They erect a grounded mast to provide lightning protection for each parked plane. (Source: discussed purpose of said mast with ground crew at Nellis last year).
Useful info, thanks. So it's more of slo-mo crash landing then - that makes much more sense now. And the bit about the directional antenna also makes total sense.
Seems like a significant security risk that it is publicly trackable?
I've seen AF1 land at the airport here (Bozeman) -- it flew in to the area at high altitude then circled tightly reducing altitude until final approach. I assumed to reduce the chance of a stinger hit from mountain-men.
I find the 'hero' photo fascinating, of the aircraft lined up quite closely under construction. The closeness, the apparent temporary nature of the equipment nearby, the lack of there being a 'line'. Then it struck me perhaps the planes are stationary, while the 'line' moves around them. Can anyone shed any light?
My guess is there is something in right traffic that they aren't allowed to fly over, or there is terrain/tall buildings potentially making it dangerous in inclement weather
Surprised there are not cameras recording what the pilots can see outside? Even if it's overwriting itself every few hours or something.. just to keep a record in case of something weird like this.
yeah the area overhead is very literally a training path where they do a lot of circling stuff in small planes. they do have a decent amount of jets flying very high though.
At the beginning of the article they author mentions that there is no cell signal once you reach the camp.
Wouldn't a Cessna with a Stingray on board show up on your cell phone as a signal?
It was my understanding that the way the Stingrays works is that they broadcast a pilot signal just like a regular cell tower albeit a spoofed one.
Wouldn't you be able to see that your cell phone all of sudden has x bars signal when you hear or see the Cessna and then that signal would disappear when the Cessna leaves?
Cessnas are not that quiet and they aren't capable of flying that high to the point that you couldn't hear or see them right?
reply