I just saw three chinook helicopters fly over Emporia KS and i looked on ADSB and there's nothing on there. Are they not transmitting their transponder?
they are in MODE 5 ,which is encrypted. only the FAA and DoD can see them. Federal Crime to attempt to decrypt Mode 5
Do they always use Mode 5 or does it depending on the training exercise or whatever? I quite often see Chinooks on ADSB but that's the first time i seen one in person in years. Then not seeing it on ADSB makes me wonder how many aircraft we aren't seeing.
its depending on what they are doing, if they are carrying personnel who fall under protective laws disclosing their locations while being moved, dependent on activity at hand..... lots of factors, even down to whether the pilot wants to fly in Mode 5 or not.
i know for a fact, anyone who is part of Special Forces, like RECON, Green Berets, Delta, Rangers, SEAL, and is aboard a military aircraft, they fly in Mode 5 until that person(s) is off the aircraft. some Government aircraft like Intel/Surveillance Aircraft that are particular to Federal Offices related to FBI, NSA, FIS, DHS, CIA, they will go to Mode 5 when operating in official capacities related to surveilling a active situation or event. Pure example, the riots of Kenosha, to which the public was just made aware of a Orbiting FBI Surveillance aircraft that took real-time FLIR/IR footage of the events unfolding for Kyle Rittenhouse ( DO NOT BREAK THE RULES DISCUSSING THE CASE ITSELF PLEASE ) , that aircraft was in Mode 5, as there is NO RECORD of a aircraft flying above the streets of Kenosha WI, that night with respect to ADSB logs, yet we now have the actual footage of it. Also, Local Law Enforcement can and do have authorization to use Mode 5 as well, particular to SWAT and specialized tasks that are protected to secrecy for their sensitive nature. while that is particular to US FAA Rules, i do not have the necessary information for other countries pertaining to encrypted XPNDR's and their operations.
Thanks for the reply. I was just checking for a reply at the same time you replied lol. I often see police or KHP helicopters flying around and around and around in tons of circles and loops in the big cities via Flight Aware or ADSB Exchange. Not sure if they're looking for someone or getting flight time in. But does typical police chases or manhunts require them using Mode 5?
that entirely depends on the case at hand. if its something narcotics or when SWAT becomes involved its a matter of choice at that moment. i travel A LOT..... ive seen plenty of LE Aircraft overhead, in various cities with and without activity in the vicinity, i immediately yank out my phone to see who it is... and id say a 4 of 10 times..... no ADSB data, but plenty of other aircraft in the near vicinity indicating reception is there.
I found it interesting when watching the UP 4014 Big Boy steam locomotive I got pics of the Kansas Highway Patrol Helicopter from Topeka KS following the UP line looking for the steam engine. When i got home and looked at the pic i could tell it was the KHP chopper and then looked on Flight Aware and saw it's flight path and it flew out to meet the steam engine and follow it back towards Topeka. Interesting way to get flight hours in. it's the pic in my avatar btw.
