Mystery Aircraft Frightens Quincy, MA Residents

There was a thread within the last few days about unusual activity of military (?) planes and helicopters flying low, circling, etc., almost continuously, for several hours and for several days/weeks over the last month. I live in the San Francisco area, in the east bay, and we've been seeing the same thing. Last weekend was really active, to the point where the sound of helicopters and small planes (twin engine?) was literally overlapping for the whole day. They were circling, low, and going back and forth like they were searching (corn row/mowing the lawn patterns). Its started up again today, several small planes and helicopters, back and forth, circling, and overlapping. Really strange, something is up, coast to coast....

reply to post by scrog77


Well you can check much more territory from the air. That should be obvious. I would also guess that it is more effective (scientifically) to check whatever it is they are looking for from the air. Secondly one plane checking Quincy is more cost effective and likely to draw less attention than say a fleet of black or white vans circling neighborhoods. It was a guess... I am basing it off the last month or so in Boston area and the fact the FAA is being so tight lipped about it. Logically it is the only thing that makes sense to me. They can intercept communications from the ground if needed from miles or hundreds of miles away. I am guessing there is some threat they know of that they are checking into. I could be dead wrong. They obviously do not want people to panic but at the same time it must be pretty important if the plane is flying as low as is being reported. Thirdly I know NYC was checked for radiation levels from the air sometime in the last year. It was reported and talked about on ATS. I think they are doing whatever they can to protect people from panic. The residents of the Boston area have been subjected to quite a bit in the last month..

reply to post by nerdyclutzyblonde


Actually, there are a number of aerospace related businesses in the area around Quincy. This could be a test of new night equipment being mounted on the aircraft for the FBI, and not a threat at all.

All the big companies are in the Quincy area, Boeing, Raytheon, Kamen, Lockheed, Grumman, BAE all have offices in Massachusetts not far from Quincy, as well as some smaller specialized firms. This could easily be a test of something.

it just so happens ill be flying into boston tomorrow for this week and staying at the hyatt regency in cambridge overlooking the charles river toward boston. ill see if I can get this thing on film from my balcony.

High resolution aerial photography is my best bet. I've seen planes do that over a couple of cities that I was living in. They would fly in straight lines, do 180 turn, then fly back again just a bit offset from the previous run. Alternatively, they can do S turns all the way along a rectangular patch if just a small area is needed.

reply to post by METACOMET


I think it's strange that there is no video or pics shown on the news and its been flying around for 2 weeks??? Also odd that they will not tell officials anything and they would not answer whether the thing was safe or not???

Originally posted by blkcwbyhat
we need to make a few assumptions first.If it's truly an FBI plane,then why? FBI would have the lead on home grown terrorists,so what could they find from an aerial observation? Air samples for sure.
If I recall,weren't they going to release some harmless gas in the subways of NY to test dispersion patterns? Maybe they are tracing that gas.

Yep. They are taking air samples. Could be looking for evidence of radiation. Maybe they got a tip that someone may have planted a dirty bomb in the Boston area, and they are scanning the neighborhoods for evidence of radioactivity. To scan a wide area quickly, they've got to use a plane. Takes too long to investigate from the ground. To avoid panic, they have to keep it all quiet.

Keeping it quiet, indicates its serious.

Originally posted by scrog77
If this plane is checking for radiation, why can that not be done from the ground ?

They do.Don't remember where I read it but there are mobile ground units that patrol the major cities that monitor for radioactive material on a regular basis.A low flying Cessna isn't needed for THAT.But they do certainly seem to be looking for SOMETHING.

reply to post by TDawg61


They routinely use helicopters and fixed wing aircraft to monitor for radiation. A van only allows for samples near the road they are on, and in a small area. Flying an aircraft overhead allows for a much bigger sampling area, much faster.

Interesting, We had a plane sounded like a small one in the air day and night for days, a few weeks ago. I told my husband I could not figure why anyone would fly all night every night and all day too.

reply to post by Zaphod58


i know where raytheon is - and and engineer or 2 there- and it isn't that farfetched

but rather implausible. Hanscom AFB is closer and western MA would make more

sense to test weapons systems or even elint type systems.

this is a search for something.

reply to post by drphilxr


Except these would be for the FBI (if the identification is correct), not the military like most of Raytheon systems. Quincy would be a great place to test them. Especially if it's a camera system. It's a small town, where they can fly all night, and not have to worry much about air traffic at low altitude, or about people being out in large numbers, but enough people out that they can get a good idea of if and how well the cameras, or whatever else they're using works.

reply to post by moxxfulder


you won't get a good view of Quincy- near 10 miles

away and those planes are low flying. But what you will get a decent view of

is those planes taking off and landing from logan if you can flightaware track them.

Scan the logan ATC tower too - its online.

reply to post by drphilxr


They're not using Mode S transponders. Both Flightaware and Flightradar have both aircraft flying sometime in April as their last flights. That means neither will track them when they're flying, IF they're coming out of Boston, you have a better chance of hearing them on liveatc.net.

Testing would make sense IF:

-they announced something, anything to a concerned public stating either an excuse or the truth.

-If it was NOT less than a month since the marathon bombing and subsequent manhunt for the suspects that also terrorized the area.

People are on edge. Why add low flying air craft with out any explanation to a public that has been traumatized enough? Why NOW???

Although this is the government - anything is possible.

reply to post by nerdyclutzyblonde


Not always. There have been a number of aircraft and systems developed for customers that didn't want to be named. For new aircraft they announce that they are developing it for "an unnamed customer". For systems, they wouldn't even have to say anything, as some systems are classified.

Originally posted by Zaphod58
reply to post by TDawg61

 

They routinely use helicopters and fixed wing aircraft to monitor for radiation. A van only allows for samples near the road they are on, and in a small area. Flying an aircraft overhead allows for a much bigger sampling area, much faster.

*Makes sense.Didn't realize we use aircraft.Yet if they did detect anything the vans will then be directed to front door.

Originally posted by Zaphod58
reply to post by nerdyclutzyblonde

 

Not always. There have been a number of aircraft and systems developed for customers that didn't want to be named. For new aircraft they announce that they are developing it for "an unnamed customer". For systems, they wouldn't even have to say anything, as some systems are classified.

I absolutely agree it's just the timing that makes no sense. But like I said - it's the government - anything is possible.

Seems like "they" would bring more attention to themselves now, in this area. Why not somewhere else or a different time?

That's what's hanging me up.

Originally posted by drphilxr
reply to post by Zaphod58

 

i know where raytheon is - and and engineer or 2 there- and it isn't that farfetched

but rather implausible. Hanscom AFB is closer and western MA would make more

sense to test weapons systems or even elint type systems.

this is a search for something.

*I'm getting that feeling as well.And the WHAT they are looking for is making me nervous!

Originally posted by Zaphod58
reply to post by Mamatus

 

They're staying low because it keeps them under Class B airspace. The further out you go from the airport, the higher Class B goes. At Quincy (without charts), 200 feet is probably below the lower reaches of the airspace.

Regardless, as long as the pilots meet the Class B requirements, and they have ATC clearance, they can operate there with no problems, as long as their transponder works, and they answer any and all ATC instructions that are given. If there's a VFR corridor in the area, they won't even need that much, as they won't technically enter Class B airspace.

Nope, the Class B over Quincy is from the surface to 7,000 feet. There's no VFR corridor according to the Boston Terminal Chart.
And Quincy is right on the final approach course for runway 4R at Logan so Approach Control isn't going to let anyone circle right on the localizer course for that Runway, particularly since the MDA for the 4R ILS is 200 feet.