Black helicopters over my house and I love it!

[guzzijohn]

My house lies pretty much in between McConnell AFB in Wichita and Ft. Riley in Junction City. There has been quite a bit if helicopter activity lately. Mostly single Blackhawks but the other day a group of six flew directly over my house in a loose formation at around 500'. Great sight and overwhelming sound! The new Beech/Raytheon military trainers are flying and hotdogging around a lot too. If I have to help pay for them I sure am glad I get to enjoy them.
GuzziJohn

[Glanceblamm]

I know what you are saying as I suspect that the both of us are RC people, Airshow people, and even Simulator people.

Once, when the Blue Angles were practicing for their show at a Springfield, IL airshow, they recieved complaints of noise by some residences. The Captain heard of this responding with "Tell Them That It Is The Sound Of Freedom"

Amen!

[magooch]

We also seem to live in a main flyway for military and other choppers.  When those big double eggbeaters come by in a group, it sounds like a war zone.  I always wonder where the heck they're all going.  I usually see them mostly going south--I guess to California.  Hardly ever see them come back.

[guzzijohn]

Back in the 80s I lived in Wichita and observed much of the activity at McConnell at the time. Tankers and F-4 Phantoms were based there at the time. I was spending most of one day working in my yard and noticed a lot of F-4s going out. A few hours later I realized that none had returned. Later when I turned on the TV it was the day that the USSR had shot down the Korean airliner. Turned out all the F-4s had gone to the west coast on alert.
By the way I don't fly R/C but do fly sailplanes and I have some R/C guys with model float planes that use my lake for a runway. They are fun to watch.
GuzziJohn

[Pat/Rick]

 Guzzi, isn't using a lake for a runway called "ditching"?       

Through the cascade mtns, along the Columbia River there is alot of military flying as well. Portland OR houses a ANG base at the airport. Alot of helicopters, a few weeks ago some V-22 Ospreys were flying around. Once in awhile a C-130 will come through flying below the Mtn tops following the river.
 Another fun part about living here is during the summer, alot of the vintage aircraft will "fly through the gorge" because its the lowest point to cross the cascades. Have seen numerous old warbirds and vintage aircraft. There is also a forest service fire tanker base east of portland (troutdale). During the summer we can see anything from C-130's to C-54's (DC6). One year there was a "Husky" helicopter being used to dip water for fire control. Very interesting to watch.

[guzzijohn]

Guzzi, isn't using a lake for a runway called "ditching"?   

It is when they try it with wheels only, not floats.
GuzziJohn

[us920669]

I saw a pair of Ospreys just the other day - very unusual for the DC suburbs.  If you want a sight, stake our Arlington National Cemetery when an Air Force officer is getting planted, especially a general.  Sometimes they request a fly-over (family's got to pay) and some years ago I saw a B 52.  I looked up right away 'cus you could tell it wasn't a 747.  Guy had it stood up on one wing tip, probably to clear restricted space.  Quite a sight at low altitude.

[Pat/Rick]

Guzzi, isn't using a lake for a runway called "ditching"?   

It is when they try it with wheels only, not floats.
GuzziJohn

    

[Old Syko]

Around here the National Guard fly C-130 practice maneuvers almost every day and sometimes many times a day.  Often, due to a neighboring international airport the 130s flight ceilings are restricted to 500 AGL.  Some of the guys will wave at you through the windows and some won't.   Blackhawks and others often come over heading south to Fort Knox and they are fun to see also.  The only ones that concern me are when the S***hooks come over in the middle of the night hauling heavy under-slung loads while adhering to the low level restrictions.  In the wee hours they will get your attention before you know what's happening.

Flown RC since the 70s and private single since the 80s and always wanted to give nonpowered a go but around here it just isn't feasible unless it is RC.

[Sourdough]

My house sits on the extended center line of Eielson AFB.  We see most everything in  the Air Forces inventory flying out of here.  They all come up for cold weather testing.  Then they have the big training programs going on.  Right now we have Red Flag going on and there is sonic booms every once and a while.  I tell people that complain the same thing the Blue Angels pilot said, "It's the sound of freedom".

Ft Wain Wright is just North Of us and we see the Chinooks and Black Hawks flying out of there every day.  There is a large flood plain about a mile from my house.  Both the AF and the Army use it as a drop zone.  It is readily easy to clear and secure.  And is readily available to road vehicles.

[blind ear]

In the 60's I lived on the western edge of the Colombus MS AFB flight practice area. Before the troops did any going to some action the flight activity would pick up a lot. We could watch them fly omni in route. They would be below radar and pull up for a check then dive back to low level. sonic booms were bad around then. We would find missle confettie in our fields often. ear

[Flynmoose]

When I was in high school I lived south of the Boardman Bombing range in Oregon. We regularly saw B52s making low level approaches from the south. I was at a friends ranch one time and one came over low enough to count the rivets if we wern't ducking!I did see a B58 make a practice run once, that bird could climb like a homesick angel!
FM

[Shu]

I get to see alot of this stuff. I was able to go on a small tour of one of the local squadrons.
I was allowed to see the cockpit of the F18E. The young pilot giving the tour was equally impressive. He had flown in Iraq but said it was kind of boring just dumping bombs on target. He showed the Super Cobras and upgraded UH1s. We watched flight operations for a few minutes that was pretty impressive also. He allowed us to put on his flight helmet that was hooked up to a bench test. I got to see what he sees in flight. I think I'll keep both feet on the ground. Watching several super cobras working a target sight, or some F18s doing a mock fight is pretty impressive. I have no clue about all the bells and whistles associated with all this stuff but I will tell you it is very impressive to watch them work. I was out at the test range watching a HARM test, the pilot fired the missile but it didn't leave the rail. He said Well I fired it, but it is still here. The controll tower asked if he was going to declare an emergency and needed the SAR helo. In a very calm voice he replied nope, I'll just ride this one out and tell the ordnance guys I would like to have a chat with them.

[Pat/Rick]

Old syko, almost every jump we made at Ft Campbell was from ANG C-130's and C-141's. In Europe, mostly regular AF, but some ANG if their two weeks was happening.

Flynmoose, B-58!! I have never seen a "Hustler", sure would liked to have. Had a math teacher who was a navigator on B-47's, he had some interesting pictures. Didn't know that Boardman was a bombing range. Interesting. Was that when the B-52's were at Moses Lake and Spokane??

Had alot of fun while Army Airborne, got to alot of AFB's and saw alot of aircraft. One time at Aviano AFB in Italy we were sitting on the tarmac waiting to board 130's and a flat black,no marking,C-130 taxiid by, that thing had more antennae than a radio station. Always wonderd about that one. We were ordered very sternly " NO PICTURES"!!!!!!

[bubba]

I live near fort drum nd th ejets and choppers fly a lot here.  I love to hear and see them

[yellowtail3]

There's gonna be a GREAT airshow at Chino in a week - hopefully the weather cooperates. They'll be flying Mustangs, a P-38, a Zero, FW-190, a P-40... and a host of others. Not often one gets to hear an Allison, a Merlin, and an R2800 in the same day...

[Pat/Rick]

YT, sounds like a good one even in uncooperative weather!