At one time, the Janet flights could be tracked in the airspace around McCarran using http://www4.passur.com/las.html. The service no longer exists. Flights to Palmdale and near Edwards can be tracked using http://www4.passur.com/lax.html The information is present in near real time or can be played back from archived data. To get the details on a particular plane on the screen, right click over that plane. The Janet 737s will have flight ID's starting with "WWW". The smaller Janet planes will display their N-number, such as N20RA. You can get a rough estimate of Janet 737s flight times using instructions on the "Flytecomm" page, or flightaware.
Regarding the smaller Janet planes, you can find their tail number using the database search on www.landings.com Click on "databases", then "owner search". Enter "DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE" in the owner field.[If you stumbled onto this page from a search engine, it would be a good idea to check out the main Janet page.]
Aircraft type codes can be found here. Aircraft codes for the Janet planes are listed below:
BEECH AIRCRAFT COMPANY (USA)
|
Model |
Type Designator |
Description |
Performance Information |
||
|
|
|
Number & Type Engines/Weight Class |
Climb Rate (fpm) |
Descent Rate (fpm) |
SRS Cat. |
|
1900 (C-12J) |
B190 |
2T/S+ |
2,400 |
2,400 |
III |
|
200, 1300 Super King Air, Commuter (C-12A to F, C-12L/R, UC-12, RC-12, Tp101, Huron) |
BE20 |
2T/S+ |
2,450 |
2,500 |
II |
BOEING COMPANY (USA)
|
Model |
Type Designator |
Description |
Performance Information |
||
|
B737 Stage 3 |
B73Q |
2J/L |
3,000 |
3,000 |
III |
The Passur maps are made by overlaying several "snapshots". The Flightaware graphics are simply screen captures.. While all the Janet 737 flights allegedly go between the Tonopah Test Range and McCarran, obviously some are flights between the operation near Groom Lake and McCarran. [The somewhat redundant flight numbers above each map is for the benefit of search engines, which don't read graphics.]
This photograph of N5294E landing at KPAE is courtesy www.microvoltradio.com
The plane originated in Tuscon, where Sierra Pacific is based. The flights from Tuscon to Andrews and the TTR to Tuscon were probably empty.
The route over the Nellis range got as close as 12 miles from the Tonopah Test Range, and popped out of the range near the Alkali Lake (dry), close to the metropolis of Gemfield. The route went over a hilltop facility, shown here.
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Scramble Database - Query Results
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You searched for Serial = '83-0502' The query returned 1 record(s)
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| Serial | Code | Type | CN | Unit | Status | First | Last | Comment |
| 83-0502 | C-20A | 389 | to NASA | civ | sep02 | as | ||
This plane was in such a hurry that it violated the Nellis airspace. What makes this interesting is the flight ID has a ZQX prefix, which means the flight is blocked.
Clearly, something funny is going on here. Note the "A" suffix in the flight number.
First the raw data in 3 tables:
| Flight Number | WWW235 |
| Departure | TNX TONOPAH TEST RANGE, NV |
| Arrival | LAS MC CARRAN INTL, NV |
| Flight Plan Received | 03-10-2005 00:07 |
| Status | TIMED OUT |
| Planned Arrival | 03-10-2005 01:16 |
| Planned Dep | 03-10-2005 00:40 |
| Actual Dep | 03-10-2005 00:44 |
| Last Position | 3715N 11710W |
| Last Update | 03-10-2005 00:55 |
| Route | TNX..TPH..TPH206010..LIDAT.J92.BTY.FUZZY6.LAS/0036 |
| Flight Number | WWW235 |
| Departure | 3755N/11654W |
| Arrival | LAS MC CARRAN INTL, NV |
| Flight Plan Received | 03-10-2005 00:46 |
| Status | TIMED OUT |
| Planned Arrival | 03-10-2005 12:51 |
| Planned Dep | 03-10-2005 00:46 |
| Actual Dep | |
| Last Position | |
| Last Update | |
| Route | 3755N/11654W..LIDAT..BTY..LAS |
| Flight Number | WWW235A |
| Departure | BTY BEATTY, NV |
| Arrival | LAS MC CARRAN INTL, NV |
| Flight Plan Received | 03-10-2005 00:59 |
| Status | LANDED |
| Planned Arrival | 03-10-2005 00:59 |
| Planned Dep | 03-10-2005 00:59 |
| Actual Arrival | 03-10-2005 01:23 |
| Last Position | 3607N 11509W |
| Last Update | 03-10-2005 01:20 |
| Route | BTY.FUZZY6.LAS |
Yes, the planned arrival and planned departure were logged as the same time in the flight plan. Now the timeline:
| First Flight Plan Received | 03-10-2005 00:07 |
| First Departure | 03-10-2005 00:44 |
| Second Flight Plan Received | 03-10-2005 00:46 |
| Planned departure of second flight | 03-10-2005 00:46 |
| Last Update of first flight | 03-10-2005 00:55 |
| Third Flight Plan Received | 03-10-2005 00:59 |
| Actual Arrival on third flight plan | 03-10-2005 01:23 |
Two minutes into the first flight a new flight plan was filed. The last update of the first flight happens 9 minutes later. Four minutes later a third flight plan is received, though there is no indication the plane ever landed. Twenty-Four minutes later the flight from where-ever lands in Las Vegas.
Fixes:
| TNX | N37 47 40.7750 W116 46 43.2290 |
| TPH | N38 03 36.7280 W117 05 13.7530 |
| TPH206010 (T2 on map) | N37 55 54.2 W117 13 22.8 |
| LIDAT | N37 25 48.670 W117 16 41.000 |
| BTY | N36 51 39.8060 W116 47 13.2130 |
| FUZZY | N36 12 02.070 W115 54 01.010 |
| LAS | N36 04 49.3000 W115 09 08.4000 |
| "LUF1" last update flight one | N37 15 W117 10 |
| "DF2" departure flight two | N37 55 W116 54 |
Now for the real fun. The plane takes off at the TTR runway. The last know position of the first flight is at LUF1. However the 2nd flight takes off at DF2, which was clearly passed by the first flight. The third flight somehow makes it from BTY and lands in Las Vegas.
Note that the time below is in local "military" time, while the times in the tables above are Zulu. The time below would read 1:04:25 on 3/10/2005 due to the 8 hour time difference.
The CASA CN235 is a plane often used by jumpers. See http://www.lazygranch.com/basecampsro.htm
N-number : N5025 Aircraft Serial Number : C-030 Aircraft Manufacturer : CONSTRUCCIONES AERONAUTICAS SA Model : CN 235-200 Engine Manufacturer : GE Model : CT7-SER Aircraft Year : 1990 Owner Name : TURBO FLITE AVIATION LLC Owner Address : 415 N HIGGINS AVE STE 1A MISSOULA, MT, 59802-4522 Type of Owner : Corporation Registration Date : 03-Mar-2004 Airworthiness Certificate Type : Standard Approved Operations : Transport
This flight is a puzzle and a half. First of all, MCY is not an airport, but rather a navigation beacon. The airport near the town of Mercury, which is the base of the Nevada Test Site, is Desert Rock (DRA). The Nevada Test Site is not related to the operation near Groom Lake, though truck deliveries to Area 51 are often run through the Nevada Test Site.
These passur maps show conflicting paths. The route on the first map terminates with N20RA flying north of route 95. On the next map, the image is shown starting well south of route 95.
Note that the timing of this flight was a few days before the testing of the Northrop Grumman "MALE UAV dubbed Model 395" at the Nellis Air Force Range.
This image is a composite of the above Passur tracking and a topo map. It indicates the flight probably originated north of Frenchman Lake (dry).
This photograph is of a facility to the north of Frenchman Lake. It is not listed as having an airport or runway.
This is the final leg of the flight. Note the huge difference in the position tracking. The flight is now shown much further south of route 95.
The flight plan indicated the origin to be TKM, though the tracking didn't start until the plane was over Pahrump.
Note the detour over Pahrump to check out the Bell residence loop antenna. The Bell residence is on the Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR) map.
Airport codes: LAS = Las Vegas; APC = Napa; TKM = Groom Lake
Note that the flight plan had a destination of TKM, though the graphics below shows TNX.
Here N661BA flies just outside the radar, but not far enough to be captured, as it flies a route from Napa to Groom Lake.
N-number : N404PA
Aircraft Serial Number : 18835
Aircraft Manufacturer : BOEING
Model : 707-321B
Engine Manufacturer : P&W
Model : JT3D SERIES
Aircraft Year : 1964
Owner Name : AIR FORCE MATERIAL COMMAND
Owner Address : HQ ESC/XPKL
HANSCOM AFB, MA, 01731
Type of Owner : Government
Registration Date : 29-Aug-1989
Airworthiness Certificate Type : Experimental
Approved Operations : Research and Development
N404PA is known as Paul Revere, probably because it hails from Boston's MIT Lincoln Labs.
N-number : N993DS
Aircraft Serial Number : 356
Aircraft Manufacturer : ISRAEL AIRCRAFT INDUSTRIES
Model : 1124A
Aircraft Year :
Owner Name : FEDRICK AVIATION LLC
Owner Address : 7411 NAPA VALLEJO HWY
NAPA, CA, 94558-7501
Type of Owner : Corporation
Registration Date : 17-May-2000
Airworthiness Certificate Type : Standard
Approved Operations : Transport
This plane is associated with Nova Group Incorporated . Note that the CEO of Nova Group is Robert Fedrick.
