AIR PICTURE — CHAGRIN FALLS, OH — 2026-08-25
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Traffic volume near average, but the anomaly list is doing its best to compensate for the routine day.
NOTABLE TRAFFIC
High-speed transcons dominated the upper airspace. UAL1776 led the parade at 540 kts, followed closely by SWA4876 at 532 kts and UAL2321 holding 408 kts westbound at 38,000 ft. The usual east-west highway through the Cleveland corridor was well-traveled by Delta, United, Southwest, American, and Alaska metal.
Low and slow: N11840 puttered eastbound at 1,800 ft and 97 kts — someone's afternoon cross-country, not exactly threatening. LXJ426 and SKW4071 were both observed at or below 850 ft near 41.42°N, suggesting traffic in or around the Cleveland approach environment.
Canadian contingent: Four Jazz Aviation (JZA) flights transited the area southbound at 21,700–30,000 ft. Polite, as always.
ANOMALIES
Altitude irregularities of note: Three contacts registered above the standard commercial ceiling. N700CB topped the board at a reported 54,700 ft — well into U-2 territory. N11840 allegedly checked in at 115,700 ft, which would put it firmly in the "we're going to need a bigger radar" category and is almost certainly a data glitch. KOW125 clocked 47,025 ft, plausible for high-performance business iron.
Low-and-fast contacts: Five flagged — N340SR, JIA5184, UAL2097, N370RP, and N382BA — all between 1,800 and 2,975 ft at 200–224 kts. Likely on approach or maneuvering; none immediately alarming, but worth a second look.
Unknown ICAO hex codes: Five contacts — VTM484, VTM534, VTM720, QTR51U, and AVA255 — transmitted codes outside any recognized national allocation range. Filed and flagged for follow-up.
Missing regulars: A notable parade of no-shows including BAW8K, AMX692, UAL698, RPA3567, and roughly a dozen others expected based on the prior seven-day pattern. No single carrier dominates the absences.
PATTERN NOTES
Overall volume (696 contacts, 627 unique) sits 3% below the seven-day average of 716 — statistically unremarkable. East-west transcon flow was consistent. Canadian registrations (Jazz, Cargojet, WestJet, Air Canada) were present in normal numbers. No single traffic corridor showed unusual congestion or gaps.
END OF DAILY AIR PICTURE