When I questioned my USAF contact (son), his reply was: "A lot of training flights going on right now. Probably using funding while we still have it..".
The U2 is a TU-2, which is a 2 seat training variant. It's flying around the same airfield and maintaining low altitude and speed. Just touch-and-go pilot training.
I did note 2 E-6B's that took off close together and heading West on the same flight path. Could be heading to California to assume primary and secondary alert or something altogether different. No idea yet.
Yeah, Beale is home base for the U2's and the training site for their pilots. I don't think we'll ever see a U2 with its transponder on during forward operations overseas unless in a case of pilot error (forgetting to turn it off) since the U2 is a signals collection intelligence asset.
If the link shows Too many aircraft then Press the "U" at the top right of the screen. I can't seem to get it to post correctly for some reason. The U deletes commercial aircraft.
This appears to me to be about a 2/3 increase of craft in the air for this time of night.Better weather?Training planes are out later.Budget?There is however a marked increase in large transport craft.
If you have set the (P) Persistent setting it shows all for the time you are looking. Anyway, I think that is the way it works. Trying removing that setting and see if the #'s drop.
When I questioned my USAF contact (son), his reply was: "A lot of training flights going on right now. Probably using funding while we still have it..".
I can totally see that!!! Obummer cut their budget so much that your reply makes real sense.
Damn, I hope we don't go back to those days where they were cannibalizing parts from other functional aircraft to have just one working plane.
Big Mike must have needed some more money to finish it's surery and he diverted the funds from one rocket to another.
CONUS is Continental US.
That's not heavy MIL traffic. That U2 is up there all the time.
"training"
lol
The U2 is a TU-2, which is a 2 seat training variant. It's flying around the same airfield and maintaining low altitude and speed. Just touch-and-go pilot training.
I did note 2 E-6B's that took off close together and heading West on the same flight path. Could be heading to California to assume primary and secondary alert or something altogether different. No idea yet.
I have seen it over central CA for the last few weeks.
Yeah, Beale is home base for the U2's and the training site for their pilots. I don't think we'll ever see a U2 with its transponder on during forward operations overseas unless in a case of pilot error (forgetting to turn it off) since the U2 is a signals collection intelligence asset.
And strangely scant over europe?
If the link shows Too many aircraft then Press the "U" at the top right of the screen. I can't seem to get it to post correctly for some reason. The U deletes commercial aircraft.
see if this works: https://globe.adsbexchange.com/
This appears to me to be about a 2/3 increase of craft in the air for this time of night.Better weather?Training planes are out later.Budget?There is however a marked increase in large transport craft.
If you have set the (P) Persistent setting it shows all for the time you are looking. Anyway, I think that is the way it works. Trying removing that setting and see if the #'s drop.