Two C-17 pilots having fun.
Fun in a C-17
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Our tax-dollars at play? No.
...Pilots practicing flying under the radar.
...Pilots practicing flying under the radar.
I remember a bush pilot doing that with me aboard, except the mountains were in the clouds and we had less than a hundred feet between the bottom of the clouds and the river. We were about that close to the mountain. With no option the pilot flew us into the clouds and popped up after over 5,000'. I never flew with him again.
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I got to fly in a C17 several times between Christ Church New Zealand and Antarctica. They are impressive planes. When these planes landed on the sea ice the ice would deflect quite a bit, so they usually didn't stay down for long. They quickly unloaded, refueled and take off.
Aircraft have what the manufacturer calls an "Envelope". It is the envelope within which that aircraft is designed to be operated. My vote is the pilots are training to learn the effects of the hot temperature of air on the lift of the wing. This simulates the dynamics of operating at high altitudes where the air is thinner. It is all about the "envelope" within which the aircraft is designed to operate or fail to operate. Heat effects the density of air.Our tax-dollars at play? No.
...Pilots practicing flying under the radar.
I get to watch them and other military aircraft fly nap of earth of the valley I live at often and they pass by just below my cabin. It‘s always fun to watch. They days when I was traveling in them are long gone, but those type of flights were always fun.
Those are airplanes my son works on.
They're from joint base Lewis McCord.
They're from joint base Lewis McCord.
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We will have a pair of C-130s flying tree top high over our yard 2 or 3 times a week. We are close to Camp Ripley, which is about 70 miles from us. I have been told that these planes are practicing touch and goes.
...Or they could be practicing spraying mosquitos down here
.Sometimes, 'death from above' is a really good thing
.
We have KC-135s, tankers, at the base near us. We are in the flight plan for them doing touch and goes.
Occasion we'll have C-17s, F-18s, F-16s doing touch and goes. And Blackhawk choppers.
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We had two F18s fly over our tree tops one night going real slow (for an F18). Ran out on the porch and could almost see the pilot. I thought it was the end of the world.
I live near the head of a significant pass between the Anchorage military bases and the large training areas and military bases up north near Fairbanks. The most common aircraft I see flying NOE are the troop transports (C-130 and C-17) carrying paratroopers up north to drop zones and all sorts of Army helicopters including Chinooks, Blackhawks. Occasionally we will see Apache and several types of special forces helicopters including the current equivalent of the Little Birds of old with the stereotypical black clad dudes hanging out the sides with their feet on the skids. They occasionally waive back.
In the summer the air force holds massive training up north and I have seen F15, F16, F22, F35 and B1s flying below us. I am still waiting to see a B52. The wife claims she saw the B2 while I was away. Always fun and it never gets old.
In the summer the air force holds massive training up north and I have seen F15, F16, F22, F35 and B1s flying below us. I am still waiting to see a B52. The wife claims she saw the B2 while I was away. Always fun and it never gets old.
===Our tax-dollars at play? No.
...Pilots practicing flying under the radar.
This and what Sourdough said in post #5... I have seen B52s practice at 400 feet and 400 knots like this..
We had an airshow one year featuring the Blue Angels. I got a picture of one them at the end of their turn back to the base flying over the field next to us. He was so low his helmet was in full view in the picture.
I didn’t claim they weren’t training. You can have fun training.
Navy Tomahawk helicopters often fly over our farm at night. Blacked out, low, and flying in a single line.
Usually six at a time.
After a while they head back southeast toward Jacksonville Naval Air Station.
We live about two miles from the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. The only thing I can think of is they are practicing inserting SEALS.
When Afghanistan ended, the flights slowed down in frequency.
But recently have resumed. Must be getting ready to ratchet up operations in the Horn of Africa.
Usually six at a time.
After a while they head back southeast toward Jacksonville Naval Air Station.
We live about two miles from the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. The only thing I can think of is they are practicing inserting SEALS.
When Afghanistan ended, the flights slowed down in frequency.
But recently have resumed. Must be getting ready to ratchet up operations in the Horn of Africa.
Back when the Gun War was going on I lived in a town right under the Great Circle Route. A contractor, a State Trooper and I were outside ad saw a big contrail with three small contrails on each side. They were making guesses as to what was going on. I said my guess was a gas station and six fighters headed to the war. Many times I saw contrails one to three minutes apart one after another till I got tired of watching. The next day or two the news reported troop buildups.
Where I lived one time and out flying a little bug masher Cessna was next to a MOA (military operation area) The B52 at 400' and 400 knots you could see the white helmets turn in the cockpit.. They were making ..practice runs.. on the OD green pickup with the 4' diameter ..target.. signal dish on the back...
Out in the little Cessna with a white knuckle student pilot you would feel an unexpected ...bump, bump.. in the air.. Looking around you would see usually two T38 trainer jets flying away in formation.. Out flying off there required minimum hours.. You know when they made a pass on us they were saying to one another ...bang, bang, bang....
