AIR PICTURE — CHAGRIN FALLS, OH — 2026-08-22
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Significantly below-average traffic day — 237 contacts against a 7-day mean of 438 — with a cluster of anonymous high-altitude contacts and two confirmed military transponders adding texture to an otherwise routine overcast.
NOTABLE TRAFFIC
BAW8K (UK registration, hex 40688C) crossed at 39,000 ft, 544 kts, heading 062° — the fastest observed contact today and the only transatlantic flag in the stack. British Airways making no secret of itself, which is appreciated.
N780JH topped the civilian altitude chart at 43,000 ft, tracking westbound at 250° and 397 kts — consistent with a high-end business jet. No drama, just altitude.
N20660 [A1AB90] checked in at 59,000 feet — well above standard commercial ceilings. No further details in data. Make of that what you will.
SWA4332 was observed at a mere 800 ft, heading 230° near 41.417, -81.847. Either on very short final or having a very bad morning. Likely approach into CLE.
Low and slow: N308PH, N325PH, and N266MH were all puttering around below 3,000 ft at 113–130 kts. Weekend flyers or training traffic; nothing concerning.
ANOMALIES
Two confirmed US military transponders — AE20C4 (34,975 ft, 512 kts, hdg 075°) and AE07F1 (33,000 ft) — are active with no callsigns broadcast. Standard military behavior; noted regardless.
Thirteen additional anonymous high-altitude contacts (ADDA24, AA7DD6, A854D0, AD3C1F, A32E8C, A3C163, A369EE, A37E80, A0B840, A92EEF, A0F428, AA7E9A, A1CF6B) transmitted Mode S with no flight ID. Transponders on, names off. Collectively busy for one airspace sector.
Hex 4CA9BA filed no callsign and falls outside all known national allocation ranges. It was at 7,575 ft, heading 052°, at 289 kts. Unknown origin, unknown operator — the most interesting entry on today's sheet.
AMX692 (Aeromexico, hex 0D0ABD) carries an unrecognized ICAO hex block. Present and squawking; registration origin unresolved.
PATTERN NOTES
Today's count is 46% below the 7-day average of 438. No single catastrophic gap — traffic thinned consistently across all hours. Fourteen regular flights failed to appear, including DAL751, DAL845, UAL2188, EDV5044, RPA3567, and JBU2041 — the latter appearing as a no-show four separate times in the anomaly log, suggesting the system really wanted you to notice. Eastbound high-altitude corridors remained active with commercial heavies; westbound flow notably lighter. Regional traffic (JIA, RPA, SKW) present but reduced.
END OF DAILY AIR PICTURE