diff --git a/src/data/militaryAwareness.test.mjs b/src/data/militaryAwareness.test.mjs
index 047cb1073..a06f450fb 100644
--- a/src/data/militaryAwareness.test.mjs
+++ b/src/data/militaryAwareness.test.mjs
@@ -1660,7 +1660,7 @@ test('hasContact declines while a layer is disabled, whatever its maps still hol
   for (const [name, source, guard] of [
     // Flights asks its renderer whether the fleet is shown (phase 3).
     ['flights', readLayerSource(new URL('./flights.js', import.meta.url)),
-      /hasContact\(\s*icao24,?\s*\)\s*\{\s*\n\s*if\s*\(\s*!(?:flightState\.)?_renderer\?\.fleet\.visible\(\)\s*\|\|\s*(?:flightState\.)?_billboards\.size\s*===\s*0,?\s*\)\s*return\s*null;/],
+      /hasContact\(\s*icao24,?\s*\)\s*\{\s*if\s*\(\s*!flightState\.enabled\s*\|\|\s*flightState\.records\.data\.size\s*===\s*0,?\s*\)\s*return\s*null;/],
     // Military asks its renderer too (phase 3).
     ['militaryFlights', readLayerSource(new URL('./militaryFlights.js', import.meta.url)),
       /hasContact\(\s*icao24,?\s*\)\s*\{\s*\n\s*if\s*\(\s*!(?:flightState\.)?_renderer\?\.fleet\.visible\(\)\s*\|\|\s*(?:flightState\.)?_billboards\.size\s*===\s*0,?\s*\)\s*return\s*null;/],
diff --git a/src/layers/flights/index.js b/src/layers/flights/index.js
index ee4d960c5..8b831d19c 100644
--- a/src/layers/flights/index.js
+++ b/src/layers/flights/index.js
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ export function createCivilFlightLayer({
   parts.evidence = createEvidence(context);
   parts.testing = createTesting(context);
   parts.queries = createQueries(context);
-  const applySnapshot = createFlightSnapshotRenderer({
+  parts.snapshots = createFlightSnapshotRenderer({
     flightState,
     records: flightState.records,
     militaryRegistry: services.militaryRegistry,
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ export function createCivilFlightLayer({
     feed: flightState.feed,
     getQuery: (viewer) =>
       parts.controller._flightQuery(viewer || flightState._renderer?.view),
-    applySnapshot,
+    applySnapshot: (snapshot) => parts.snapshots.applySnapshot(snapshot),
     setSourceLabel: (source) => {
       layer.source = source;
     },
diff --git a/src/layers/flights/lifecycle.js b/src/layers/flights/lifecycle.js
index a238ebcdd..8768dfad0 100644
--- a/src/layers/flights/lifecycle.js
+++ b/src/layers/flights/lifecycle.js
@@ -13,10 +13,30 @@ export function createLifecycle({
   const { ensureGeoidReady } = services.geoid;
   const { registerPickOwner, unregisterPickOwner } = services.picking;
 
+  let initialized = false;
+  let resumeFollow = false;
+
+  function removeSceneListeners() {
+    parts.tracking._removeClickHandler();
+    unregisterPickOwner('flights');
+    if (flightState._preRenderRemove) {
+      flightState._preRenderRemove();
+      flightState._preRenderRemove = null;
+    }
+    if (flightState._trackedModelPreUpdateRemove) {
+      flightState._trackedModelPreUpdateRemove();
+      flightState._trackedModelPreUpdateRemove = null;
+    }
+    if (flightState._moveEndRemove) {
+      flightState._moveEndRemove();
+      flightState._moveEndRemove = null;
+    }
+  }
+
   const methods = {
     /** Configure the source before initialization; an active layer keeps its owner. */
     setSource(source) {
-      if (flightState._renderer)
+      if (initialized)
         throw new Error('Configure the source before layer initialization');
       if (typeof source?.getSnapshot !== 'function')
         throw new TypeError('A snapshot source is required');
@@ -35,36 +55,13 @@ export function createLifecycle({
      * @param {{ engine?: object }} [context] - LayerLifecycle's context.
      */
     init(viewer, { engine = null } = {}) {
-      if (flightState._renderer)
-        throw new Error('Flight layer is already initialized');
+      if (initialized) throw new Error('Flight layer is already initialized');
       if (typeof flightState.feed._source?.getSnapshot !== 'function')
         throw new TypeError('A snapshot source is required');
       if (flightState.lifetime.signal.aborted)
         flightState.lifetime = new AbortController();
       clearFocusTarget('flights');
       flightState._focusEvidenceIds.clear();
-      const renderer = services.renderer.create({ viewer, engine });
-      flightState._renderer = renderer;
-      renderer.fleet.attach();
-      // Warm the glTF cache so the tracked plane's model instantiates instantly when first needed
-      // (keeps the retained instance referenced; never rendered). Captured against this epoch so a
-      // destroy/re-init mid-load doesn't flip the flag for a torn-down lifecycle.
-      if (!flightState._preloadModel) {
-        const epoch = flightState._modelEpoch;
-        renderer.models
-          .preload(resolveAsset(PLANE_MODEL_URL))
-          .then((m) => {
-            if (epoch === flightState._modelEpoch) {
-              flightState._preloadModel = m;
-              flightState._planeModelLoaded = true;
-            } else {
-              renderer.models.destroy(m);
-            }
-          })
-          .catch(() => {
-            /* tracked plane just stays a billboard a beat longer */
-          });
-      }
       flightState._billboards = new Map();
       flightState._cullPositions.clear();
       flightState._detectionObjects = new Map();
@@ -86,9 +83,9 @@ export function createLifecycle({
       flightState._trackedEntity = null;
       flightState._cockpitSubjectId = null;
       flightState._cockpitContactMode =
-        document.body.classList.contains('cockpit-mode');
+        globalThis.document?.body.classList.contains('cockpit-mode') === true;
       flightState._cockpitNearContacts = new Set();
-      if (!flightState._cockpitModeListener) {
+      if (globalThis.window && !flightState._cockpitModeListener) {
         flightState._cockpitModeListener = (event) =>
           parts.tracking._applyCockpitState(event?.detail);
         window.addEventListener(
@@ -101,8 +98,6 @@ export function createLifecycle({
         parts.enrichment._ambientBudgetKnobs().ceil;
       flightState._enrichAmbientRefillAnchorMs = 0;
 
-      parts.tracking._installClickHandler();
-
       // React to Military-layer toggles IMMEDIATELY (suppress/restore sweep)
       // instead of waiting out the 30 s poll (M2).
       if (!flightState._milActiveChangeUnsub) {
@@ -111,9 +106,97 @@ export function createLifecycle({
         );
       }
 
-      renderer.fleet.restoreOrder();
+      initialized = true;
+      try {
+        if (viewer || engine) methods.attachRenderer(viewer, { engine });
+      } catch (error) {
+        methods.destroy(viewer);
+        throw error;
+      }
+    },
 
-      console.log('[Data:Flights] Initialized with billboard icons');
+    attachRenderer(viewer, { engine = null } = {}) {
+      if (!initialized)
+        throw new Error('Initialize the flight layer before attaching');
+      if (flightState._renderer)
+        throw new Error('Flight renderer already attached');
+      const renderer = services.renderer.create({ viewer, engine });
+      flightState._renderer = renderer;
+      try {
+        renderer.fleet.attach();
+        // Warm the glTF cache so the tracked plane's model instantiates instantly when first needed
+        // (keeps the retained instance referenced; never rendered). Captured against this epoch so a
+        // destroy/re-init mid-load doesn't flip the flag for a torn-down lifecycle.
+        if (!flightState._preloadModel) {
+          const epoch = flightState._modelEpoch;
+          renderer.models
+            .preload(resolveAsset(PLANE_MODEL_URL))
+            .then((m) => {
+              if (epoch === flightState._modelEpoch) {
+                flightState._preloadModel = m;
+                flightState._planeModelLoaded = true;
+              } else {
+                renderer.models.destroy(m);
+              }
+            })
+            .catch(() => {
+              /* tracked plane just stays a billboard a beat longer */
+            });
+        }
+        parts.snapshots.presentRecords();
+        if (flightState._trackedIcao) {
+          parts.tracking._trackFlight(flightState._trackedIcao, {
+            resume: true,
+            follow: resumeFollow,
+          });
+        }
+        renderer.fleet.setVisible(flightState.enabled);
+        renderer.models.setVisible(flightState.enabled);
+        renderer.fleet.restoreOrder();
+        if (flightState.enabled) {
+          methods.enable();
+          parts.tracking._applyPendingTrackingRestore();
+        }
+      } catch (error) {
+        methods.detachRenderer(viewer);
+        throw error;
+      }
+    },
+
+    detachRenderer(viewer) {
+      const renderer = flightState._renderer;
+      if (!renderer) return;
+      removeSceneListeners();
+      releaseContinuousRender('flights');
+      flightState._trackedCameraFrameStop?.();
+      flightState._trackedCameraFrameStop = null;
+      if (flightState._trackedEntity) {
+        resumeFollow = renderer.follow.isFollowing(flightState._trackedEntity);
+        if (resumeFollow) renderer.follow.release();
+        renderer.tracked.remove(flightState._trackedEntity);
+        flightState._trackedEntity = null;
+      }
+      parts.rendering._releaseTrackedModel();
+      parts.tracking._detachTrail();
+      parts.rendering._releaseModels();
+      // Removing the model collection destroys it and its models.
+      renderer.fleet.detach(viewer);
+      flightState._modelEpoch += 1; // invalidate any in-flight load from this lifecycle (settles post-destroy)
+      flightState._modelPending.clear();
+      flightState._modelGen.clear();
+      if (flightState._preloadModel) {
+        renderer.models.destroy(flightState._preloadModel);
+        flightState._preloadModel = null;
+      }
+      flightState._planeModelLoaded = false;
+      flightState._billboards.clear();
+      flightState._cullPositions.clear();
+      flightState._detectionObjects.clear();
+      flightState._displayFloorState.clear();
+      flightState._groundSnap.clear();
+      parts.motion._resetTrackedDisplay();
+      renderer.destroy();
+      flightState._renderer = null;
     },
 
     /**
@@ -121,11 +204,12 @@ export function createLifecycle({
      */
     enable() {
       const renderer = flightState._renderer;
+      flightState.enabled = true;
       renderer?.fleet.setVisible(true);
-      holdContinuousRender('flights'); // per-frame animator (perf wave 2)
+      if (renderer) holdContinuousRender('flights'); // per-frame animator (perf wave 2)
       renderer?.models.setVisible(true);
       parts.tracking._setCockpitContactMode(
-        document.body.classList.contains('cockpit-mode'),
+        globalThis.document?.body.classList.contains('cockpit-mode') === true,
       );
       // Height-datum fix: warm the geoid grid once per layer-enable. The poll loop
       // only reads geoidHeight() synchronously after this resolves (guarded by
@@ -140,6 +224,7 @@ export function createLifecycle({
             /* geoid grid failed to load — baro path stays un-geoid-corrected until retried */
           });
       }
+      if (!renderer) return;
       parts.tracking._installClickHandler();
       registerPickOwner('flights', (pickedId) =>
         flightState._billboards.has(pickedId),
@@ -181,6 +266,7 @@ export function createLifecycle({
      * Also clears any active flight tracking so the camera is released.
      */
     disable() {
+      flightState.enabled = false;
       parts.controller._abortActiveUpdates();
       parts.tracking._cancelPendingTrackingRestore();
       flightState._renderer?.fleet.setVisible(false);
@@ -189,22 +275,7 @@ export function createLifecycle({
       flightState._renderer?.models.setVisible(false);
       parts.tracking._clearTracking();
       parts.tracking._destroyTrail();
-      // Leave the selection dispatcher (clicks, Escape) while disabled to
-      // avoid intercepting input when the layer is off
-      parts.tracking._removeClickHandler();
-      unregisterPickOwner('flights');
-      if (flightState._preRenderRemove) {
-        flightState._preRenderRemove();
-        flightState._preRenderRemove = null;
-      }
-      if (flightState._trackedModelPreUpdateRemove) {
-        flightState._trackedModelPreUpdateRemove();
-        flightState._trackedModelPreUpdateRemove = null;
-      }
-      if (flightState._moveEndRemove) {
-        flightState._moveEndRemove();
-        flightState._moveEndRemove = null;
-      }
+      removeSceneListeners();
     },
 
     /**
@@ -213,6 +284,8 @@ export function createLifecycle({
      * @param {object|null} viewer - The viewer the layer was drawn on.
      */
     destroy(viewer) {
+      initialized = false;
+      flightState.enabled = false;
       flightState.lifetime.abort();
       flightState._enrichActive = 0;
       flightState._enrichLastDispatchMs = 0;
@@ -221,7 +294,6 @@ export function createLifecycle({
       parts.tracking._clearTracking();
       parts.tracking._destroyTrail();
       parts.tracking._cancelPendingTrackingRestore();
-      parts.tracking._removeClickHandler();
       if (flightState._milActiveChangeUnsub) {
         flightState._milActiveChangeUnsub();
         flightState._milActiveChangeUnsub = null;
@@ -233,33 +305,7 @@ export function createLifecycle({
         );
         flightState._cockpitModeListener = null;
       }
-      unregisterPickOwner('flights');
-      if (flightState._preRenderRemove) {
-        flightState._preRenderRemove();
-        flightState._preRenderRemove = null;
-      }
-      if (flightState._trackedModelPreUpdateRemove) {
-        flightState._trackedModelPreUpdateRemove();
-        flightState._trackedModelPreUpdateRemove = null;
-      }
-      if (flightState._moveEndRemove) {
-        flightState._moveEndRemove();
-        flightState._moveEndRemove = null;
-      }
-      parts.rendering._releaseModels();
-      // Removing the model collection destroys it and its models.
-      flightState._renderer?.fleet.detach(viewer);
-      flightState._modelEpoch += 1; // invalidate any in-flight load from this lifecycle (settles post-destroy)
-      flightState._modelPending.clear();
-      flightState._modelGen.clear();
-      if (flightState._preloadModel) {
-        flightState._renderer?.models.destroy(flightState._preloadModel);
-        flightState._preloadModel = null;
-      }
-      flightState._planeModelLoaded = false;
-      flightState._billboards.clear();
-      flightState._cullPositions.clear();
-      flightState._detectionObjects.clear();
+      methods.detachRenderer(viewer);
       flightState.records.data.clear();
       flightState._positionHistory.clear();
       flightState._displayCourse.clear();
@@ -272,6 +318,7 @@ export function createLifecycle({
         flightState._enrichDripTimer = null;
       }
       flightState.records.missingPolls.clear();
+      flightState.records.geoidNCache.clear();
       flightState._focusEvidenceIds.clear();
       flightState.feed._count = 0;
       flightState.feed._lastUpdate = null;
@@ -287,8 +334,6 @@ export function createLifecycle({
         coverage: flightState.feed._lastCoverage,
       };
       parts.tracking._resetTrackedSelectionState(); // next lifecycle re-evaluates against the ENTER ceiling
-      flightState._renderer?.destroy();
-      flightState._renderer = null;
     },
   };
 
diff --git a/src/layers/flights/ownership.test.mjs b/src/layers/flights/ownership.test.mjs
index aa7ae94ea..6a6a28189 100644
--- a/src/layers/flights/ownership.test.mjs
+++ b/src/layers/flights/ownership.test.mjs
@@ -146,3 +146,100 @@ test('voice context reads a track that rounds to north as 0°, not 360°', () =>
     '0°',
   );
 });
+
+test('a live flight keeps observations, selection and freshness across renderer lifetimes', async () => {
+  const { createFakeEngine } =
+    await import('../../globe/testing/fakeEngine.js');
+  const { aircraftAtlasLayout, createAircraftNavaraRenderer } =
+    await import('../aircraft/render/navara.js');
+  const { createApplicationFlights } =
+    await import('../../app/layers/flights.js');
+  const first = createFakeEngine();
+  const second = createFakeEngine();
+  const epoch = Date.now();
+  let polls = 0;
+  const atl = aircraftAtlasLayout();
+  const source = {
+    label: 'QA',
+    async getSnapshot() {
+      polls++;
+      return {
+        source: 'QA',
+        observedAtMs: epoch + polls * 1000,
+        ageMs: 0,
+        complete: true,
+        records: [
+          {
+            id: '71be26',
+            callsign: 'QA',
+            latitude: 40.25,
+            longitude: -125.58 + polls / 1000,
+            ellipsoidAltitudeM: 9000,
+            baroAltitudeM: 8800,
+            courseDeg: 90,
+            speedMps: 200,
+            positionTimeMs: epoch + polls * 1000,
+          },
+        ],
+      };
+    },
+  };
+  const layer = createApplicationFlights({
+    source,
+    surface: {
+      groundSnap: { createGroundSnap: () => ({ clear() {}, forget() {} }) },
+      groundFloor: {
+        cachedGroundFloor: () => null,
+        warmGroundFloor() {},
+        floorAltitudeM: (h) => h,
+      },
+      meshFloor: { sampleMeshFloorCells() {} },
+    },
+    militaryRegistry: {
+      isMilitaryIcao: () => false,
+      isMilitaryLayerActive: () => false,
+      refreshMilitaryRegistryIfStale() {},
+      onMilitaryLayerActiveChange: () => () => {},
+    },
+    renderer: {
+      create: ({ engine }) =>
+        createAircraftNavaraRenderer({
+          engine,
+          layerId: 'flights',
+          order: 1,
+          headingOffsetDeg: 180,
+          drawAtlas: async () => ({
+            canvas: { width: atl.width, height: atl.height },
+            cells: atl.cells,
+          }),
+        }),
+    },
+  });
+  try {
+    layer.init(null);
+    layer.enable();
+    await layer.update(null);
+    assert.equal(layer.hasContact('71BE26'), true);
+    assert.equal(layer.getAnalystRecords().length, 1);
+    assert.equal(layer.findByQuery('QA').icao24, '71be26');
+    layer.attachRenderer(null, { engine: first });
+    assert.equal(layer.qaDrawn().length, 1);
+    assert.equal(layer.trackById('71be26'), true);
+    layer.detachRenderer();
+    assert.equal(first.camera.following(), null);
+    assert.equal(layer.getTrackedInfo().icao24, '71be26');
+    await layer.update(null);
+    assert.equal(layer.getStats().lastUpdate, epoch + 2000);
+    layer.attachRenderer(null, { engine: second });
+    assert.equal(second.camera.following()?.label.id, 'flights:71be26');
+    assert.equal(layer.qaDrawn().length, 1);
+    assert.equal(polls, 2, 'attaching either renderer performs no source poll');
+    layer.disable();
+    assert.equal(layer.hasContact('71be26'), null);
+    assert.deepEqual(layer.getAnalystRecords(), []);
+  } finally {
+    layer.destroy(null);
+    first.destroy();
+    second.destroy();
+  }
+});
diff --git a/src/layers/flights/queries.js b/src/layers/flights/queries.js
index ad3fffe13..9b8537e18 100644
--- a/src/layers/flights/queries.js
+++ b/src/layers/flights/queries.js
@@ -574,7 +574,7 @@ export function createQueries({
      * @returns {Array<{id: string, icao24: string, callsign: string|null, position: Cesium.Cartesian3, distance: number, aircraftClass: string|null, altitudeM: number|null, velocityMps: number|null, track: number|null}>}
      */
     getNearby(center, range, maxCount = 50, { includeHidden = false } = {}) {
-      if (!center || !flightState._renderer?.fleet.visible()) return [];
+      if (!center || !flightState.enabled) return [];
 
       const limit = Number.isFinite(maxCount)
         ? Math.max(1, Math.floor(maxCount))
@@ -584,11 +584,14 @@ export function createQueries({
 
       const nearby = [];
 
-      for (const [icao24, bb] of flightState._billboards) {
+      for (const [icao24, info] of flightState.records.data) {
+        const bb = flightState._billboards.get(icao24);
+        if (!bb && flightState._renderer) continue;
         const isTracked = icao24 === flightState._trackedIcao;
         // Keep planes rendered as a 3D model (billboard hidden) so proximity counts
         // don't drop to zero on the 2D→3D handoff; bb.position stays current while hidden.
         if (
+          bb &&
           !aircraftIncludedInNearby({
             isTracked,
             billboardShown: bb.show,
@@ -601,13 +604,13 @@ export function createQueries({
         const trackedPos = isTracked
           ? parts.motion._trackedDisplayCached()
           : null; // cached, no recompute (anti-jitter)
-        const pos = trackedPos || bb.position;
+        const pos =
+          trackedPos || bb?.position || parts.motion._deadReckon(icao24);
         if (!pos) continue;
 
         const distance = geo.cartesian3.distance(center, pos);
         if (distance > maxRange) continue;
 
-        const info = flightState.records.data.get(icao24);
         const callsign = info?.callsign?.trim() || null;
         nearby.push({
           // Label. Callers that need identity read `icao24` (Context cohorts do).
@@ -657,16 +660,13 @@ export function createQueries({
      *   holds no data and therefore cannot answer.
      */
     hasContact(icao24) {
-      if (
-        !flightState._renderer?.fleet.visible() ||
-        flightState._billboards.size === 0
-      )
+      if (!flightState.enabled || flightState.records.data.size === 0)
         return null;
       if (!icao24) return false;
       const id = String(icao24).trim();
       return (
-        flightState._billboards.has(id) ||
-        flightState._billboards.has(id.toLowerCase())
+        flightState.records.data.has(id) ||
+        flightState.records.data.has(id.toLowerCase())
       );
     },
 
@@ -726,10 +726,7 @@ export function createQueries({
      * @returns {Array<Object>} See mapAnalystRecord for the record shape.
      */
     getAnalystRecords(maxCount = 2000) {
-      if (
-        !flightState._renderer?.fleet.visible() ||
-        flightState.records.data.size === 0
-      )
+      if (!flightState.enabled || flightState.records.data.size === 0)
         return [];
       const limit = Number.isFinite(maxCount)
         ? Math.max(1, Math.floor(maxCount))
diff --git a/src/layers/flights/snapshotRenderer.js b/src/layers/flights/snapshotRenderer.js
index 388e74d16..0c08ded31 100644
--- a/src/layers/flights/snapshotRenderer.js
+++ b/src/layers/flights/snapshotRenderer.js
@@ -25,14 +25,94 @@ export function createFlightSnapshotRenderer({
   const { refreshMilitaryRegistryIfStale, isMilitaryIcao } = militaryRegistry;
   const { warmGroundFloor } = groundFloor;
   const { sampleMeshFloorCells } = meshFloor;
-  return function applySnapshot(snapshot, viewer) {
+  function presentContact(icao24, meta, position, prevMeta, groundFlipped) {
+    const isTracked = icao24 === flightState._trackedIcao;
+    if (flightState._billboards.has(icao24)) {
+      const bb = flightState._billboards.get(icao24);
+      // Reclassify if the category resolved/changed (first extended poll);
+      // a ground flip (landing/takeoff) re-scales the SAME billboard in
+      // place — the transition is a restyle, never a removal.
+      // Round 5: depth policy is uniform (always depth-test-free, see
+      // _groundDepthDistance) — nothing to flip on landing/takeoff.
+      // Position AND rotation are owned by the fleet pass (_fleetTick);
+      // course changes land on the next rotation pass (forced below).
+      if (!isTracked) {
+        // Refresh affiliation hue without clobbering the tick-owned
+        // freshness × focus × horizon alpha composition.
+        bb.color = rendering
+          ._fleetBillboardColor(icao24)
+          .withAlpha(cyberSonarBaseAlpha(bb));
+      }
+      if (
+        prevMeta?.klass !== meta.klass ||
+        groundFlipped ||
+        flightState._cockpitContactMode
+      ) {
+        rendering._applyFleetBillboardPresentation(icao24, bb);
+      }
+      // Poll-path class change (category updates): same model resync rule
+      // as the enrichment path — the class's GLB/scale may have changed.
+      if (prevMeta?.klass !== meta.klass) rendering._syncModelToClass(icao24);
+    } else {
+      // Start where the fleet pass will draw it: the fleet renders behind
+      // real time, so a fresh contact's displayed position is its fix
+      // projected back to that delayed time, and a grounded contact is then
+      // lifted onto the floor under that delayed position. Creating it at
+      // the raw fix drew it ahead until the next fleet tick snapped it back;
+      // skipping the floor started a taxiing contact low and then raised it.
+      const delayed = motion._deadReckon(icao24, geo.cartesian3.create());
+      const displayed =
+        (delayed &&
+          motion._floorGroundedDisplayPosition(
+            icao24,
+            flightState.records.data.get(icao24) || meta,
+            delayed,
+            rendering._modelOwnsVisual(icao24),
+          )) ||
+        position;
+      const bb = flightState._renderer.fleet.add({
+        position: displayed,
+        image: aircraftIcon(rendering._iconKind(icao24, meta.klass)),
+        width: isTracked ? 24 : 20,
+        height: isTracked ? 24 : 20,
+        scale: rendering._fleetBillboardScale(icao24, meta.klass),
+        // Screen-projected rotation lands on the next fleet tick.
+        rotation: 0,
+        alignedAxis: geo.cartesian3.ZERO,
+        color: isTracked ? CYAN : rendering._fleetBillboardColor(icao24),
+        sizeInMeters: false,
+        scaleByDistance: rendering._normalBillboardScaleByDistance(),
+        // Grounded/near-surface planes sit at/below the photoreal tile
+        // surface — render them depth-test-free so they never vanish up
+        // close (_groundDepthDistance).
+        disableDepthTestDistance: rendering._groundDepthDistance(),
+        id: icao24,
+        show: !isTracked, // hidden if currently tracked (entity replaces it)
+      });
+      flightState._billboards.set(icao24, bb);
+      rendering._applyFleetBillboardPresentation(icao24, bb);
+    }
+  }
+
+  function presentRecords() {
+    for (const [id, meta] of records.data) {
+      const position = geo.cartesian3.fromDegrees(
+        meta.rawLon,
+        meta.rawLat,
+        meta.renderAltitudeM,
+      );
+      presentContact(id, meta, position, null, false);
+    }
+  }
+
+  function applySnapshot(snapshot) {
     const currentIcaos = new Set();
     const acceptedSnapshotIcaos = new Set();
     // Field-test round 3 (2026-07-06, Austin fleet-underground): viewer
     // subpoint + collected floor cells for the viewer-proximate low-contact
     // clamp below — one carto read per poll, one batch warm after the loop.
     const viewerCarto =
-      (viewer || flightState._renderer?.view)?.camera?.positionCartographic ||
+      flightState._renderer?.view.camera?.positionCartographic ||
       null;
     const viewerLatDeg = viewerCarto
       ? geo.math.toDegrees(viewerCarto.latitude)
@@ -55,8 +135,8 @@ export function createFlightSnapshotRenderer({
       const isMil = isMilitaryIcao(icao24);
       if (isMil && tracking._militaryLayerSuppresses(icao24)) {
         const dupe = flightState._billboards.get(icao24);
-        if (dupe) {
-          flightState._renderer.fleet.remove(dupe);
+        if (records.data.has(icao24)) {
+          if (dupe) flightState._renderer.fleet.remove(dupe);
           flightState._billboards.delete(icao24);
           rendering._releaseModel(icao24); // military-suppression: drop any 3D model too
           records.forget(icao24);
@@ -158,71 +238,8 @@ export function createFlightSnapshotRenderer({
         }
       }
 
-      if (flightState._billboards.has(icao24)) {
-        const bb = flightState._billboards.get(icao24);
-        // Reclassify if the category resolved/changed (first extended poll);
-        // a ground flip (landing/takeoff) re-scales the SAME billboard in
-        // place — the transition is a restyle, never a removal.
-        // Round 5: depth policy is uniform (always depth-test-free, see
-        // _groundDepthDistance) — nothing to flip on landing/takeoff.
-        // Position AND rotation are owned by the fleet pass (_fleetTick);
-        // course changes land on the next rotation pass (forced below).
-        if (!isTracked) {
-          // Refresh affiliation hue without clobbering the tick-owned
-          // freshness × focus × horizon alpha composition.
-          bb.color = rendering
-            ._fleetBillboardColor(icao24)
-            .withAlpha(cyberSonarBaseAlpha(bb));
-        }
-        if (
-          prevMeta?.klass !== meta.klass ||
-          groundFlipped ||
-          flightState._cockpitContactMode
-        ) {
-          rendering._applyFleetBillboardPresentation(icao24, bb);
-        }
-        // Poll-path class change (category updates): same model resync rule
-        // as the enrichment path — the class's GLB/scale may have changed.
-        if (prevMeta?.klass !== meta.klass) rendering._syncModelToClass(icao24);
-      } else {
-        // Start where the fleet pass will draw it: the fleet renders behind
-        // real time, so a fresh contact's displayed position is its fix
-        // projected back to that delayed time, and a grounded contact is then
-        // lifted onto the floor under that delayed position. Creating it at
-        // the raw fix drew it ahead until the next fleet tick snapped it back;
-        // skipping the floor started a taxiing contact low and then raised it.
-        const delayed = motion._deadReckon(icao24, geo.cartesian3.create());
-        const displayed =
-          (delayed &&
-            motion._floorGroundedDisplayPosition(
-              icao24,
-              flightState.records.data.get(icao24) || meta,
-              delayed,
-              rendering._modelOwnsVisual(icao24),
-            )) ||
-          position;
-        const bb = flightState._renderer.fleet.add({
-          position: displayed,
-          image: aircraftIcon(rendering._iconKind(icao24, meta.klass)),
-          width: isTracked ? 24 : 20,
-          height: isTracked ? 24 : 20,
-          scale: rendering._fleetBillboardScale(icao24, meta.klass),
-          // Screen-projected rotation lands on the next fleet tick.
-          rotation: 0,
-          alignedAxis: geo.cartesian3.ZERO,
-          color: isTracked ? CYAN : rendering._fleetBillboardColor(icao24),
-          sizeInMeters: false,
-          scaleByDistance: rendering._normalBillboardScaleByDistance(),
-          // Grounded/near-surface planes sit at/below the photoreal tile
-          // surface — render them depth-test-free so they never vanish up
-          // close (_groundDepthDistance).
-          disableDepthTestDistance: rendering._groundDepthDistance(),
-          id: icao24,
-          show: !isTracked, // hidden if currently tracked (entity replaces it)
-        });
-        flightState._billboards.set(icao24, bb);
-        rendering._applyFleetBillboardPresentation(icao24, bb);
-      }
+      if (!flightState._renderer) continue;
+      presentContact(icao24, meta, position, prevMeta, groundFlipped);
 
       // Takeoff while TRACKED: ground traffic drew no trail, so start one
       // from the fresh airborne history (touchdown needs no action — the
@@ -243,7 +260,7 @@ export function createFlightSnapshotRenderer({
     // EXCEPTION: likely-landed planes (last fix low + slow) get only
     // LANDED_MISSING_POLL_LIMIT — their disappearance means "landed", not a
     // feed gap, and the full grace left phantom planes parked at airports.
-    for (const [icao24, bb] of flightState._billboards) {
+    for (const icao24 of records.data.keys()) {
       if (currentIcaos.has(icao24)) continue;
       const absence = records.absence(icao24, {
         complete: snapshot.complete,
@@ -272,7 +289,8 @@ export function createFlightSnapshotRenderer({
         tracking._clearTracking(false, { evicted: true });
       }
 
-      flightState._renderer.fleet.remove(bb);
+      const bb = flightState._billboards.get(icao24);
+      if (bb) flightState._renderer.fleet.remove(bb);
       flightState._billboards.delete(icao24);
       rendering._releaseModel(icao24); // aged-out aircraft: drop its 3D model (no orphan / cap leak)
       records.forget(icao24);
@@ -286,6 +304,9 @@ export function createFlightSnapshotRenderer({
     // Fresh courses arrived — force a rotation pass on the next fleet tick
     flightState._lastCamPoseSig = '';
 
+    const accepted = { count: records.data.size, ids: acceptedSnapshotIcaos };
+    if (!flightState._renderer) return accepted;
+
     // Ambient type enrichment: give ON-SCREEN planes real types (bounded
     // sweep — see _sweepAmbientEnrichment; internally fail-silent).
     enrichment._sweepAmbientEnrichment();
@@ -337,6 +358,8 @@ export function createFlightSnapshotRenderer({
     // in place is safe (the DR extrapolates a zero-velocity fix).
     motion._refloorStaleGroundedContacts(currentIcaos);
 
-    return { count: flightState._billboards.size, ids: acceptedSnapshotIcaos };
-  };
+    return accepted;
+  }
+
+  return { applySnapshot, presentRecords };
 }
diff --git a/src/layers/flights/state.js b/src/layers/flights/state.js
index 33095edd6..8a1f0e828 100644
--- a/src/layers/flights/state.js
+++ b/src/layers/flights/state.js
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import { ENRICH_AMBIENT_BUDGET_CEIL } from './policy.js';
 
 export function createFlightState({ source, services }) {
   const { createGroundSnap } = services.groundSnap;
-  const flightState = { lifetime: new AbortController() };
+  const flightState = { lifetime: new AbortController(), enabled: false };
   flightState.feed = createFlightFeed(source);
   flightState.records = new FlightRecords({
     ...services.geoid,
diff --git a/src/layers/flights/testing.js b/src/layers/flights/testing.js
index 24e5fec18..4df72e5e3 100644
--- a/src/layers/flights/testing.js
+++ b/src/layers/flights/testing.js
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ export function createTesting({
       viewer,
       adopt: { billboardCollection, modelCollection },
     });
+    flightState.enabled = flightState._renderer.fleet.visible();
     flightState._billboards = new Map([[icao24, billboard]]);
     flightState._cullPositions.clear();
     flightState._models.clear();
diff --git a/src/layers/flights/tracking.js b/src/layers/flights/tracking.js
index a58849a37..177ebde18 100644
--- a/src/layers/flights/tracking.js
+++ b/src/layers/flights/tracking.js
@@ -378,6 +378,14 @@ export function createTracking({
         flightState._trailPositions.push(geo.cartesian3.clone(fix.position));
       }
     }
+    _attachTrail();
+    const oldestFixEpochSec = history.length
+      ? history[0].timeMs / 1000
+      : Infinity;
+    _backfillTrail(icao24, flightState._trailBackfillToken, oldestFixEpochSec);
+  }
+
+  function _attachTrail() {
     if (!flightState._trail && flightState._renderer) {
       flightState._trail = flightState._renderer.trails.create({
         color: TRAIL_COLOR,
@@ -440,11 +448,6 @@ export function createTracking({
       });
     }
     _refreshTrailDisplay();
-
-    const oldestFixEpochSec = history.length
-      ? history[0].timeMs / 1000
-      : Infinity;
-    _backfillTrail(icao24, flightState._trailBackfillToken, oldestFixEpochSec);
   }
 
   /**
@@ -565,6 +568,13 @@ export function createTracking({
 
   function _destroyTrail() {
     _clearTrail();
+    _detachTrail();
+  }
+
+  function _detachTrail() {
+    if (flightState._trailHeadEntity)
+      flightState._renderer?.trails.removeHead(flightState._trailHeadEntity);
+    flightState._trailHeadEntity = null;
     if (flightState._trail) {
       flightState._trail.destroy();
       flightState._trail = null;
@@ -870,8 +880,11 @@ export function createTracking({
    * @param {string} icao24 - ICAO 24-bit transponder address to track.
    */
 
-  function _trackFlight(icao24, { origin = 'programmatic' } = {}) {
-    _clearTracking(false, { origin }); // switching planes — the new follow-camera takes over
+  function _trackFlight(
+    icao24,
+    { origin = 'programmatic', resume = false, follow = true } = {},
+  ) {
+    if (!resume) _clearTracking(false, { origin }); // switching planes — the new follow-camera takes over
 
     const bb = flightState._billboards.get(icao24);
     const info = flightState.records.data.get(icao24);
@@ -998,14 +1011,20 @@ export function createTracking({
     refreshTrackedReadout(flightState._trackedEntity);
     // Camera follows the tracked entity (the renderer cancels any flight
     // first and applies the one exact tracked frame).
-    flightState._trackedCameraFrameStop = flightState._renderer.follow.start(
-      flightState._trackedEntity,
-    );
+    if (follow) {
+      flightState._trackedCameraFrameStop = flightState._renderer.follow.start(
+        flightState._trackedEntity,
+      );
+    }
 
     // Track-history trail (PRD F1): seed from local history + async backfill.
     // Ground traffic draws NO trail (a taxi path is noise, not a track) — if the
     // plane takes off while tracked, the on_ground→false transition in update()
     // starts one.
+    if (resume) {
+      _attachTrail();
+      return;
+    }
     parts.enrichment._requestTypeEnrichment(icao24, true); // tracked plane — front of the enrichment queue
     parts.enrichment._requestRouteEnrichment(icao24);
     // Round 2 (owner): grounded contacts get trails too — a landed-but-taxiing
@@ -1040,23 +1059,24 @@ export function createTracking({
    */
 
   function _onMilitaryActiveChange(active) {
-    if (!flightState._renderer?.fleet.attached()) return;
+    if (!flightState.enabled) return;
     if (active) {
-      for (const [icao24, bb] of flightState._billboards) {
+      for (const icao24 of flightState.records.data.keys()) {
         if (!isMilitaryIcao(icao24) || icao24 === flightState._trackedIcao)
           continue;
-        flightState._renderer.fleet.remove(bb);
+        const bb = flightState._billboards.get(icao24);
+        if (bb) flightState._renderer.fleet.remove(bb);
         flightState._billboards.delete(icao24);
         parts.rendering._releaseModel(icao24); // military-suppression: drop any 3D model too
-        flightState.records.data.delete(icao24);
+        flightState.records.forget(icao24);
         flightState._cullPositions.delete(icao24);
         flightState._positionHistory.delete(icao24);
         flightState._displayCourse.delete(icao24);
         flightState._groundSnap.forget(icao24);
         flightState.records.missingPolls.delete(icao24);
       }
-      flightState.feed._count = flightState._billboards.size;
-    } else if (flightState._renderer.fleet.visible()) {
+      flightState.feed._count = flightState.records.data.size;
+    } else {
       // Fire-and-forget refresh; only while the layer is actually enabled.
       // The query reads the renderer's camera (no viewer argument needed).
       void flightsLayer.update(null).catch((error) => {
@@ -1196,6 +1216,7 @@ export function createTracking({
     _backfillTrail,
     _clearTrail,
     _destroyTrail,
+    _detachTrail,
     _clearTracking,
     _militaryLayerSuppresses,
     _applyPendingTrackingRestore,
diff --git a/src/layers/flights/trackingRefresh.test.mjs b/src/layers/flights/trackingRefresh.test.mjs
index 040bd130d..c1a3346bf 100644
--- a/src/layers/flights/trackingRefresh.test.mjs
+++ b/src/layers/flights/trackingRefresh.test.mjs
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import { createTracking } from './tracking.js';
 function handoff(update) {
   return createTracking({
     flightState: {
-      _renderer: { fleet: { attached: () => true, visible: () => true } },
+      enabled: true,
     },
     services: Object.fromEntries(
       [