Roberta Aguirre
Janet Airlines, also known as 'Janet', is a highly classified fleet of passenger aircraft operated by the United States Department of the Air Force. The airline made its first flight in 1972, from Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas, Nevada, to Homey Airport in Groom Lake, better known as Area 51. Due to its secretive nature, Janet Airlines operates from a private terminal at Harry Reid International Airport, separate from the main terminal. The airline's flights often depart from Las Vegas to Area 51, as well as other destinations, and play a crucial role in defence projects, transporting military personnel, Department of Defense civilians, and contractors.
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What You'll Learn
- Janet Airlines is a highly classified fleet of aircraft owned by the US State Department of the Air Force
- The airline operates from a private terminal at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas
- It transports DoD civilians, contractors, and military personnel to Special Access Program Facilities
- The airline's aircraft are generally unmarked except for a red cheatline along the windows
- Destinations include Area 51, TTR, and Tonopah Test Range Airport
Janet Airlines is a highly classified fleet of aircraft owned by the US State Department of the Air Force
Janet Airlines, or simply Janet, is an unofficial name for a fleet of aircraft owned by the US State Department of the Air Force. The fleet is highly classified and consists of passenger jets that transport contractor employees, Department of Defense (DoD) civilians, and military personnel to Special Access Program Facilities (SAPF). The airline is known for its secrecy and operates from a private terminal at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The first flights of Janet Airlines took place in 1972, with a Douglas DC-6 making the journey from Las Vegas to Homey Airport in Groom Lake, infamously known as "Area 51." The airline's aircraft are generally unmarked, with no branded logos, but they feature a distinctive red line across the fuselage windows and a white body. This design has remained consistent since the previous Boeing 737-200s and retired DC-6 aircraft. As of 2015, the Janet fleet consists of six Boeing 737-600s, making it the second rarest of the 737 variants. These aircraft were acquired from Air China, with some transferred from the now-defunct China Southwest Airlines.
Janet Airlines serves the Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR), including Area 51 and the Tonopah Test Range. It provides a vital transport link for personnel working in these highly classified areas. The airline operates with a three-digit flight number and a WWW-prefix, and its primary callsign is simply "Janet." The callsigns often change, with flights transitioning to alternate callsigns, known as Groom Callsigns, when transferred to Groom Lake from Nellis control. For example, "Janet 412" might become "Bunny 27" when entering Groom Lake airspace.
In addition to its main destinations, Janet Airlines has been reported to file flight plans to various other airports. It has three more destinations within the US, including the Edwards Air Force Base, Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, and Palmdale Plant 42. The airline also operates Beechcraft "King Air" Executive Aircraft, which make regular round trips between Las Vegas, TTR, and Area 51. These flights usually originate from and end in Las Vegas, with some aircraft staying overnight at Area 51 or TTR.
Due to its highly classified nature, little is known about the inner workings of Janet Airlines. It is presently operated for the USAF by infrastructure and defense contractors, with civilians occasionally being able to apply for jobs. The airline's secrecy extends to its boarding process, with passengers boarding at a standalone terminal on the west side of Harry Reid International Airport, where access is restricted and facilities are sealed off.
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The airline operates from a private terminal at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas
The airline Janet, also known as Janet Airlines, is a highly classified fleet of passenger aircraft. It is operated by the United States Department of the Air Force. The airline is quite the mystery, with its purpose and mission remaining a closely guarded government secret. However, we do know that it serves as an employee shuttle, transporting military, Department of Defense (DoD) civilians, and contractor employees to Special Access Program Facilities (SAPF).
The airline's aircraft are generally unmarked, except for a red cheatline along the windows. They are registered to the Department of the Air Force (DAF) and are acquired from Air China. The fleet includes six Boeing 737-600s, five twin-engine Beechcraft turboprops, and seven Beech "King Air" Executive Aircraft. These aircraft are based at the Las Vegas terminal and fly to destinations such as Area 51, the Tonopah Test Range, and TTR.
Due to the secrecy of Janet Airlines, flights operate with special codes and unique callsigns. The airline's three-letter designator is blocked, and flights use a three-digit number with a WWW-prefix. The primary callsign is "Janet," but this changes once flights are transferred to Groom Lake from Nellis control.
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It transports DoD civilians, contractors, and military personnel to Special Access Program Facilities
The unofficial airline name "Janet" refers to a fleet of highly classified passenger aircraft operated by the United States Department of the Air Force. The airline serves as an employee shuttle, transporting military, Department of Defense (DoD) civilians, and contractor employees to Special Access Program Facilities (SAPFs). SAPFs are security protocols that provide highly classified information and access restrictions that exceed those for regular (collateral) classified information. They can range from black projects to routine but highly sensitive operations, such as COMSEC maintenance or presidential transportation support.
The Janet fleet is comprised of six Boeing 737-600s painted white with a prominent red cheatline. The airline operates from a private terminal at Las Vegas's Harry Reid International Airport, serving the Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR), including Area 51 and the Tonopah Test Range. The first flights from Las Vegas to Area 51 were conducted in 1972 by a Douglas DC-6. Due to the secrecy of its operations, Janet Airlines boards from a standalone terminal, and its flights operate with a three-digit number and a "WWW" prefix. The airline's callsign is simply "Janet," but flights transitioning to Groom Lake from Nellis control assume alternate callsigns, such as "Bunny 27."
The King Airs, a subset of the Janet fleet, operate between Las Vegas, the Tonopah Test Range Airport (TTR), and Area 51. These flights typically originate from and return to Las Vegas, with at least one round trip occurring on weekdays. The Las Vegas Janet terminal can only accommodate four of the seven jets, so some remain at Area 51 or TTR overnight and occasionally make round trips from those locations. One notable incident involving the Janet fleet occurred on March 16, 2004, when a Beechcraft 1900 aircraft was lost during its approach to the Tonopah Test Range Airport due to the pilot's sudden cardiac arrest.
In addition to its primary routes, Janet Airlines has filed flight plans to various other airports. One of their earlier aircraft, a Boeing 737-200 registered as N5177C, was based in Frankfurt, Germany, in the 1980s, operating from Frankfurt International Airport, which also housed a USAF base at the time. More recently, there have been reports of round-trip flights between USAF Plant 42 in Palmdale, California, and Area 51, typically departing on Monday mornings and returning on Friday afternoons or Thursday evenings before holiday weekends.
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The airline's aircraft are generally unmarked except for a red cheatline along the windows
The unofficial airline Janet, also known as Janet Airlines, operates a highly classified fleet of passenger aircraft for the United States Department of the Air Force. The airline serves the Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR), including Area 51 and the Tonopah Test Range, from a private terminal at Las Vegas's Harry Reid International Airport. Due to the secretive nature of its operations, Janet Airlines boards from a standalone terminal on the airport's west side.
The airline's aircraft are typically unmarked, with no external identification or branding aside from a distinctive red cheatline along the windows. This cheatline is a prominent feature of the Janet fleet, which, as of 2015, consisted of six Boeing 737-600s painted white. The aircraft are registered to the Department of the Air Force (DAF), although some earlier planes were registered to civil aircraft leasing corporations.
The lack of markings on the Janet aircraft contributes to the fleet's secretive nature and its association with classified operations. The aircraft are used as an employee shuttle, transporting military personnel, Department of Defense civilians, and contractor employees to Special Access Program Facilities (SAPF). This shuttle service operates between Las Vegas and the NTTR, with flights to and from Area 51 and the Tonopah Test Range.
The distinctive red cheatline on the Janet aircraft provides a subtle form of identification for this otherwise unmarked fleet. The cheatline is a thin red line that runs along the windows of the aircraft, adding a subtle touch of colour to the otherwise plain exterior. While the exact reason for this design choice is not publicly known, it may serve as a subtle means of identification for those familiar with the fleet or as a way to differentiate the aircraft from other similar planes.
The Janet fleet has undergone updates and acquisitions over the years. Before the introduction of the 737-600s, Janet operated Boeing 737-200s, some of which were modified from military T-43A aircraft. One of these 737-200s, with the registration N5177C, was based in Germany at Frankfurt International Airport for a period, operating under Keyway Air Transport, which was reportedly a front company for a US government operation.
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Destinations include Area 51, TTR, and Tonopah Test Range Airport
The unofficial airline Janet, or Janet Airlines, is a highly classified fleet of passenger aircraft operated for the United States Department of the Air Force. It serves as an employee shuttle to transport military, Department of Defense civilians, and contractor employees to Special Access Program Facilities. The airline mainly serves the Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR), including Area 51 and the Tonopah Test Range, from a private terminal at Las Vegas's Harry Reid International Airport.
Area 51 is a highly classified Special Access Program Facility located in the Nevada Test and Training Range. It is known for its secrecy and has been the subject of various conspiracy theories and popular culture references. The exact location of Area 51 is classified, but it is believed to be located about 65 miles southeast of the Tonopah Test Range.
The Tonopah Test Range, also known as Area 52 or TTR, is a semi-secret test facility within the boundaries of the Nellis Range Complex. It is owned by the United States Department of Energy and is managed by Sandia National Laboratories, a division of Honeywell International. The range is located about 30 miles southeast of the city of Tonopah and consists of horst and graben geology, flanked by the Cactus Peak hills to the west and the Kawich Peak to the east.
The Tonopah Test Range Airport is a large airfield within the Tonopah Test Range, consisting of a 12,000-foot runway and numerous hangars. It is serviced by Janet Airlines, with one or two daily flights from McCarran International Airport, presumably serving Sandia National Laboratories employees.
In addition to these destinations, Janet Airlines has also filed flight plans to various other airports, including Kansas City International Airport and the Boeing facility at Paine Field in Seattle, Washington. The airline operates a fleet of Boeing 737-600s and previously operated Boeing 737-200s, some of which were modified from military T-43A aircraft.
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Frequently asked questions
The Janet terminal is located at Las Vegas International Airport, also known as McCarran International Airport.
The Janet terminal is a standalone terminal on the west side of the airport. It has a parking lot with a capacity of approximately 1740 spots.
Janet is the unofficial name of a highly classified fleet of passenger aircraft operated for the United States Department of the Air Force. The airline mainly serves the Nevada Test and Training Range, including Area 51 and the Tonopah Test Range.
The Janet planes are typically white with a prominent red stripe along the fuselage. They are unmarked, with no airline name or logo.
