>   
   >The problem is nothing experimental is flown without a chase plane or   
   >two. You should see conventional contrails along with that produced by   
   >the experimental airplane. Generally new engines are put in   
   >conventional aircraft, often as only one of a few engines since you   
   >don't trust the new beast. Now if the engine is debugged and has a   
   >corresponding project, I suppose they could be flying a plane, but   
   >there would still be chase.   
      
      
   what kinda chase  set-up would they use for a pulse jet UAV   
   traveling  across nevada  out to sea  at about 5500 mph  at 85k+   
   altitude  ?  maybe a blackbird or ??   dunno what we have that could   
   shadow that kinda test ?   maybe station planes all along the flight   
   path   watch it  or use a satellite to track it ?   it's probably hard   
   to find enough space and places to performance test that kind of   
   vehicle .   
      
      
      
   >   
   >There is plenty of military action off the coast, but due to overseas   
   >flights, there are notams when the warning areas are in use. I don't   
   >believe you can do much in secrecy over the ocean, though you can   
   >certainly limit prying eyes.   
   >   
      
      
   there  appears to be  lots of interactions between  pt. Magu, Miramar,   
   North Island, Lemoore and Fallon  from time to time ...... just   
   offshore  ... it's pretty easy to see the refueling tankers  in action   
   during the  exercises ( ? ) .  they use carriers and other   
   naval ships in the mix as well.  it's usually closer down towards magu   
   than ( say ) moro bay ..... seems to be a regular thing ( maybe a navy   
   blue flag type setup ? )  . been hearing  that Lemoore  NAS is trying   
   to make a large expansion  to their training / bombing / electronic   
   warfare  ranges to accommodate the large amount of additional planes   
   and resources stationed there  ( like with the move up  from Miramar   
   ).  dunno how they think they can do  that since the west side of the   
   valley has become so much more populated and farmed these days.   
      
      
   >There is a rumor that they use some old Reagan era experimental plane   
   >that was a dud project for engine testing at the TTR. That is, they   
   >put an experimental engine in the failed project just to test engines.   
   >Personally, I suspect they use conventional aircraft for such   
   >purposes. I'd pick something like a B1B for the job. Four engines, so   
   >you can put one or two experimental engines in it. I don't know how   
   >many engines are needed for take off with no load, but if two would do   
   >it, that would make a safe test chassis. For avionics or engines, you   
   >can test in plain sight at some restricted base like the TTR on a very   
   >conventional bird. As you know, most of the avionics for the F22 and   
   >F35 are developed in very conventional aircraft. The CAT-bird at   
   >Mojave is a prime example. Also, N747GE is an example of an engine   
   >test bed.   
   >   
   >http://www.lockheedmartin.com/wms/findPage.do?dsp=fec&ci=18236&   
   sbci=1&fti=133&ti=0&sc=400   
   >http://www.airliners.net/open.file/0326662/M/   
   >   
   >Getting back to the chase plane, not only do you need it in the event   
   >the test plane crashes (i.e. the chase knows where the debris field is   
   >located), but I gather the chase plane also receives telemetry from   
   >the test plane.   
   >   
   >Here is the test I recorded at Groom Lake for Psycho08   
   >http://www.lazygranch.com/sound/groom_test_psycho_mp3_10192006_8am.wav   
   >   
   >   
   >   
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