[Scan-DC] Round and round Ross goes...

[Albert LaFrance]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Alan Henney" <alan at henney.com>
To: "Scan DC" <Scan-DC at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Tuesday, May 15, 2007 11:43 PM
Subject: [Scan-DC] Round and round Ross goes...


>
> It has me baffled too; we're in Takoma Park.
>
> What about other metro areas?  Is this something that's common to only
> Washington?
>
> Any thoughts as to what the FBI airplane does?  Seems to have been
> a common occurrence over D.C. since 9/11.
>
> This plane must be performing some surveillance activity that can't be
> easily performed from the ground.  Like what?
>
> Alan

I've seen news reports from other parts of the country, describing similar flights as being part of
FBI surveillance operations.  I *might* have posted some links a while ago; I'll check my archive
and re-post whatever I find.

The flights have been going on for a *long* time; in fact I distinctly remember reading an item in a
local paper (the Fairfax Journal, I think) at least 15-20 years ago describing exactly the same kind
of activity, over Fairfax City.  Someone (a local official or the reporter) contacted the FAA and
was told something to the effect of "We know about it but can't tell you anything".

Because the flights have been going on for so long, I tend to think they're training missions.  But
the question is: training for what?  My guess would be tracking vehicles, but I've also heard the
theory that the planes are performing a communications relay function for a ground-based
surveillance operation.  Given their very regular, circular flight pattern, that theory would seem
to make sense.

Albert




hich makes me tend to think they're ttaining missions.