Author Topic: U-2 Over SoCal  (Read 20735 times)

Offline lajim

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U-2 Over SoCal
« on: October 04, 2012, 09:09:51 PM »
This was a U-2 over San Diego and LA last week with LA Center.  Not sure what he was up to (other than being above FL 600).  Any thoughts on his mission would be appreciated.



Offline KiloYankee

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Re: U-2 Over SoCal
« Reply #1 on: October 05, 2012, 12:13:07 AM »
Cool.  Interesting that the controller was so interested in his intended flight path.  I can't imagine that traffic is any issue at FL600?

Offline datainmotion

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Re: U-2 Over SoCal
« Reply #2 on: October 05, 2012, 12:37:13 AM »
I'm glad you posted this, as I happened to catch a pilot checking in with ZDV (last week) at FL 650, which I assumed was a U2. I went back and listened to the archive but couldn't catch the callsign. However, another pilot asked Denver Center if he heard the altitude correctly and the controller confirmed he had, so at least I knew I wasn't hearing things... :wink:

Offline Fryy/Avocadoflight

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Re: U-2 Over SoCal
« Reply #3 on: October 06, 2012, 12:05:53 AM »
Thanks for the clip! Always an awesome listen.
Not that it answers the question about the mission but just some extra info. X-RAY is a callsign for U2's out of Palmdale and PINION is used for Beale. Some older ones that I don't believe are used any longer are KODAK, LLOYD, and DRAGON.

Was this captured from a current feed or your own scanner?

Offline lajim

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Re: U-2 Over SoCal
« Reply #4 on: October 06, 2012, 02:04:51 AM »
Recorded off my Icom R7000.  I originally heard him talking to Beaver Control within offshore warning area W-291.  Beaver switched him over to LA Center on 277.4 which is recorded (VHF = 119.95).  This is the high-altitude sector that runs north-south between LA and San Diego. Usually the U-2s operate on the LA Center ultra high altitude frequency of 369.9.  For some reason, they were using the regular high-altitude UHF frequencies for this mission.

Offline davolijj

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Re: U-2 Over SoCal
« Reply #5 on: October 08, 2012, 09:10:11 PM »
The controller wasn't interested in the flight plan for traffic reasons.  He was just getting the info from the U2 to enter into the HOST computer for automation reasons.  A military routing like that, which included a delay, is very tedious to enter and it must be properly formatted before it can be handed off to the next controller.

Offline sykocus

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Re: U-2 Over SoCal
« Reply #6 on: October 08, 2012, 09:13:17 PM »
A military routing like that, which included a delay, is very tedious to enter and it [is supposed to] be properly formatted before it can be handed off to the next controller.

fixed it for you

Offline razor023

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Re: U-2 Over SoCal
« Reply #7 on: October 29, 2012, 01:07:33 PM »
hello guys im new to the forum just a quick note it maybe one of the U2s that transited from fairford here in the uk from the middle east last week.

Offline razor023

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Re: U-2 Over SoCal
« Reply #8 on: November 11, 2012, 05:28:39 PM »
hiya gang, 11-11-2012 at 22:23pm uk time i see on planeplotter list the following,

68-10336 USAF U-2, no callsign showing, can you help out?