FighterControl

Q) EGTT/QAZCA/IV/NBO /AE /000/033/5141N00147W
A) EGVA
B) 21/03/25 06:00 C) 21/03/25 19:00
E) FAIRFORD MIL ATZ ACTIVE, AD, RWY 27/09 OPEN.

Bird away. Tracking on 360 Radar

Up and away for everyone to track today ...full Mode -S

Tracking on FR24 which is the first time I have seen that.

.

Over Melton Mowbray about 20past7

. . safe flight.

STN RAMP RAT wrote: ↑

Thu Mar 25, 2021 7:14 am

Tracking on FR24 which is the first time I have seen that.

Happens every few months , usually of course only mode A/C which you can only track on Planeplotter.
He may well turn the Mode S off as he gets out to MATEK , and leave it off for the return

Incidentally , every U2 sortie in UK airspace has been tracked on Planeplotter since last April , except the occasion he had avionics issues.

First thought is - its a recently arrived pilot whose forgotten about the Mode S giveaway.

luxto wrote: ↑

Thu Mar 25, 2021 8:07 am

First thought is - its a recently arrived pilot whose forgotten about the Mode S giveaway.

More inclined to think its an occasional test luxto.
Be interesting to see if he returns Mode A/C only...presently over east coast of Denmark.

zero_gravity wrote: ↑

Thu Mar 25, 2021 8:24 am

luxto wrote: ↑

Thu Mar 25, 2021 8:07 am

First thought is - its a recently arrived pilot whose forgotten about the Mode S giveaway.

More inclined to think its an occasional test luxto.
Be interesting to see if he returns Mode A/C only...presently over east coast of Denmark.

I'm sticking with my original thought

luxto wrote: ↑

Thu Mar 25, 2021 8:56 am

zero_gravity wrote: ↑

Thu Mar 25, 2021 8:24 am

luxto wrote: ↑

Thu Mar 25, 2021 8:07 am

First thought is - its a recently arrived pilot whose forgotten about the Mode S giveaway.

More inclined to think its an occasional test luxto.
Be interesting to see if he returns Mode A/C only...presently over east coast of Denmark.

I'm sticking with my original thought

I'm on the side of the driver/ground crew and hoping he/they havn't overlooked something !

If it can be seen then perhaps it is meant to be seen.....on this occasion.

It will only have been enabled following a deliberate pilot decision to do so. There’s no opportunity in the U-2 for this to be overlooked or left on accidentally.

As to why today and not yesterday - you’ll have to ask the pilot.

exatco wrote: ↑

Thu Mar 25, 2021 9:21 am

If it can be seen then perhaps it is meant to be seen.....on this occasion.

That was my conclusion. Interesting to see if it’s on for the return.

Just about to finish reading ‘Shady Lady’ by Rick Bishop and seems nothing gets overlooked on a U2 flight. If Luxto is right though, then we know who’s buying the beers in this weekend.

Looking back at our Mode A/C project the last time a U2 went out on Mode S was

68-10336 AE094C U2 July 21 2020.

To be honest I thought it was more recent than that!
Tempus fugit

zero_gravity wrote: ↑

Thu Mar 25, 2021 12:12 pm

Looking back at our Mode A/C project the last time a U2 went out on Mode S was

68-10336 AE094C U2 July 21 2020.

To be honest I thought it was more recent than that!
Tempus fugit

I have 68-10337 going out on Dec 1st with Mode S and 80-1083 returning on Dec 23rd Mode S:
https://twitter.com/Saint1Mil/status/13 ... 82401?s=20
https://twitter.com/Saint1Mil/status/13 ... 85602?s=20

Thanks..were they mission or rotation?

zero_gravity wrote: ↑

Thu Mar 25, 2021 1:01 pm

Thanks..were they mission or rotation?

Same direction as today (and back)...there was a transit Mode S 80-1080 on 9th Feb. Transits often show TBH.
https://twitter.com/Saint1Mil/status/13 ... 69696?s=20

it was showing as 80-1083 on asdb

" I have 68-10337 going out on Dec 1st with Mode S and 80-1083 returning on Dec 23rd Mode S: "

Ah , yes looking back the tracking sites were buzzing because they could see it Mode S.
Sad really , we track it every day ! )

zero_gravity wrote: ↑

Thu Mar 25, 2021 1:44 pm

Sad really , we track it every day ! )

Just need to catch up to the fact it's 2021 and look to move away from legacy desktop applications and in to 'the cloud' Of course, if you're already doing so then ignore this post!