Tucson International Airport (TUS, KTUS)

[Jeff D. Welker]

Terrific catch Ned. As the resident village idiot of AzAP, I am hoping members can educate me regarding the Gray Ghost's mission and technology.

[Matt Ottosen]

Terrific catch Ned. As the resident village idiot of AzAP, I am hoping members can educate me regarding the Gray Ghost's mission and technology.

TUS 07/13/15
DeHavilland DHC-8-314Q "Gray Ghost - Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconaissance (ISR)" (348) (N8300G)(Dynamic Avlease operates for the US Army)(The Q300s are the aerial component of the counter-IED (improvised explosive device)" Saturn Arch" program. " Saturn Arch" is meant to detect subtle changes in the landscape. By comparing such changes with existing geospatial data, likely IED placements are spotted.


DeHavilland DHC-8-314Q Gray Ghost - ISR cn348 N8300G US Army b by Bill Word, on Flickr
DeHavilland DHC-8-314Q Gray Ghost - ISR cn348 N8300G US Army d by Bill Word, on Flickr

[bilwor]

This is the 4th Gray Ghost at Tucson IAP now 08/03/15 see earlier posts on Flickr for the other 3.
.
Bombardier/de Havilland DHC-8-315 "Gray Ghost - Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR)" (338)(N8300F)(Dynamic Aviation operates the aircraft under contract to the US Army for the "Saturn Arch"; and "Desert Owl" programs which are contractor-owned/contractor-operated system that provides tactical  commanders data to conduct counter-improvised explosive device (C-IED) operations using coherent change detection.

Bombardier-de Havilland DHC-8-315 Gray Ghost - ISR cn338 N8300F Dynamic Aviation c by Bill Word, on Flickr
Bombardier-de Havilland DHC-8-315 Gray Ghost - ISR cn338 N8300F Dynamic Aviation e by Bill Word, on Flickr

[Jay Beckman]

Flying Mine Sweepers?

[Jeff D. Welker]

Thank you for the clarification gents. I now recall that Joe explained this to me a couple of weeks ago. Not only am I ignorant, but what little I know I quickly forget 

[John B.]

The Ghosts are really nice catches, guys.  Way to go!

Visitor at TIA:


U.S. Airways Airbus A321 N562UW par John Bezosky Jr., on ipernity

[Jonathan Navarro]

NC-9D 168277


MORNING DELIGHT


General Dynamics F-16C Block 32C Fighting Falcon


Lockheed Martin F-16C Fighting Falcon

[Jonathan Navarro]

HE DIDN'T STOP...

[Joe Copalman]

EYE IN THE SKY

Chris Janes bringing the now-retired Pima County Sheriff's Helio Courier in for a landing after a patrol support mission last summer.

[Chris Janes]

Nice shot Joe,
I sure do miss flying the Courier, it was such a great performing machine. Both our Couriers were sold and are now back east. The last I heard the green one was going to be converted back to a tail dragger and a piston engine put back in it. Our first one was also going to be reassembled with a piston engine and is going to be used for NOAA, not a 100% on the NOAA part.

[John B.]

From a couple weeks ago--I am just now finally looking through the images from that morning:


Royal Netherlands Air Force General Dynamics F-16A Fighting Falcon J-010 par John Bezosky Jr., on ipernity

[Scott Youmans]

Very nice John!

[Joe Copalman]

Perfect light, not a hint of glare, and probably the cleanest F-16 I've seen in a long time, especially for a Dutch bird.  Those were some rough-looking birds when they first returned to TIA.

[John B.]

Perfect light, not a hint of glare, and probably the cleanest F-16 I've seen in a long time, especially for a Dutch bird.  Those were some rough-looking birds when they first returned to TIA.

It is unusually clean looking.  But, for some reason some do look a bit better than they had (especially when they arrived).  It might just be luck of light and timing.  Here is one of the two-seaters back in September.  It doesn't look bad either!


Royal Netherlands Air Force General Dynamics F-16B Fighting Falcon J-210 par John Bezosky Jr., on ipernity

[John B.]

Here is another image from what was actually a a few weeks ago at this point:


Challenger 300 N778QS par John Bezosky Jr., on ipernity