[Scan-DC] Article from 1987 about "mystery plane" circling Fairfax

Fri Sep 10 11:18:44 EDT 2010

So what does this plane do?

-----Original Message-----
From: scan-dc-bounces at mailman.qth.net
[mailto:scan-dc-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of michael rumberg
Sent: Friday, September 10, 2010 11:14 AM
To: scan-dc at mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Scan-DC] Article from 1987 about "mystery plane" circling
Fairfax

If it is FBI its based at the Manassas airport.  A few years ago I was
able to see their planes up close, but was told, "um, no, not that one,
come on back over here...." 

pretty durn small, doesnt seem too comfortable for a long surveillance.
bet they have a lot of "truck driver's friends" on board. 

> From: albert.lafrance at coldwar-c4i.net
> To: davidschoenberger at gmail.com
> Date: Fri, 10 Sep 2010 11:10:05 -0400
> CC: scan-dc at mailman.qth.net
> Subject: Re: [Scan-DC] Article from 1987 about "mystery plane"
circling	Fairfax
> 
> Thanks, David! I like the quote "It probably will be there for a
while".  He
> sure got that right; I'd say 23 years counts as "a while"!
> 
> Albert
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: scan-dc-bounces at mailman.qth.net
> [mailto:scan-dc-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of David
Schoenberger
> Sent: Friday, September 10, 2010 10:59 AM
> To: Albert LaFrance
> Cc: scan-dc at mailman.qth.net
> Subject: Re: [Scan-DC] Article from 1987 about "mystery plane"
circling
> Fairfax
> 
> Here's the full text of that article.
> 
> Dave
> 
> FAIRFAX CITY ABUZZ OVER NIGHTLY VISITS OF MYSTERY PLANE
> Washington Post - Friday, August 28, 1987
> Author: Patricia Davis ; John F. Harris , Washington Post Staff
Writers
> It's a bird, it's a *plane* , it's . . . it's a *plane* , all right,
but
> nobody's saying why it's circling over *Fairfax* City every night.
> 
> Residents in the Halemhurst area of *Fairfax* City say that for the
last
> three weeks or so a single-engine *plane* , possibly operated by a
> government agency on a surveillance mission, has been flying a tight
circle
> about 1,000 feet above their neighborhood.
> 
> "It's like a mosquito *buzzing* in your ear all night long," said
Harry
> Fitzwater. "I don't know what the hell is going on up there."
> 
> Fitzwater said when his annoyance reached a peak he called the control
tower
> at Dulles International Airport to inquire about the mysterious
*plane* . He
> said he was told the *plane* belonged to a government agency -- and
that no
> more information could be released.
> 
> Numerous agencies contacted yesterday added to the mystery with a
chorus of
> no comments.
> 
> "All I can say is . . . I can't say anything about it," said Federal
> Aviation Administration spokesman Fred Farrar.
> 
> The FBI: "My comment is 'no comment,' " said special agent James E.
Mull.
> 
> The Drug Enforcement Administration: "I doubt it's us. We're better
than
> that -- we wouldn't be seen," said special agent Robert O'Leary.
> 
> Art Harrison, air traffic manager at the Dulles Control Tower said,
"It
> probably will be there for a while." So he knows about the *plane* ?
> "Perhaps."
> 
> *Fairfax* City Police Department: "We are aware of it, but it is a
matter I
> could not discuss," said Capt. John J. Skinner.
> 
> Fitzwater, who lives at 4124 Orchard Dr., says he knows more about the
*
> plane* than he cares to. He notices it mostly between 8 p.m. and
midnight.
> 
> But not everyone is complaining. Fitzwater's neighbor, Lois Rusche,
said her
> family has been more intrigued than annoyed.
> 
> She said they first noticed the *plane* circling low one evening a few
weeks
> ago when they were swimming in their pool. "We have lights on the
pool, and
> I said, 'Gosh, I hope this guy doesn't think it's an airstrip.'
> 
> On Fri, Sep 10, 2010 at 10:47 AM, Albert LaFrance <
> albert.lafrance at coldwar-c4i.net> wrote:
> 
> > As a matter of fact, he's up there right now, over Falls Church!
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > From: Albert LaFrance [mailto:albert.lafrance at coldwar-c4i.net]
> > Sent: Friday, September 10, 2010 10:32 AM
> > To: 'scan-dc at mailman.qth.net'
> > Subject: Article from 1987 about "mystery plane" circling Fairfax
> >
> >
> >
> > I finally found a reference to the article I remembered from long
ago,
> > about
> > (presumably) the FBI aircraft we're seeing so often.  It's just an
excerpt
> > on a pay site, but it gives the source: The Washington Post, August
28,
> > 1987:     http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-1340155.html
> >
> >
> >
> > Albert
> >
> > ______________________________________________________________
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