Flightradar24 Interesting Finds

[Highlandr]

Red - Draken F1 Mirage
Green = Harriers
Black = Draken A4s
C-130 over Jacksonville
CH-53 over Wilmington
C-17 showed up since I took the SS.

 

[dmccarty]

Red - Draken F1 Mirage
Green = Harriers
Black = Draken A4s
C-130 over Jacksonville
CH-53 over Wilmington
C-17 showed up since I took the SS.
....

I took a screen shot about that time too!

I was really surprised to see the Harriers. An E2 flew down from VA. I assume to guide what we could see and could not see on the website.

 

[Highlandr]

An E2 flew down from VA.

Saw that E2 right after I posted.

 

[Highlandr]

I was really surprised to see the Harriers.

VMA-223 out of Cherry Point is the last squadron flyin' 'em. Supposed to be transitioned to the 35B by October.

 

[dmccarty]

I saw something interesting today, well, the pattern started early this week or last week. I did not take a screenshot today but I should have.

Last week, or early this week, I saw TWO Airbus A400s flying information in NC. They flew close enough to my house to hear but not see. SOOOO frustrating. The A400 is the European version of the C130. They sound similar too.

Early this week another A400 flew by and today another flying. Previously, I had not followed the A400s to see where they landed, but I did today.

1. All of the A400s were on the same course.
2. Today's A400, and I assumed the other three, landed at Gulfport Biloxi international airport. Which seems odd to me. There is a USN Construction Battalion and port a few miles from the airport.
3. The A400s flew from an airport near Norfolk VA.
4. The A400s were Spanish.

The other odd thing about today, is that the A400 was on a reciprocal course with 3-4 C130s. I should have take a screen shot of planes. At one point, they flew right over each other. The A400 was at a much higher altitude compared to the C130s. The C130s landed at an airport near Norfolk VA. Anyone wants to guess where the C130s took off from?

Update 1:
Well, I THOUGHT the C130s landed near Norfolk, but they flew right over Norfolk, and then continued up the east coast... I suspect I will loose track of them.

Update 2:

1. The C130s flew offshore NJ but are hugging the shoreline.
2. Just happened to see another Spanish A400 flying in along Cape Code. It took off from the Azores which makes sense.
3. Will the A400 land in Norfolk for fuel and then head to Biloxi?
4. I wonder if they C130s will head to the Azores...

Update 3:
The C130s/A400s going/from to Gulfport/Biloxi are at a Mississippi Guard facility. Google Earth shows C130s at the facility.

 

[dmccarty]

This is another Spanish A400, the US C130s from Gulfport/Biloxi I saw earlier in the day, and a C17 just off of NJ.

Update. The C130s landed somewhere in Rhode Island. To Refuel/

 

[bcp]

One going to UK and the other to Azores.

AIRBUS A-400M Atlas (quad-turboprop) (A400) ✈ Aircraft Type - FlightAware

AIRBUS A-400M Atlas (quad-turboprop) (A400) aircraft type complete tracking. Explore live maps, departures, arrivals and more with FlightAware.

www.flightaware.com

Bruce

 

[Highlandr]

I don't recall ever seeing any of these before this week. That thing is up there.

T-38 and E-2 right there where it took off from. And a C-17 SSW of Ocean City.

Earlier this morning there was an F-5 offshore, about where the A-4s & Mirages have been playing this week.

 

[dmccarty]

I don't recall ever seeing any of these before this week. That thing is up there.

T-38 and E-2 right there where it took off from. And a C-17 SSW of Ocean City.

Earlier this morning there was an F-5 offshore, about where the A-4s & Mirages have been playing this week.
...

LOL I noticed the drone up at 50,000 feet. I have seen drones at the altitude before but dang it is up there. I have seen a few F5s too. One flew close enough to my house to hear it.

This evening an E6, aka a doomsday plane flew right over the house and I was able to see it, well it's lights. It has been close enough in the past to hear it but I "saw" it tonight. The E6 flies a random route and it was near us but not close enough to see or hear when it made a sharp 90ish degree turn and flew over the house. <Happy Dance>

 

[Highlandr]

There goes the Donald.

 

[dmccarty]

There goes the Donald.
...

Interesting that Air Force 1 went that far offshore. Planes usually hug the shoreline when it makes sense or stay over land.

I saw the 747 carrying Harris years ago fly over NC. The Flight Tracking website did not really identify the plane but it gave enough information to figure out that it was Air Force 1 or 2. I was curious if I was correct and "watched" it land and taxi at Andrews.

 

[Highlandr]

Interesting that Air Force 1 went that far offshore.

I thought so too. I was surprised it even squawked.

Landed at Dover.

From an hour ago.

A military aircraft carrying the remains of U.S. service members killed in the Kuwait has arrived at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware, where Trump and other administration officials are attending a dignified transfer.

The C-17 aircraft carrying the transfer cases arrived at the base this afternoon, according to the pool reporter.

Dignified transfers, or the solemn return of fallen service members to U.S. soil, usually take place at Dover Air Force Base, the military's primary mortuary facility.

 

[GrandpaSmurf825]

I wasn't aware of this app but pretty interesting. Saw there was a Canadian C-130 Hecules that had passed through but way to far away to have been visible even if I had known sooner.

I do use an app called vessel finder to keep track of when the swing span bridge at Ft Madison Iowa might be open and vehicle traffic halted.

 

[MossRoad]

Interesting that Air Force 1 went that far offshore. Planes usually hug the shoreline when it makes sense or stay over land.

I saw the 747 carrying Harris years ago fly over NC. The Flight Tracking website did not really identify the plane but it gave enough information to figure out that it was Air Force 1 or 2. I was curious if I was correct and "watched" it land and taxi at Andrews.

If it was carrying Harris without the President, it was not Air Force One. Air Force One is reserved for ANY Air Force plane that's carrying the President. Like last January, when the 747 had electrical problems and had to turn around. The President boarded an Air Force 757 and left for Europe again. That plane was then designated Air Force One.

Any Air Force plane carrying the Vice President (without the President on board) is called Air Force Two.

 

[dmccarty]

If it was carrying Harris without the President, it was not Air Force One. Air Force One is reserved for ANY Air Force plane that's carrying the President. Like last January, when the 747 had electrical problems and had to turn around. The President boarded an Air Force 757 and left for Europe again. That plane was then designated Air Force One.

Any Air Force plane carrying the Vice President (without the President on board) is called Air Force Two.

Yes, I now the difference between Air Force 1 and 2. When I first saw the 747, the identity of the plane was not clear at all, which is what made me wonder what it was, so I started digging. Then I figured out the 747 was one of the planes that carries the president or vice president. Finally, I found out the plane was carrying Harris and was returning from overseas, so it was Air Force 2.

The identity of the plane was "hidden" on the flight tracking site which is what got my attention. What is this mystery 747?

 

[dmccarty]

Another Spanish A400 went by today. Same course so I assume it went down to Gulfport again. I could hear it but not see it.

I did see a C130 that flew over last night so that was cool.

 

[domin]

There goes the Donald.

View attachment 5198443

i always imagined that his plane is not trackable

 

[dmccarty]

i always imagined that his plane is not trackable

I am really surprised at what can be seen.
- Air Force 1 and 2
- Military Transports flying here and there
- C130 and C17s that look like they are dropping the 81st Airborne at Bragg and training Special Forces, not just at Bragg but on local lakes.
- Some fighter planes
- Drones
- Blimps, both Goodyear and military.
- Tankers of various types
- E6 doomsday plane
- AWACs
- C2 Carrier cargo planes
- E2 Carrier AWACs.

What I have not seen are B1s, B2s or B52s. I guess they just don't fly over NC.

Apaches and Night Hawks on the website are an everyday thing and I hear or see them at least a couple of times a week. It makes sense for them to be tracked due to their altitude. Having said that, I see them flying around a certain critical installation frequently. I guess if that installation was ever attacked, the National Guard Apaches would respond quickly.

 

[Highlandr]

Then again, C-17s, C-130s, Blackhawks, etc. will fly right over the house and nada.

 

[dmccarty]

Early in the week I heard a turbo prop plane that sounded like a C130 or A400. It was around sunrise, and I was not getting up to check the tracking software, much less running outside to see if I could see the plane.

Hours later, by pure dumb luck, I saw an A400 take off from around Norfolk and head east. It was a Spanish A400. I assume it was what I heard that morning and that it had left Gulfport, refueled in Norfolk and then headed to Spain.