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NORAD NEWS
News | Nov. 7, 2011

Calibration Flights rescheduled in Washington D.C. area to enhance NORAD response capability

By NORAD and USNORTHCOM Public Affairs

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. - The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), in coordination with the Federal Aviation Administration and the Department of Homeland Security, will conduct calibration flights on November 9th over the Washington D.C. area. These flights, originally scheduled for November 3rd, were rescheduled due a minor aircraft mechanical problem which has since been resolved.

The calibration flights will take place from approximately 12:30 – 2:30 a.m. Eastern Time, and will be performed by a civilian Beechcraft King Air aircraft flying patterns at approximately 2000 feet above ground level. These flights have been carefully planned and will be closely controlled. The flights are intended to assist in calibration of systems and equipment, and will serve to refine and improve our ability to respond to unknown and potentially threatening aircraft.

If the flights have to be cancelled for any reason, they will be attempted again on November 10th at the same time.

NORAD is the bi-national Canadian and American command that provides maritime warning, aerospace warning and aerospace control for Canada and the United States. The command has three subordinate regional headquarters: the Alaskan NORAD Region at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska; the Canadian NORAD Region at Canadian Forces Base Winnipeg, Manitoba; and the Continental NORAD Region at Tyndall Air Force Base, FLa.