Picture: Aerial view of unknown town in nebraska, colorado or wyoming. (Kimball: airport, area)

[mattpoulsen]

So you had a morning flight? Correct? Which would put the sun in the east ,the shadow to the west, and the windfarm to the south. I tried just searching existing wind farms in Nebraska, Kansas, Colorado, Wyoming, and South Dakota. I believe Nebraska has been eliminated (see my previous post). Also, Kansas only appears to have 1 windfarm of the size seen in the picture in the western part of the state and its in Wichita County. I did a quick search and couldn't find anything resembling the pic. Also, I didn't find any windfarms in western Wyoming or eastern South Dakota that fit the bill, although I very easily could have missed one. I did learn something though. Based on the little reading I did, it appears that Colorado has a much more robust windfarm economy than do the other states. This is pretty much anecdotal, but it appears as though all the other states have a handful each of the size seen in the picture, while CO has quite a few. Based on that assumption, I would focus on eastern Colorado.

[IsThisOneTaken?]

Try Kimball Nebraska or Sterling Colorado on Google Earth and see if either of those resemble it.

I'm too lazy to look myself right now.

[thatguy1]

Kimball is the closest I've seen, but it's not Kimball. Sterling is way too big and doesn't have the circular irrigation patterns nearby. The town in question looks to be about a 3-5K people town, imo.

I'm getting frustrated!!

[Sandhills Guru]

It isn't Goodland, Ks is it?

[Sandhills Guru]

Nope not goodland, ok enough looking for now.

[Bigg Mann]

I can't help, this is making me queasy since I am afraid of height.lol

[AksarbeN]

Interesting puzzle of trying to identify the town you photographed. Did you try to use this link for airflights? If it’s operating like I thought, they want a flight number (should be the same one each day) and check that flight near the time you took the picture, you may end up getting a better idea of which state you were over at that time.
FlightAware > Live Flight Tracker

I’m thinking you were over western Kan, or eastern Colo. from what I’m seeing. There are several interesting points and most have been pointed out already but I may have a few new items to think about to get an answer. The grain elevators (shadows) would put them located north of the main part of town. Thus the railroad is running from the east to the west and then turns northwest. The small airport in town is located north of the city. The main highway is running from the east to the west and turns southwest. The wind generators are very helpful. I noticed two water towers in town. One was south of the grain elevators about six blocks or so and the other was continued to the far south end of town along the same street. There is what I think a high school track and football field on the west side of town. I was seeing a rectangle green with a oval around it but can’t be sure if it’s a school.

I’m thinking that the size of the town is about 2 or 3 miles by 2 miles??? Who can help with estimating the size of the city blocks or the pivot irrigation size, I’m not sure?

Just a guess but this may be a county seat with about 10,000 population. Also I don’t see any sign of a river nearby nor a lake. Interesting puzzle.

[AksarbeN]

Assuming that the photo was taken mid day the shadow of the grain elevators are to the north. The air strip runway is pointed in the direction of the most common blowing winds in the region. The elevation and terrain of the land changed near the wind generators on the west side of town. That type of terrain is not common in most areas. I'm still thinking it's in Colo. however most east west flights across the states swing down through Kan/ Oka and NM.

Commercial flying will maintain staying on flight paths (just like roadways) in the sky and they us beacons to navigate. I'm sure if this flight path is narrowed down it will make it easier. Again the size of the town is important, no lakes or rivers nearby.

[GraniteStater]

Elk City, OK?!

[AksarbeN]

I'm looking at the google maps when I'm searching. Elk City looks about the same size town, however their airstrip is one straight runway going north/south only. And I can't find the wind turbines there.