks similar to a small cloud.
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I was thinking more along the lines because the paint looks like crap and they found and blended corrosion in those areas and instead of spending lots of money to try and make new paint look as old and crappy as the existing paint, they just spotted the repairs with whatever they had.
 
bnt83 said:
I was thinking more along the lines because the paint looks like crap and they found and blended corrosion in those areas and instead of spending lots of money to try and make new paint look as old and crappy as the existing paint, they just spotted the repairs with whatever they had.
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That's probably more likely, I have a tendency of giving people more credit than they deserve lol
 
OverTQ said:
For surveillance, the orbit isn't always centered on the POI. It could be miles in any direction.
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This. Depending on what they are monitoring, you likely won't be able to determine based on where the aircraft is orbiting.
 
For a logical question, why not block the tail number? While we don't know exactly what's going on, all signs point to something surveillance related. If you're going to be doing that why is the tail number traceable?
 
Sendero said:
For a logical question, why not block the tail number? While we don't know exactly what's going on, all signs point to something surveillance related. If you're going to be doing that why is the tail number traceable?
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My guess, since its a private company the reptiles in congress haven't gotten around to somehow exempting private companies from complying with federal regs on tail numbers. If it was mil/Govt owned they could do what they want to the id.
 
Dr. O said:
And what is up with the polka dot paint scheme on the top of the engine nacelle?

Anyone here know anyone in the national media to tip off. Slow news week right now and they are all pounding the Donald, they might appreciate something else they can pound on.
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It isn't just on top of the engine nacelles. Look at the top of the cabin and near the tail.
 
Dr. O said:
And what is up with the polka dot paint scheme on the top of the engine nacelle?

Anyone here know anyone in the national media to tip off. Slow news week right now and they are all pounding the Donald, they might appreciate something else they can pound on.
Click to expand...

Rattle can paint job to cover smoking rivets.? :dunno:
 
Sendero said:
For a logical question, why not block the tail number? While we don't know exactly what's going on, all signs point to something surveillance related. If you're going to be doing that why is the tail number traceable?
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Why block it? Serves no purpose when the company it's registered to is an enigma.
 
Henning said:
Why block it? Serves no purpose when the company it's registered to is an enigma.
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Does FlightAware or <insert your favorite website> display movement information of a blocked tail number?
 
Pretty impressive circles, though!

I didn't see it. Any idea what altitude they were at? The flightaware track log link brings me to a blank page.
 
Flightaware page says "Tracking data for this position-only flight is incomplete and potentially inaccurate."

I don't recall seeing that before.
 
Sendero said:
Does FlightAware or <insert your favorite website> display movement information of a blocked tail number?
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I don't know, same goes though. Thing is, if you 'black out' the flight, you raise suspicion and incur liability, when you can just keep everything hidden right out in the open. You also can gain 'false flag' value. It doesn't matter, what is is.
 
The FBI and CIA have done this for years, having the ID be in the name of various different companys, most of which did or do not exist. Very true during both Iran contra and the rendition aircraft from 2003 on. Some of them are aircraft confiscated from drug runners, ie: the beech 200 that g.bush used as gov. Of Texas was formerly flown by Barry seale, the drug runner for the CIA.
 
Jimmy cooper said:
The FBI and CIA have done this for years, having the ID be in the name of various different companys, most of which did or do not exist. Very true during both Iran contra and the rendition aircraft from 2003 on. Some of them are aircraft confiscated from drug runners, ie: the beech 200 that g.bush used as gov. Of Texas was formerly flown by Barry seale, the drug runner for the CIA.
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It's really not that much of a secret. If anyone is interested in doing circles around the sandbox let me know. I'll get you directly to one of our recruiters.

http://careers.caci.com/job/Bagram-Bagram-Rotational-ISR-Pilot-Job/274491000/
 
Auburn2002 said:
I didn't see it. Any idea what altitude they were at? The flightaware track log link brings me to a blank page.
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It was up and down, but when they were turning circles FA reported it as 13,500.

Henning said:
It doesn't matter, what is is.
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Everytime I see "is is" I think of Kevin Spacey's impression of Bill Clinton. :D
 
Sendero said:
It was up and down, but when they were turning circles FA reported it as 13,500.



Everytime I see "is is" I think of Kevin Spacey's impression of Bill Clinton. :D
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Maybe he's hauling mile high rides.:lol:
 
Sendero said:
It was up and down, but when they were turning circles FA reported it as 13,500.
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Probably best to train ISR pilots on the platform they'll be using over the U.S. Vs where you can get shot at if you go too low.
 
OkieAviator said:
Probably best to train ISR pilots on the platform they'll be using over the U.S. Vs where you can get shot at if you go too low.
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Makes sense. But why fly down from Hattiesburg, why not just turn circles in podunk MS? Unless they need the population center of Mobile for practice of whatever they are training for?

Out of curiosity, do you know what the job pays (from the link you posted)?
 
Sendero said:
Does FlightAware or <insert your favorite website> display movement information of a blocked tail number?
Click to expand...


Nope, mine is blocked and this is what happens if you try to run it.


image.jpg
 
Sendero said:
Out of curiosity, do you know what the job pays (from the link you posted)?
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I don't. Completely different business group. We compensate well for overseas positions though.
 
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