Did anyone logflight named IRON99 over Denver on 11-16-16?

Saw this story and though someone here may have logged something.

http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/local-news/mystery-flight-circles-over-denver-officials-have-few-answers?

This is in my coverage area, but when I updated VRS, I did’nt notice the data writer plugin died. Doh!

I got it all fixed now, but I’m annoyed that when I actually want to look through the data I’ve been hoarding, I find out I don’t have what I wanted.

Odd, there was an unusual amount of Air Force planes over Ohio last night, saw 3 cargo and refuel planes at the same time

Looks like a C-135 variant.

Have a KC-10 loitering in the area right now. Caught a couple of KC-135’s in refueling formation over the Adirondacks on Tuesday. Caught AF1 night before the election… random C-17’s out of New Jersey and Mass all the time…

Not sure it would have mattered whether your system was logging. The FR24 screenshot shows a unrealistic hex code of 249249 which is variously reported on the internet as a US Navy E-6B or a Royal Navy Sea King!

From the photos it looks like a KC-135. UK Daily Mail suggests an E-6B dailymail.co.uk/news/article … ffled.html which would explain the white colour.

And a quick search for IRON99 finds this: forums.radioreference.com/2337599-post98.html

So perhaps it was E-6B 164405 if callsigns are retained by the same airframe? But having followed the track to Oklahoma, after descending the track is less certain and it vanishes. Although nearby at the same altitude RUFF7 appears - that is supposed to be E-6B 164404. Mysterious.

As to why it was circling? I doubt anyone will say.

Probably doing system checks with the nuclear forces at F.E. Warren AFB. The E-6 has the capability to launch ground and submarine nuclear ICBM’s.

The contrails must have triggered all the tin-foil hats. I’m sure there is way more interesting air traffic above denver though.

You folks aren’t using Flight Aware to track military aircraft - can I ask what you are using???

Mike

E-6 probably refueling. The only reason why it was noticed, was because of the contrail. If it weren’t for that, noone would have paid attention. Like caferacer941 said, if people really paid attention they would notice even more interesting aircraft in their skies. This was just an E-6 refueling.

It’s probably just a training mission. They fly all the time here, as I see them doing touch and go’s three at a time, and then head off to do nav training, etc.

I don’t think they were air refueling as there was only one contrail. Plus the E-6 usually has to descend to about 28k to do its AR. Probably wouldn’t contrail there.

Here’s what aerial refueling looks like…

https://goo.gl/photos/ptvHfz1HdWgM2ru9A

The only reason why it was noticed, was because of the contrail.

We had a similar situation (more than once) here in the UK before the 2014 Olympics. Lots of circular trails from E-3. Usually these operate below trailing level so it was suggested that this was a demonstration of surveillance capabilities.

And of course since you will be changing president, conspiracy theories to be devised :laughing:

. . www.thedenverchannel.com said it was one of the navy’s e6b tacomo aircraft.

bill