Mid-Atlantic (and beyond) MilAir 2026

[mdmonitor]

1115- Northrop's CRJ-7 N805X (Scan 05) out in the Test Track (123.225)

1125- Couple pf PAX jets (Salty Dog 121 (f-18) + 1) on test discrete(365.7). The +1 acft has different-sounding xmitter. Maybe F-35?

1147- Couple of DHS acft on 136.275. One on station at 7,500 and second (female) coming on station at 6,500 in 10 mins

 

[RaleighGuy]

President Donald Trump has directed contractors to redo weeks of work on his planned White House helipad, frustrated with its appearance and questioning whether the slope of the White House lawn needs to be changed, according to two people who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss his private comments.


Trump has made the helipad a priority, ordering that work begun in June be completed by a state visit in September, but was dissatisfied with the results, the people said. The White House’s South Lawn, where the helipad is being built, slants downward. Trump has expressed a desire for a landing pad that sits level with the horizon, prompting contractors to disassemble their work and consider whether to start by changing the lawn itself, the people said.

From Washington Post Firewall article

 

[Tech792]

1220L- Thunderbirds active near me on 149.65
A quick check on ADSB shows a C-17 Thunderbird 13 coming south on the Hudson at low altitude.
Multiple aircraft now on 149.65 discussing flyby at Statue of Liberty.
T-Bird 13 looped around by Sandy Hook and now heading back north up the Hudson. Landed at Stewart AP.
1245L- Thunderbird 1 checking in with ZNY 285.5

 

[RaleighGuy]

Possible VIP travel expected this weekend per FAA Safety Team Notices

Expect VIP movement Aug 07-09, 2026 in the vicinity of Bedminster, NJ for POTUS

Resources - Notices - FAA - FAASTeam - FAASafety.gov

Expect VIP movement Aug 07-16, 2026 in the vicinity of Thurmont, MD for VPOTUS

Resources - Notices - FAA - FAASTeam - FAASafety.gov

 

[mdmonitor]

1510- AF1 (# 25-3000) off ADW.

1520- VC-25 # 92-9000 off ADW

 

[Mark]

AF-1 #25-3300 off the deck for Los Angeles. I wasn't fast enough Ron 🤣
AF-1 backup #92-9000 off the deck at ADW.

Earlier RCH-045 C-17 #89-1190 going McGuire to Norfolk NAS did a couple apch spins down there
and prob due to wx there came back and landed at Dover.

 

[BM82557]

AF-1 25-3300 off the deck for Los Angeles. I wasn't fast enough Ron 🤣

Me neither Mark

 

[Mark]

Just going over things and missed a KC-46A delivery.

KC-46A, 23-46116 as PEGGY06 was delivered to the 60th AMW Travis AFB on July 10, 2026. During testing it was utilizing HEX ID: AE44FF but when it left Boeing it was changed to AE63E0.

See a BOE-115 #23-46115 (AFCA38) out of Boeing Field testing today.. wonder who gets this one.

Looks like tomorrow the Italians are pulling out of Andrews for Luke AFB.

IAM1416 Italian Airforce Flight Tracking and History 05-Aug-2026 (KADW-KLUF) - FlightAware

Track Italian Airforce #1416 flight from Joint Base Andrews to Luke Afb

www.flightaware.com

 

[mdmonitor]

Contractor wins deal to build classified F-35 facility in Arkansas

A construction company has won a $37.6 million contract to build a facility so secure it needs its own classification category, part of a sprawling effort to turn a small Arkansas Air National Guard base into an international training hub

defence-blog.com

 

[Mark]

Nice vid of the Italian F-35's 32-16 and 32-27 departing Lajes for ADW yesterday..I think they are seasoned pilots
maybe going to Luke to learn more

 

[john8436]

See a BOE-115 #23-46115 (AFCA38) out of Boeing Field testing today.. wonder who gets this one.

Looks like tomorrow the Italians are pulling out of Andrews for Luke AFB.

IAM1416 Italian Airforce Flight Tracking and History 05-Aug-2026 (KADW-KLUF) - FlightAware

Track Italian Airforce #1416 flight from Joint Base Andrews to Luke Afb

www.flightaware.com

Mark,

There are 6 KC-46's that are in various stages of flight testing.

23-46114 has 10 flight tests
23-46115 has 7 flight tests (That includes today's flight)
23-46117 has 7 flight tests
23-46118 has 7 flight tests
23-46119 has 3 flight tests
23-46120 has 4 flight tests

Over the past couple of weeks on Instagram the 22nd ARW has been documenting giving up more KC-135's (I think 3 of them so far) and indicating that in the not-too-distant future there will no more KC-135s at McConnell.

I would have to bet most of them are going to go to the 22nd ARW. Their total KC-46 fleet is supposed to be 36. They are projected to have the largest KC-46 fleet out of all of the bases.

These are the projected bases to receive KC-46's:

MacDill AFB - 24
Selfridge ANGB - 12
McGee Tyson ANGB - 8

You might see Macdill get 1 or 2. There has been a lot of different KC-46's operating out of MacDill recently, possibly get their airmen trained up for the KC-46 arrival.

 

[Mark]

DCA airport keeps making headlines

FAA Probes Loss Of Separation After Marine One & Envoy Air Jet Took Off 1 Minute Apart

Concerns remain over the crowded skies of Washington DC and the risks of close calls in busy airspace.

simpleflying.com

 

[Mark]

SHUCK-84 E-3 #78-0577 coming East and there is an AR-80E Res for 1500z-1630z at FL-200-220.
See if they can get an E-3 qual tanker up there going.If not Shuck will prob stop at Bangor.

Earlier this morn was a SENTRY-25 E-3 that departed Tinker and headed West but then turned around
and went rtb.Assumed was for Vegas CAP duty.

Alaska and Langley F-22's covering Kadena till they get some F-15EX types someday.
Langley 27th FS F-22's on 6th month rotation so will rtb come November.

F-22s Visit Kadena as 18th Wing Still Awaits Arrival of F-15EX

Kadena Air Base’s 18th Wing readiness exercise fifth-generation fighter squadrons. Operation Epic Fury awaits the permanent F-15EX fighters.

www.airandspaceforces.com

 

[mdmonitor]

0900- Couple of DC ANG F-16s off ADW (348.725) A2A is 238.175. Heading for PAX (281.8) & Bay Watch (305.2)

0915- Streak/Creek1 (unid) w/ZDC Linden (322.55)

0920- Couple of flts of Langley T-38s (Vodka & Mig) out in W386 (236.55/238.1/298.8) w/711st FS F-22s (Forge)

0930- Hobey 31 & 32 (KC-46s) off WRI heading southwest. A2A is 378.85. Hobey 31 showing as alt FL490. Broken ADS-B?

 

[Mark]

SHUCK-84 E-3 #78-0577 coming East and there is an AR-80E Res for 1500z-1630z at FL-200-220.
See if they can get an E-3 qual tanker up there going.If not Shuck will prob stop at Bangor.

Earlier this morn was a SENTRY-25 E-3 that departed Tinker and headed West but then turned around
and went rtb.Assumed was for Vegas CAP duty.

Tinker having E-3 problems today.. Now SHUCK-84 is rtb and dropped altitude fast from 31k to 18k.
Planes are getting tired.
Probably dumping some fuel on the way back.


McGuire KC-46's HOBEY-31,32 flight headed West A/A 378.850.

 

[1Bravo88]

1220L- Thunderbirds active near me on 149.65
A quick check on ADSB shows a C-17 Thunderbird 13 coming south on the Hudson at low altitude.
Multiple aircraft now on 149.65 discussing flyby at Statue of Liberty.
T-Bird 13 looped around by Sandy Hook and now heading back north up the Hudson. Landed at Stewart AP.
1245L- Thunderbird 1 checking in with ZNY 285.5

 

[mdmonitor]

0900- Couple of DC ANG F-16s off ADW (348.725) A2A is 238.175. Heading for PAX (281.8) & Bay Watch (305.2)

0915- Streak/Creek1 (unid) w/ZDC Linden (322.55)

0920- Couple of flts of Langley T-38s (Vodka & Mig) out in W386 (236.55/238.1/298.8) w/711st FS F-22s (Forge)

0930- Hobey 31 & 32 (KC-46s) off WRI heading southwest. A2A is 378.85. Hobey 31 showing as alt FL490. Broken ADS-B?

0940- Hobey flt heading west. Hobey 31 now showing correct alt on ADS-0B.

 

[1Bravo88]

1220L- Thunderbirds active near me on 149.65
A quick check on ADSB shows a C-17 Thunderbird 13 coming south on the Hudson at low altitude.
Multiple aircraft now on 149.65 discussing flyby at Statue of Liberty.
T-Bird 13 looped around by Sandy Hook and now heading back north up the Hudson. Landed at Stewart AP.
1245L- Thunderbird 1 checking in with ZNY 285.5

 

[MMID303]

Special Ops Chinook made two passes over my house in Chambersburg. Looked like around 500ft if I had to guess.

 

[Northof43]

11:38 DST August 5
Goodyear Blimp (N2A) flying a pattern over KIAG (Niagara Falls, NY) and the Grand Island area just south of the falls.

Also BRMA51 C-130 (130613) from CFB Trenton 🇨🇦 doing a pattern over the falls as well.