Activity over Melbourne - 2.

[witwiw]

OK, I'll try once more and hope it can be kept civil and not locked again :-)

Thanks for the one or two serious answers in the previous thread:-

Activity over Melbourne
For many months now I have been aware of an aircraft operating over Melbourne in a way that intrigues me.

The aircraft appears to be a C208 or similar and does the following;

It flies around in what look like racetrack holding patterns at around 8000' or higher. These "holding patterns" vary between 6 to 10 minutes leg length and vary in their alignment. They occur over greater MEL as well as to the east of the city and over the bay.

I have watched the aircraft through binos on a number of occasions during the day and have also been aware of it operating through dusk into the night. It also operates above and below cloud - that would tend to eliminate photography.

This often occurs on several days throughout each week.

I've spoken to an aviation aware friend and he has also noticed this activity.

Can anyone shed any light on what is happening and why? A serious question to which I'd appreciate serious answers.

[Ixixly]

witwiw, silly question, i'm sure you've already thought about this. But as you can see it through some Binos have you been able to see the Rego at all? or maybe any distinguishing markings or logos or anything like that?

Quick search of the Registry for 208s with their Registered Operators State being VIC shows only 2:
OPH - NAUTILUS AVIATION PTY. LTD.
UCR - U C AVIATION PTY LTD

[witwiw]

No, unfortunately the binos are not that good and it has always been at a distance.

It would appear to have a blue belly, but not 100% sure.

[Dash 42]

Compressor is correct,


It has been answered correctly in the original thread. The blue belly aircraft is a C210, VH-ZIO. It is operated on behalf of Nearmap, and the flights are for the purpose of getting high res ground pictures. Look up the rego on flight aware, it is tracked flying the patterns you describe at 8,000.


Dash

Edit: It has a blue top, not belly, my mistake.

[witwiw]

Thank you all for your sensible replies.

The aircraft I've seen is more the size of a C208 and sounds more of a turbine than does a C210. One still night recently there was no doubt it wasn't a piston.

Also, if it's taking high res piccies, why does it fly above cloud and on occasions beyind the end of daylight?

Nonetheless, I'll look it up on Flight Aware as you suggest. Thanks again.

[Wally Mk2]

I'm not too sure what all the secrecy is about here its pretty obvious (takes very little research to find out who it is & not via this forum either) who operates the Turbine Cessna but in the interest of national security I can't say anymore but the Mods obviously know who it is & slammed the door just quickly as I suspect this thread will also:-)

Wmk2

[falconx]

The aircraft us a C208 VH-UCR . Survey aircraft

[VH-XXX]

... Removed due to an inaccuracy.

[Jack Ranga]

The spooks'll be all over your arse if you PM details, bro, be carefull, probably over your house right now with your ISP.

[VH-XXX]

Love the use of gramma there Jacko, got to the point and saved a few letters :-)

I hope I don't get arrested by the spook with the empty holster :-)

PS I'm sure "someone" actually knows what the aircraft does :-) Australia doesn't have many secrets. No doubt they are doing some drug raids or something useful for the betterment of us all.

[The Green Goblin]

has some pretty cool sh#t in the pod

The rumour is Gillard is about to pamphlet bomb the electorate with Labor propaganda.

You heard it here first!

[Jack Ranga]

Well they found the intrepid bush walker...........It hasn't been used to find a 'non politician' but they used it to find him.

[avconnection]

Some flash looking dangly bits for a civi aircraft...

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8146/7161897679_31070e9e63_z.jpg

[Centaurus]

Maybe it is quietly watching down below for the thieves that are pinching miles of copper wire from the railways. The media says there is a special surveillance aircraft hired to catch the thieves. :ok:

[Sunfish]

Infrared and all the toys with a real time downlink by the look of all those aerials.

VH-UCR Private Cessna 208B Grand Caravan - Planespotters.net Just Aviation (http://www.planespotters.net/Aviation_Photos/photo.show?id=247845)

Hydroponic dope farms stand out like the proverbial on infrared at night too.

[Capt Fathom]

Hydroponic dope farms stand out like the proverbial on infrared at night too.

So that's way they spend so much time over Melbourne! That is where all the dopes are! :E

[VH-XXX]

Edited due to security implications.

[clark y]

Maybe we could get it to bounce a laser back at the "unauthorised laser illumination" that seems to appear around Epping on the weekends.......

[Jack Ranga]

Watch it all, Triple X may be a spook :E

[VH-XXX]

Nah, I just read this:

http://theorstrahyun.********.com.au/2009/09/federal-police-chief-authorises-use-of.html

http://theorstrahyun.blogXXXspot.com.au/2009/09/federal-police-chief-authorises-use-of.html

Remove the series of X's.

[Squawk7700]

It's back again. C208, up pretty high, sight unseen. Around and around she goes. Lots of "mapping" activities going on I'm sure :cool: It's certainly a regular visitor to the skies over Melbourne from at least 6pm onwards usually, but possibly that's only when you start to hear it as road noise etc dies down.

[Squawk7700]

You are spot on. I rely heavily on my Google Maps and I'm glad they are continually updating them.

[Capn Bloggs]

Google Maps and I'm glad they are continually updating them.
I'm not. I've always livied at No XY, until I checked last night, now I live at No YZ! Don't trust them...

[truthinbeer]

The Nearmap image quality is light years ahead of Google Maps Squawk, good enough to pick out a lawn rake left out on a back lawn and updated every 10 - 20 days depending on location so you could even tell if the lawn was mowed last week. Access was free for a while when they first kicked off but now it is by subscription.

[Acrosport II]

VH-UCR Private Cessna 208B Grand Caravan - Planespotters.net Just Aviation (http://www.planespotters.net/Aviation_Photos/photo.show?id=247845)


If its doing Police surveillance I trust they are saving the Australian Taxpayer some money by 'Multi Tasking' the Aircraft.


I've never seen a C208 with curtains in the cabin.


Possibly selling the cabin space for 'Mile High' punters while doing some 'Police' work.


Hence flying above 6000'.


Just a theory!

[compressor stall]

I always made sure it was over 6076 feet, just to be sure.

[Desert Flower]

I'm not. I've always livied at No XY, until I checked last night, now I live at No YZ! Don't trust them...

Google Earth has my house out in the scrub to the north instead of the street!

DF.

[Bevan666]

If you are not breaking the law, you have nothing to fear..

[Sunfish]

My spies tell me that a major police operation has been underway. Results yet to be announced.

[ChaseIt]

It's the Federal police wasting the tax payer dollars. They act like it's just come out of the skunk works 🙄

[Biggles78]

So that's way they spend so much time over Melbourne! That is where all the dopes are!
Oh please, if that was the case then it would be in a permanent hold over a certain building in Canberra. All the hot air emanating from said building would also help it stay aloft longer. :ok:

Google maps or Nearmap. I hope we are not going to be mapdebating about which one is better. :E

This one is for the nutjob crowd. They are actually filling the air with chemtrail seeds. :uhoh:

[Ixixly]

Could be going around checking your pools fences ;)

[Best Rate]

Well it's certainly costing the airlines a bit of petrol dosh - I, along with a bunch of other inbound jets from the south last night, had an ATC requirement to be at or < 9000' by 40nm MEL to get beneath it...