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"Classified" supersonic aircraft?



 
 
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  #11  
Old January 14th 04, 02:31 PM
Scott Ferrin
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On Tue, 13 Jan 2004 20:25:46 GMT, Mike Marron
wrote:

"Scott Ferrin" wrote:


This from the latest AW&ST


"SECRET STREAKER?


On the morning of Jan. 7, an aircraft using call sign "Lockheed Test
2334" told the FAA's Albuquerque Center it would be "going supersonic
somewhere above Flight Level 60 [60,000 ft.]" for about 10 sec. It was
flying over the Pecos Military Operating Area in eastern New Mexico at
the time, transmitting on 350.350 MHz. When a center controller
queried, "Say aircraft type," the unidentified vehicle's pilot
responded: "We are a classified type and can't reveal our true
altitude." About 15 min. later, the same pilot--on a different
frequency (351.700 MHz.)--requested permission for a descent to 30,000
ft. and flight-following to "Las Vegas with final destination
somewhere in the Nellis Range" complex. The U.S. Air Force's
super-secret Groom Lake test facility is located in the northwest
portion of the Nellis AFB, Nev., ranges. The Albuquerque Center
controller quipped, "Trip home a bit slower, eh?" There was no
response from the classified aircraft. The radio interchanges were
recorded by Steve Douglass, a "military radio monitor" hobbyist in
Amarillo, Tex."


Couldn't this just be a plain old F-22? Going over 60k is nothing
special. The part about "can't reveal our true altitude" sounds like
BS. If they can see them on radar I'd think they'd be able to tell
how high they were.


Reminds me of the following famous SR-71 story...

Los Angeles Center reported receiving a request for clearance
to FL 600 (60,000 ft). The incredulous controller, with some disdain
in his voice, asked, "How do you plan to get up to 60,000 feet?"
The pilot (obviously a sled driver), responded, "We don't plan to go
up to it, we plan to go DOWN to it." He was cleared.




LOL. I thought about that one :-) There's another one about speeds
being called out:

"In his book, Sled Driver, SR-71 Blackbird pilot Brian Shul writes:
"I'll always remember a certain radio exchange that occurred one day
as Walt (my backseater) and I were screaming across Southern
California, 13 miles high. We were monitoring various radio
transmissions from other aircraft as we entered Los Angeles airspace.
Though they didn't really control us, they did monitor our movement
across their scope. I heard a Cessna ask for a readout of its
groundspeed."

"90 knots" Center replied.

"Moments later, a Twin Beech required the same."

"120 knots," Center answered.

"We weren't the only ones proud of our groundspeed that day as almost
instantly an F-18 smugly transmitted, 'Ah, Center, Dusty 52 requests
groundspeed readout.'

"There was a slight pause, then the response, 525 knots on the ground,
Dusty".

"Another silent pause. As I was thinking to myself how ripe a
situation this was, I heard a familiar click of a radio transmission
coming from my backseater. It was at that precise moment I realized
Walt and I had become a real crew, for we were both thinking in
unison." "Center, Aspen 20, you got a groundspeed readout for us?"

There was a longer than normal pause.... "Aspen, I show 1,742 knots"

"No further inquiries were heard on that frequency""
  #12  
Old January 14th 04, 03:35 PM
Steven P. McNicoll
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"Scott Ferrin" wrote in message
...

LOL. I thought about that one :-) There's another one about speeds
being called out:

"In his book, Sled Driver, SR-71 Blackbird pilot Brian Shul writes:
"I'll always remember a certain radio exchange that occurred one day
as Walt (my backseater) and I were screaming across Southern
California, 13 miles high. We were monitoring various radio
transmissions from other aircraft as we entered Los Angeles airspace.
Though they didn't really control us, they did monitor our movement
across their scope. I heard a Cessna ask for a readout of its
groundspeed."

"90 knots" Center replied.

"Moments later, a Twin Beech required the same."

"120 knots," Center answered.

"We weren't the only ones proud of our groundspeed that day as almost
instantly an F-18 smugly transmitted, 'Ah, Center, Dusty 52 requests
groundspeed readout.'

"There was a slight pause, then the response, 525 knots on the ground,
Dusty".

"Another silent pause. As I was thinking to myself how ripe a
situation this was, I heard a familiar click of a radio transmission
coming from my backseater. It was at that precise moment I realized
Walt and I had become a real crew, for we were both thinking in
unison." "Center, Aspen 20, you got a groundspeed readout for us?"

There was a longer than normal pause.... "Aspen, I show 1,742 knots"

"No further inquiries were heard on that frequency""


Nice story, but the groundspeed wouldn't show 1,742 knots. Groundspeed
readouts are to the nearest ten knots.


  #13  
Old January 14th 04, 05:17 PM
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"Steven P. McNicoll" wrote:


"Scott Ferrin" wrote

--cut--

There was a longer than normal pause.... "Aspen, I show 1,742 knots"

"No further inquiries were heard on that frequency""


Nice story, but the groundspeed wouldn't show 1,742 knots. Groundspeed
readouts are to the nearest ten knots.

Just 'pilot's license', quite acceptable in this circumstance!.


--

-Gord.
  #14  
Old January 16th 04, 02:40 PM
BUFDRVR
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When a center controller
queried, "Say aircraft type,"


The only reason I can think of, and the only times flying in the CONUS I've
been asked this question, is if I'm going to be passing closely to another
aircraft so they can be given the heads up; "United 2440, you'll be passing
under a B-52 at 33,000 feet, report traffic in sight". Who's the conflict with
"above FL600"? And I'm assuming his ridiculous comment about not reporting his
"true altitude" implies he stopped sqawking Mode C?


BUFDRVR

"Stay on the bomb run boys, I'm gonna get those bomb doors open if it harelips
everyone on Bear Creek"
  #15  
Old January 16th 04, 10:47 PM
Steven P. McNicoll
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"BUFDRVR" wrote in message
...

The only reason I can think of, and the only times flying in the CONUS

I've
been asked this question, is if I'm going to be passing closely to another
aircraft so they can be given the heads up; "United 2440, you'll be

passing
under a B-52 at 33,000 feet, report traffic in sight". Who's the conflict

with
"above FL600"? And I'm assuming his ridiculous comment about not reporting

his
"true altitude" implies he stopped sqawking Mode C?


Mode C altitude above FL600 reads out as FL600 regardless of actual
altitude.


  #16  
Old January 17th 04, 12:11 AM
BUFDRVR
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Mode C altitude above FL600 reads out as FL600 regardless of actual
altitude.


Interesting. I did not know that.


BUFDRVR

"Stay on the bomb run boys, I'm gonna get those bomb doors open if it harelips
everyone on Bear Creek"
  #17  
Old January 17th 04, 12:24 AM
Steven P. McNicoll
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"BUFDRVR" wrote in message
...

Interesting. I did not know that.


Probably few do. About fifteen years ago I was a controller at Chicago
Center working traffic in the Madison, WI, area. A NASA ER-1 departed MSN
requesting an unrestricted climb to FL610. I coordinated with the high
altitude sector and issued the climb. He went up like a rocket! The Mode C
readout couldn't keep up with him. Shortly after he reported out of FL600
and cancelled IFR, the Mode C read FL600. I asked a Data Systems Specialist
about it and he told me that FL600 and higher will read out as FL600.


  #18  
Old January 17th 04, 05:52 AM
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"Steven P. McNicoll" wrote:


"BUFDRVR" wrote in message
...

Interesting. I did not know that.


Probably few do. About fifteen years ago I was a controller at Chicago
Center working traffic in the Madison, WI, area. A NASA ER-1 departed MSN
requesting an unrestricted climb to FL610. I coordinated with the high
altitude sector and issued the climb. He went up like a rocket! The Mode C
readout couldn't keep up with him. Shortly after he reported out of FL600
and cancelled IFR, the Mode C read FL600. I asked a Data Systems Specialist
about it and he told me that FL600 and higher will read out as FL600.


Sounds like another 'mechanic to pilot answer' "That's the way
it's made sir"

(just kidding)
--

-Gord.
  #19  
Old January 18th 04, 06:37 AM
Ron
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Probably few do. About fifteen years ago I was a controller at Chicago
Center working traffic in the Madison, WI, area. A NASA ER-1 departed MSN
requesting an unrestricted climb to FL610. I coordinated with the high
altitude sector and issued the climb. He went up like a rocket! The Mode C
readout couldn't keep up with him. Shortly after he reported out of FL600
and cancelled IFR, the Mode C read FL600. I asked a Data Systems Specialist
about it and he told me that FL600 and higher will read out as FL600.


The pilot mentions FL60 in the audio clip, also mention of a supersonic run in
Pecos MOA though, I am not sure how high Pecos MOA goes up to, but I doubt its
that high. the FL60 comment is strange too.

I would not be suprised if it was someone pulling a prank on Mr Douglas
though.
Ron
Pilot/Wildland Firefighter

  #20  
Old January 19th 04, 04:58 AM
Steven P. McNicoll
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"Ron" wrote in message
...

The pilot mentions FL60 in the audio clip, also mention of a supersonic
run in Pecos MOA though, I am not sure how high Pecos MOA goes
up to, but I doubt its that high.


MOAs are established outside of Class A airspace, but they frequently have
ATCAAs with the same lateral limits established above them.


 




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