HBAL0xx (Project Loon) tracks over Northern New England

Aviation Notable Activity
1

Seeing multiple HBAL0xx tracks over Northern New England this evening:

HBAL018 over Sebago lake ME
HBAL025 north of St. Johnsbury VT
HBAL021 over the NE-VT / ME state line

Busy time for Google’s Project Loon.

Edit: All seem to be up around FL560 headed east.

2

I spotted HBAL025 heading southeast out from Portland ME this morning at about 8am. I’m pretty surprised to see them up this way.

3

I saw HBAL028 on Sunday night off the coast of Portland and this morning we have HBAL230 over North Conway NH and HBAL231 over Laconia NH, both headed east at FL530.

I’m curious if anyone has been able to image one of these at 53,000ft from the ground.

4

There were four HBAL’s over Maine this morning (October 9th 2017) 52000 to 53000 feet. Flightaware says they are first seen near Winnemucca Nevada; are they launched near there?

5

I’m only seeing HBAL200 now, over Waterville ME at 63300ft!

Not sure where they launch from, but they are part of Google’s project Loon:

6

I see it though unlike the others today the icon looks like a plane on my Skyview map.

7

I’m guessing the ICAO registration database is behind for HBAL200 so the default icon is an airplane.

8

Tonight I see HBAL202 and HBAL198 over south/central NH (Keene) at 54,400ft, motoring along at 35kts.