General Discussion

mahatmakanejeeves

(69,184 posts) Wed Mar 4, 2026, 03:48 AM Wednesday

A B-52 has taken off from Minot AFB at 3:33 a.m. ET. It is headed east.

Last edited Wed Mar 4, 2026, 07:42 AM - Edit history (1)

This might be not anything at all other than a training flight. It is keeping to a low altitude, and it is definitely not on a great circle route to the Middle East.

Its course on ADSB Exchange is erratic, as if its transponder is not reporting correctly.

00000000, https://globe.adsbexchange.com/?icao=ae6ca6

I wonder if there's a flyover scheduled at Arlington Cemetery today. The plane is on a course to DC.

It's hard to miss. It's the only airborne B-52 on the entire planet.

5 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

A B-52 has taken off from Minot AFB at 3:33 a.m. ET. It is headed east. (Original Post) mahatmakanejeeves Wednesday OP

The B-52's fly to Arlington for funeral fly overs for long time USAF vets? Irish_Dem Wednesday #1

POW's and 3 stars are entitled to flyovers cpamomfromtexas Wednesday #2

I just read about a retired Msgt who got a fly over. Irish_Dem Wednesday #3

You might be right. My husband got an f16 cpamomfromtexas Thursday #4

We've got B-2 bombers in the ME. Don't need B-52s anymore LeftInTX Thursday #5

Irish_Dem

(80,815 posts)

1. The B-52's fly to Arlington for funeral fly overs for long time USAF vets?

Reply to mahatmakanejeeves (Original post)

Wed Mar 4, 2026, 07:07 AM

Wednesday

Which is quite an honor.

Also USAF pilots have to fly so many hours each month to get their flight pay.
Flight pay is something added on to their regular pay.
But you cannot get it unless you have so many hours in the air each month.

I hope the B-52 is not headed for the mideast.

cpamomfromtexas

(1,484 posts)

2. POW's and 3 stars are entitled to flyovers

Reply to Irish_Dem (Reply #1)

Wed Mar 4, 2026, 09:33 AM

Wednesday

If you are active and rated military pilot or navigator you get flight pay and bonuses if bonuses authorized. And flight pay really isn’t that much which is why bonuses were instituted to retain pilots.

Pay for commercial pilots is governed by “flight hours” vs the military.