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Walter C · Dec 3, 2006, 4:24 AM

While flying over the California desert at 36,000 feet, I noticed this "X". It didn't appear to be a landing strip, since I saw no support facilities or any reason to have two very long "runways" out in the barren desert.

Any ideas?

Walter C · Dec 3, 2006, 4:25 AM

Could it be a sign?

selvin · Dec 3, 2006, 5:15 AM

Walter,

Ithink you've found the Lost Treasure of the Sierra Madre! The quality from 36,000 feet is quite good.

Like you I am constantly taking photos out of airplane windows. I would imagine that's becoming a very suspicious activity given the times. No one has accosted me yet.

I don't have a foggy idea what you got.

By the way what camera were you using to get this photo? One of your point and shoot?

Aloha

nhmom · Dec 3, 2006, 7:41 AM

Where abouts in California were you? I was born and raised there. This is interesting. Is it out by Edwards AFB?

I take photos out of planes all the time, too. My husband thinks I'm crazy. I, too, wait for someone to stop me now with all the regulations about everything when flying.

Walter C · Dec 3, 2006, 12:22 PM

Don't remember if this was a flight from DFW to San Francisco or to Orange County. It was taken 11/03, and I don't remember what camera I used. No EXIF data. Might have been the Nikon 8800 with 12X and optical stabilization, but not sure.

Kita · Dec 3, 2006, 12:28 PM

I think someone put two pieces of scotch tape on the window!

calr · Dec 3, 2006, 1:49 PM

It could be a warning to pilots not to land there. At airports, a large yellow letter "X" is painted at both ends of a runway that is closed for maintenance or abandoned. I've never seen the X warning used anywhere else.

Perhaps it is a new version of the Nazca lines in South America.

Cal

daz · Dec 3, 2006, 4:19 PM

I think he may have found some lost history. Back before WWII the government set up navigation aides for flying between major cities. Some of them where simple things like a trench in the shape of an arrow that at night was filled with oil and set on fire. In more remote places, like the desert, runways for emergency landings. When the war started the War Department (after the war this was made into the Department Of Defense DOD) expanded some of this system for ferrying warplanes across the country. After the war with the improvements in aircraft and navigation that the war brought the system was just abandoned in place. Before the war airlines did not like to talk about things like planed places to crash and during the war the War Department did not talk about anything to do with movements. It's kind of a lost piece of history. Many of the airlines still fly similar routes that were stated before WWII so that you would see one along one of these routes is not a big surprise.

DAZ

Dec 3, 2006, 4:24 AM	#1
Walter C Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Huntington Beach, CA USA Posts: 7,846	While flying over the California desert at 36,000 feet, I noticed this "X". It didn't appear to be a landing strip, since I saw no support facilities or any reason to have two very long "runways" out in the barren desert. Any ideas? Attached Images

Dec 3, 2006, 4:25 AM	#2
Walter C Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Huntington Beach, CA USA Posts: 7,846	Could it be a sign? Attached Images

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Dec 3, 2006, 5:15 AM	#3
selvin Moderator Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 7,204	Walter, Ithink you've found the Lost Treasure of the Sierra Madre! The quality from 36,000 feet is quite good. Like you I am constantly taking photos out of airplane windows. I would imagine that's becoming a very suspicious activity given the times. No one has accosted me yet. I don't have a foggy idea what you got. By the way what camera were you using to get this photo? One of your point and shoot? Aloha

Dec 3, 2006, 7:41 AM	#4
nhmom Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Southern New Hampshire Posts: 5,202	Where abouts in California were you? I was born and raised there. This is interesting. Is it out by Edwards AFB? I take photos out of planes all the time, too. My husband thinks I'm crazy. I, too, wait for someone to stop me now with all the regulations about everything when flying.

Dec 3, 2006, 12:22 PM	#5
Walter C Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Huntington Beach, CA USA Posts: 7,846	Don't remember if this was a flight from DFW to San Francisco or to Orange County. It was taken 11/03, and I don't remember what camera I used. No EXIF data. Might have been the Nikon 8800 with 12X and optical stabilization, but not sure.

Dec 3, 2006, 12:28 PM	#6
Kita Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 288	I think someone put two pieces of scotch tape on the window!

Dec 3, 2006, 1:49 PM	#7
calr Moderator Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Beaverton, OR Posts: 8,466	It could be a warning to pilots not to land there. At airports, a large yellow letter "X" is painted at both ends of a runway that is closed for maintenance or abandoned. I've never seen the X warning used anywhere else. Perhaps it is a new version of the Nazca lines in South America. Cal

Dec 3, 2006, 4:19 PM	#8
daz Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 436	I think he may have found some lost history. Back before WWII the government set up navigation aides for flying between major cities. Some of them where simple things like a trench in the shape of an arrow that at night was filled with oil and set on fire. In more remote places, like the desert, runways for emergency landings. When the war started the War Department (after the war this was made into the Department Of Defense DOD) expanded some of this system for ferrying warplanes across the country. After the war with the improvements in aircraft and navigation that the war brought the system was just abandoned in place. Before the war airlines did not like to talk about things like planed places to crash and during the war the War Department did not talk about anything to do with movements. It's kind of a lost piece of history. Many of the airlines still fly similar routes that were stated before WWII so that you would see one along one of these routes is not a big surprise. DAZ