# The Great Ongoing Aviation Thread (general and other) (Part 1) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 23, 2011, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499 "2011-10-23T02:17:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 469
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2026, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499/9363 "2026-02-09T04:47:30Z")
Heard a slightly unusual-sounding plane flying over just now, checked Flight Radar 24, it was an Antonov An-12 flying from Miami to Toledo. Belongs to something called the Ukraine Air Alliance. Suprised me. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2026, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499/9364 "2026-02-09T05:01:09Z")
[Dang, they cut the part I was talking about](https://www.instagram.com/reel/DUg_rw6kWnf/). The 2nd B1-B Spread it’s wings as it passed the stadium. They then showed a cockpit view of the pilots doing a fist bump. One of the best flyover performances I’ve seen from the National Anthem to the timing. It was perfect. ---
**Author:** ![Pork\_Rind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pork_rind/32/111_2.png) [@Pork\_Rind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pork_Rind)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2026, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499/9365 "2026-02-09T05:06:51Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > [Dang, they cut the part I was talking about](https://www.instagram.com/reel/DUg_rw6kWnf/). The 2nd B1-B Spread its wings as it passed the stadium. They then showed a cockpit view of the pilots doing a fist bump I thought you must have been seeing things, but nope, you’re right. The second Bone moved its wings out after the flyover while still in afterburner. > **[Front Office Sports on Instagram: "This is the shot NBC’s cameraperson got of...](https://www.instagram.com/reel/DUhGKkojSau/?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==)** > > 8,181 likes, 32 comments - frontofficesports on February 8, 2026: "This is the shot NBC’s cameraperson got of the national anthem flyover at the Super Bowl, featuring B-1 bombers and Air Force and Navy jets for America’s 250th birthday 🇺🇸 > > (🎥 via... ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2026, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499/9366 "2026-02-09T05:11:08Z")
> [@Pork\_Rind](#): > > I thought you must have been seeing things, but nope, you’re right. The second Bone moved its wings out after the flyover while still in afterburner. Thanks for finding that. I only caught it because it was something I wanted to see and was looking for it at the time. It makes sense they did it for climb because the afterburners would have accelerated it into the formation. This was cleared for 1,000 ft above the ground and between 300 and 350 mph. The speed limit is normally 250 knots and 2,500 ft above the ground. I wish the announcers were cued into this ahead of time so people knew what they were looking at and could better appreciate the plane. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2026, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499/9367 "2026-02-11T13:22:05Z")
ELP (El Paso) Airport and airspace under 18,000 feet shut down for 10 days due to security reasons. [New York Times Feb 11 2026](https://www.nytimes.com/live/2026/02/11/us/faa-el-paso-flights-airport) **Live Updates: F.A.A. Halts All Flights at El Paso Airport for 10 Days** - No flights are allowed to or from the airport until Feb. 20 under a flight restriction order that cited unspecified “special security reasons.” WTH??? ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2026, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499/9368 "2026-02-11T14:18:32Z")
And now the FAA News Xwitter is saying never mind > ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2026, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499/9369 "2026-02-11T14:24:40Z")
The general area near El Paso and the White Sands Missile Range (“WSMR”) to the west & northwest are very common areas for GPS “interference” AKA deliberate US government jamming. Which has gone on for decades now; this isn’t some new thing. Presumably they’re testing their jammers and the ability of munitions tested at WMSR to operate in a GPS-jammed environment. That’s the only ongoing thing affecting aviation safety in that general area that I’m aware of. And it certainly never required the closure of the El Paso airport. Color me utterly mystified. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2026, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499/9370 "2026-02-11T14:39:58Z")
And in any case even if it were so, not a blanket ban for 10 days rather than just while the test is happening. Unseriousness from top to bottom. BTW: Thread of its own: > [@El Paso Airport closed for 10 days for "security reasons"](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/el-paso-airport-closed-for-10-days-for-security-reasons/1027575/31): > > Well, on the one hand I can’t see how shutting down airports would help them there. On the other hand, they’re idiots so who knows? Just because it makes no sense doesn’t mean they won’t do it. It’s hard to guess the motivations for behavior when the people behind it are irrational and stupid. My guess is that it’s more a trial of how the USAian public will react to such a move. El Paso was probably chosen due to the high number of potential distractions (aliens, whether extraterrestrial or… ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2026, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499/9371 "2026-02-11T17:17:46Z")
Epstein, Epstein, Squirrel, Kegsbreath. We live in interesting times. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2026, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499/9372 "2026-02-12T05:31:53Z")
> [@blondebear](#): > > Just had a couple of B-1s and their fighter escorts fly right over the top of my place en route to the Superbowl flyover. It’s the first time I’ve seen the bombers in flight, very cool! I’ve seen a B-1 on the ground, but never in flight, I think. I’ve always thought they’re remarkably beautiful aircraft. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2026, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499/9373 "2026-02-16T15:08:45Z")
[Plane crash in Camarillo.](https://ktla.com/news/ventura-count/2-people-critically-injured-in-small-plane-crash-in-ventura-county/) A Cessna 210 Centurion wound up inverted in a ditch. The two occupants were seriously injured. I don’t know what year the aircraft is, but it has wing struts; so it would have to be pre-1967. I heard about this from a FB post. ‘I Love WWII Planes’ is notorious for posting nonsensical things; like, for this instance, ‘Officials described the airplane as a small aircraft similar to a Cessna.’ Who would have thought a Cessna would be similar to a Cessna? 😲 ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2026, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499/9374 "2026-02-16T15:35:06Z")
I’d recast that as a poor turn of phrase. MO they meant something like: > We don’t know for certain what type it is specifically. And we don’t want to say something factually incorrect. (“Dammit Jim; I’m a policeman, not a lightplane historian!”) But we know it’s generally similar in configuration to typical Cessnas. ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2026, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499/9375 "2026-02-16T18:07:05Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > Officials described the airplane as a small aircraft similar to a Cessna.’ Who would have thought a Cessna would be similar to a Cessna? There are a lot more shootings than plane crashes, so it’s a good thing there’s a handy-dandy [Journalist’s Guide to Firearms](https://www.reddit.com/media?url=https%3A%2F%2Fexternal-preview.redd.it%2FXoG6exjmY3ajWQbgCB45aNXlBML6H4MVWV3He42AdiE.jpg%3Fauto%3Dwebp%26s%3Daff85c97ce798364ee1f797f18cfe9eb9332045c) for them to identify all of the various types of guns. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2026, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499/9376 "2026-02-16T18:21:00Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > I’d recast that as a poor turn of phrase. MO they meant something like: > > > We don’t know for certain what type it is specifically. And we don’t want to say something factually incorrect. (“Dammit Jim; I’m a policeman, not a lightplane historian!”) But we know it’s generally similar in configuration to typical Cessnas. Maybe. I’ll admit that I can’t tell the difference between some Boeings and some Airbuses. But an airplane-fan FB group should know that ‘Cessna’ does not mean ‘any small, single-engine airplane’ any more than ‘Pipercub’ (usually pronounced as one word) was. As for KTLA, they’ve been around long enough that they could report the make and model accurately. ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2026, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499/9377 "2026-02-16T18:49:58Z")
Continuing with the plane crash theme this morning, I took [this](https://www.flickr.com/photos/74663312@N08/55099569168/) Saturday morning during a road trip - it’s [Tower of Voices](https://www.nps.gov/flni/planyourvisit/tower-of-voices.htm). I was practically shaking with excitement at how well the sunrise photos magically turned out (the main focus of the trip), with the clouds magically parting at just the right moment & then I ~~drove right past~~ had to stop at the Flight 93 memorial. (I knew I was in the area but wasn’t planning on going as I’ve been there before.) It’s amazing how quickly that high went away. This memorial is much more personal than NYC, I’m guessing that is because it was only 40 people instead of a couple thousand so you really get to know the individuals more. If you get the opportunity, go. ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2026, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499/9378 "2026-02-16T21:28:51Z")
Floatplane dead sticks into airport. No drama, just the facts. Guy sounds like he’s done this before. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/neD5Zss5Hyg/maxresdefault.jpg "Floatplane pilot mildly annoyed at engine loss on approach to Truckee") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=neD5Zss5Hyg) ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2026, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499/9379 "2026-02-17T12:23:42Z")
Wow. I get more excited over my breakfast cereal. Very impressive chillness. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2026, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499/9380 "2026-02-18T23:48:41Z")
Some bodycam video of the UPS crash a while back: > **[Bodycam Released in Crash of UPS Airlines Flight 2976](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3wRZLq_DQA%2F)** > > Bodycam video obtained by Midwest Safety involving the Crash of UPS Airlines Flight 2976. If you are a member of the media requesting access or more info, pl... ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2026, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499/9381 "2026-02-19T14:37:34Z")
It’s a 40-minute video. Is there a specific segment you’re referencing? ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2026, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499/9382 "2026-02-19T17:37:53Z")
No, I just thought a few here might be interested in how a disaster like this is handled on the ground by the first responders. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499.md?page=468) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-aviation-thread-general-and-other-part-1/600499.md?page=470)