Any LAX or Tracon on these boards i gotta question

[JustMVG]

There is a Beech 18 with turbines that cruises over and over the whole of so cal in a cross hatch pattern north to south and back north and repeat all day long, now if you know what they're doing i 'd like to know, if its a flying repeater of sorts for the media fine or is it updating the Thomas guides or is somethign up and don't think anyone is watching the skies. Thanks MVG

[Kilrtoy]

OK MIKE stop watching conspiracy theroy. No one is coming to get you.
If it is a twin all white turbine, my guess CIA, FBI or DEA, I know what your talking about. NO NUMBERS AT ALL

[Sleek-Jet]

What altitude???

[Kilrtoy]

What altitude???
Way too low most of the time at 800 and below, Now if you know avaition , you know NO ONE can fly this low , with the exception of approach.....

[JustMVG]

An Educated guess would put it a low 1500 agl and 2500 agl. I haven't had the binoculars to catch the tail #'s but i have been seeing this a/c for years and saw it out in our area recently, my guess is it is just always updating the photo maps in the area, i am not a conspiracy therorist, but i am an ex pilot and know when someone is flying a distinct pattern other than take off and landing or doing primary flight manuevers, just curious thats all it wouldn't surprise me to see an a/c like that out @ elsinore becuase the Beech 18 was a great skydiving ac. or perris or Cal City for that matter. And these flights are only during the day. And i have only seen this in So Cal.
MVG

[RIVERINFO.com]

Detailed mapping flights for Uncle Sam, they also combine this info with sat imaging, but I was told the low level flights provide some additional detailed information they wanted... As technology improves they go back and remap the major metro areas... I use to work LA Center and Santa Maria tower.... Years ago when they were testing the cruise missiles they would launch them from a b52 over Edwards and they would fly out to the ocean over San Luis Obispo, then follow 1/2 mile off the shoreline, then turn inland at Santa Barbara crossing President Reagans Ranch, back to Edwards, all while being chased by a coulpe T38s chase planes... Some very cool stuff happening in the skies over central and southern Cali...

[SMFRiverRat]

The Beech 18 with the turbines are "bug droppers". They are dropping sterilized med flies. Pretty cool operation. My current First officer flew them for about a year. Flying around while a guy in the back puts them in a sort of hopper with a corkscrew deal and shoots them out. Not a glamorous job but he built up a lot of turbine time in short order.
I think he said they were based in Los Alomitos and have been doing it since 93 or something. They go by the call sign "MED-FLY".

[UBFJ #454]

Here in the Valley of The Sun, the air photos taken from such overflights are used to calculate (square feet beneath roof, pools, new additions, etc.) Property Taxes) Property Taxes as well as some other infastructural things.

[PHX ATC]

I dunno about his guy, but I bet the mapping and bug droppings (not poop :rollside: ) are the 2 best bets. Either that or they're checking powerlines.
It's probably just some rich dude checking out all the sunbathing mommies in their backyards. :cool:

[Dr. Eagle]

There is a Beech 18 with turbines that cruises over and over the whole of so cal in a cross hatch pattern north to south and back north and repeat all day long, now if you know what they're doing i 'd like to know, if its a flying repeater of sorts for the media fine or is it updating the Thomas guides or is somethign up and don't think anyone is watching the skies. Thanks MVG
I bet it's the aireal photography for the LA and Orange County Tax Assessors. That way they can catch those no good adder onners that don't get permits... :hammerhea

[SMFRiverRat]

Probably more than you wanted to know, but here is a link to the program.
http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/phpps/pdep/prpinfo/pg1.html

[welk2party]

Just what I needed to know. Low flying planes dropping bugs on me. As if getting pigeon crap on me was not bad enough. :notam:

[Dr. Eagle]

Fruit flies that show up on radar... :confused:
I doubt that the aircraft involved has anything to do with that...

[PHX ATC]

If the flies travel in packs, we might be able to paint them on RADAR!
Funny stuff. :mix:

[Slib77]

Just a guess. But they might be equipped with thermal imagers and looking for high volumes of heat generated from hydro houses or labs. Dunno

[Tom Brown]

It's probably a Mexican family looking for a place to set up their cardboard box.

[JustMVG]

I have to agree with the Medfly dropping , it's gotta be we had an out break a couple of year ago and have not seen any or as many, but i just wonder if we the public were ever told that this was going to be going on. Our biggest Fly problem out here are the many Chicken ranches, real chickens not the other ones we eat and pay for. and the flys are relentless, as are the ants. geesh if it isn't one thing out here it's another. Thanks for the input and yes KILR there is a conspiracy to rid us of fruit flys, how do these guys communcate with the various towers, just fly VFR the whole day, i might give a listen,find out whats going on. THanks to all of you , you guys haven't let me down yet.... Mike too nosy VG

[SMFRiverRat]

Listen on one of the SOCAL freq. Like 124.90

[79miller]

I have heard the call sign medfly7, when I've listened in on Fullerton tower, 119.1. I live right by there. You can call the tower and ask them, 714-525-1623. Pre-9/11, when I was taking lessons, they would let you in the tower to hang out and see how they do it. Pretty cool when you are a student pilot. Do know if they still let you....
Why can't they do this with Mosquitos?

[ROZ]

It's probably just some rich dude checking out all the sunbathing mommies in their backyards. :cool:
Now that's a ticket I'd pay for :D

[jas0502]

It's probably a Mexican family looking for a place to set up their cardboard box.
LMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D

[Dr. Eagle]

If the flies travel in packs, we might be able to paint them on RADAR!
Funny stuff. :mix:
Small enough I think you'd probably have to ask em to turn on their transponder... :boxed:

[JustMVG]

Now that's a ticket I'd pay for :D
If he were rich he'd be doing it in a G4 not a Beech 18, and not everyday,