Message posted by Peter Merlin on April 18, 2009 at 22:54:51 PST:
The concrete square is the South Trim Pad. It was a place where the airplanes were prepared for test flights (similar to the "Hammerheads" at Edwards. There were several buildings there for weather monitoring, including a weather balloon launch facility. Also, expect to see jet-blast deflectors, not entrances to underground facilities. The weather station may still be in use but the trim pad was built to serve a runway that is now closed. The yellow markings at "Last Chance" are aircraft parking spots. They indicate jet-intake hazard zones. The restricted area you mentioned between Barstow and Edwards sounds like the Hawes UAV area. It is located in the vicinity of the abandoned Hawes Auxiliary Airfield, about seven miles northwest of the Helendale RCS range.
In Reply to: Peter Merlin 3 questions. posted by Daniel McLaughlin on April 18, 2009 at 4:18:59 PST:
Replies: