Circling aircraft has me wondering.

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leek1

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leek1
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FBI T-182RG not unusual, but usually higher.

leek1 said:
My first post! I have noticed a single engine light plane flying 4 minute circles around my neighborhood. Not a big deal except---------------------------------Its been going on for 3 weeks, 7 days a week , usually during the day and and sometimes at night. To add to the mystery, this activity is taking place in class B airspace---------so ATC knows the plane is there. I'm guessing the plane is about 2000 - 3000 AGL.

As a pilot, I look up often and use my ears to identify passing aircraft. for example, we have an Piaggio Avanti based out of the nearby airport. I can recognize those pusher props without even looking up. It was the subtle low noise of a recip engine in a jet neighborhood that first caught my attention. I spooted the plane and four minutes later I saw it again as it came around for another circuit. The plane does this for hours at a time and then disappears I guess to refuel and then return. I've listened to my scanner radio and hear no talk between the aircraft and ATC on approach or departure frequencies.

So why is this any of my business? Curosity, enquiring minds want to know. I have my hunches. Has any of you seen or heard of such or simialr activity. Should I get out my tinfoil hat?
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Law enforcement eye in the sky, local LEOs on speed patrol, traffic watch (TV or Radio), etc. :dunno: How late into the night do they go?
 
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leek1 said:
To answer some of the questions. Appears to be a high winged Cessna---------remember 2-3 k AGL. Location is DTW. Can you imagine the fuel used to do this.
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Over the Class B surface area? Where exactly? (or approximately, don't give us your address) I live in the area and am a little curious about this...
 
Detroit...that says it all. Aerial surveillance.

Anyone taking potshots at it? I mean, when my local sheriff aero squadron asked for volunteer aircraft for helping to locate cannibis growers there were many who answered. But within a few weeks when aircraft reported taking hits the volunteer effort dropped off dramatically.

I cannot imagine what it's like in the big city.
 
bbchien said:
Probably an LEO spotter. Hunting a Cannabis grower.....
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Could also be Gov. Sarah Palin hunting Caribo? ;)

Seriously it could be State Police as Bruce said. I have talked to the Illinois State Police about their cannabis ops. Without giving too much away they do fly those pretty low (500 feet AGL)
 
I used to live in Montgomery County Maryland, near Washington DC. I would constantly see this Skymaster circling and started to tell everybody about it.
The Skymaster is pretty distinctive even from the ground, and I would see this airplane maybe three or four times a day. Everybody thought I was nuts.
I was hanging out at the local airport when a Skymaster with a lot of equipment hanging off the wings landed and taxied in.
When I talked with the very friendly pilots, they explained that the airplane was hired by the county to do traffic patrol, and that the crew could reset the timing on any of the county's traffic lights to help alleviate congestion.
Pretty neat!
 
leek1 said:
To answer some of the questions. Appears to be a high winged Cessna---------remember 2-3 k AGL. Location is DTW. Can you imagine the fuel used to do this.
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A few weeks ago (Sept 4 or 5 I think) I was off sick and noticed a Cessna doing a rectangular pattern for hours over Trenton under the DTW class B (north west of ONZ). I was wondering what it was myself.
 
Hmmm I bet there are some people in Hartford (wi) that are wondering why this silent red and white plane keeps doing tight circles over down town, and the Wal-Mart parking lot....
 
A few weeks back there was a MDOT (avaiton ) meeting in Troy where TSA and Border Patrol and whoever else is in the mix told us basically that they are doing just that sort of thing. Remember we do border Canada.
 
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leek1 said:
Sorry Dave. I mentioned earlier in the thread ---DTW----Detroit metro airport. To be exact, the area is between Michigan Ave. and Ford Rd.
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Lets see, that is Dearborn, Inkster, Westland maybe Canton....

Dang, that's definatly the DEA looking for backyard gardners!

Are you sure that's just weeds in your neigbores back yard.... or is it just weed?
 
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Why would law enforcement fly over the same area for 3 weeks looking for pot farmers? At least in these parts they check entire counties in a day or two and most of the time they are looking at green on green.
 
Heck, Missa knows that area! If she says it's weeds, it's probably personal knowledge!:D:goofy::rofl:
 
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leek1 said:
They're at it again. Got out the spotting scope. The plane appears to be a Cessna RG model with struts on the wings----a 182 RG?

If the FedGod is monitoring this , tell the pilot to wag the wings and at least say hi to me:cheerswine:

:hairraise:
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Sure it's not the bigger 210.

edit never mind you said struts

Look for a window / camera position on the bottom where the rear seat is.
 
I'm willing to bet it's an FBI 182RG or 210 based out of PTK. I've worked in the FBO where they are based (3 aircraft (2x 182RG & 210)). I've talked to the pilots a bit and they do a lot scouting for cannabis, like Bruce stated above. IIRC- they are white with red accenting.
 
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Erik1010 said:
Regardless of what they're searching for, they are FBI aircraft.
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DEA and Customs/Border Patrol both fly SE Cessnas on scout type missions. I have a picture around here somewhere of a Customs 182 in Des Moines when they were in town for a raid. On the left side, almost the entire side wall aft of the main door back to the cargo door had been made into a window and a very comfy looking desk-type chair had been hard mounted in the back...it was pretty clear that thing was designed for sitting and looking out for extended periods of time.
 
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