Subject: Re: Cactus Flat: less horror From: kjn@netcom.com (Ken Navarre) Date: Fri, 7 Jul 1995 18:52:41 GMT Message-ID: Allen Thomson says: " Alas, the USGS Cactus Spring, NV topographic map has the triangle-with- " circles pattern, which is the most cabalistic-looking of the many weird " features in the Landsat picture, boringly labeled as "Target 5216 T". Several weeks ago I was returning to San Jose, Ca. from Phoenix, Az. As we departed PHX the pilot remarked that he had requested clearance thru the Nellis/Edwards range to save some time. Since it was Sunday and the ranges were not being used, clearance was granted. I whipped out the 'ol GPS and sure enough we cut across the Nellis A.F. Range north of Indian Springs and thru the lower third of the Nellis Test Site over Shoshone Pk. Looking out the window at 32,000' towardsthe south with my trusty 8x40 Swarovski binocs I could see several "cheron" marks and bulls eye rings on the ground. These things were huge. Waaayyyyy to big to be targets unless the "bombers" were coming in to the IP at 80 K. Wish I'd had a seat on the right side of the aircraft so I could have looked further up into the test range... Kind'a nice to finally get an overflight rather that having to vector completely around the facility. Guess it speaks to the issue of more of the secret stuff moving to other less "controversial" test sites. On past flights we have been directed around the test areas even on weekends... Ken --