FLASHBACK: NORAD Flight Exercise Planned For Washington, D.C. on July 22, 2009 (Falcon Virgo 09-10)

This may be the quickest FLASHBACK article I have ever done considering that this story happened only yesterday. If you happened to hear military aircraft in Washington, D.C., yesterday, then this story's for you.

No. 059-09

July 21, 2009

NORAD Flight Exercise Planned For Washington, D.C.

The North American Aerospace Defense Command and its geographical component, the Continental U.S. NORAD Region, will conduct a training flight exercise on July 22 in the National Capital Region (NCR), Washington, D.C. Falcon Virgo 09-10 is expected to occur between midnight and about 6 a.m. EDT.

The exercise comprises a series of training flights held in coordination with the Federal Aviation Administration, the National Capital Region Command Center, the Joint Air Defense Operations Center, the Continental U.S. NORAD Region (CONR), Civil Air Patrol, U.S. Coast Guard and CONR's Northeast Air Defense Sector.

Exercise Falcon Virgo is designed to hone NORAD's intercept and identification operations, as well as procedural tests of the NCR Visual Warning System.

Civil Air Patrol Cessna aircraft and Coast Guard HH-65 Dolphin helicopters will participate in the exercise. Residents may see these aircraft approaching and flying in the vicinity of the Washington D.C. area as part of this exercise during the late night and early morning hours.

For more information on the Falcon Virgo, please contact CONR Public Affairs at (850) 283-8080, or the NORAD Public Affairs Office at (719) 554-6889.

Source: U.S. Department of Defense