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Helicopters, Wow -

KenK/84BravoKenK/84Bravo Member Posts: 12,055 ✭✭✭✭
edited September 2020 in General Discussion

3 Pave Lows or Sea Stallions. I am pretty good at identifying Helicopters by their sound before I see them. This time, I was thrown off. Sounded like a high performance 4 bladed Life Flight but deeper.

Was standing on the back deck and heard them coming. Was unsure what they were. Broke the top of the far mountain in formation. Came directly over me at around 1000K feet. I have never seen them here before. Came in from the SE, headed NW.

Love seeing stuff like that.

Comments

  • chmechme Member Posts: 1,461 ✭✭✭✭
    We are sort of on the Atlantic Flyway for helicopters- house is a mile from the Omni radio beacon.  We see Jolly Greens, Blackhawks, have have seen one Osprey.  Usually enroute to Ft. Pickett.  Cheap entertainment.  
  • KenK/84BravoKenK/84Bravo Member Posts: 12,055 ✭✭✭✭

    I see Blackhawks fairly often, as well as Ospreys. The Manager of our small rural Airport's Son is a V22 Pilot. They fly (nap of the earth) up our holler and do touch and go's at the Airport about 5-7 miles away.

    1st time I have seen these. Enjoyable.

  • nononsensenononsense Member Posts: 10,928 ✭✭✭✭
    We are surrounded by BLM (Bureau of Land Management) land and we have a small regional airport which has received 4 major upgrades in 10 years. We can now land the small version of the 737 minimum runway.  There are groups of six (or more sometimes) helicopters which practice maneuvers on the BLM fields right behind my house. When they finish they head for the airport where there is one hanger off to the far side all by itself. They land in front of it and are pulled into that hanger immediately. Personnel offload inside.
    I am not a military expert nor a tin foil hat wearer but the number of these occurrences has increased in the last year from what was a couple of times a year to a couple of times a month now.  No service markings on the choppers so I can't say Army, Navy, Air Force or Marine Corp. Just a single line of numbers and letters. Color is either O.D. or grey black, all dull in appearance. Fun to watch but strange.
    Best.

  • KenK/84BravoKenK/84Bravo Member Posts: 12,055 ✭✭✭✭

    My Brother was a Blackhawk Pilot with the 101st ABN 160th SOAR for 11 years. (Nightstalkers) 1st Blackhawk Pilot to go through the Air Assault School.

    I miss being up in all kind of aircraft. Rotary and Fixed Wing.

    Was going to re-up into Helicopter Flight School, (pre-approved) but upon check in for my Flight Physical, it was determined I no longer had 20/20 Vision. (I did when I went in 5 years before.)

  • ChrisStreettChrisStreett Member Posts: 3,856 ✭✭✭
    The old Edgewood Arsenal, now Aberdeen Proving Grounds, are near my house. Nighttime flyovers of all sorts are a regular thing. That being said, if ya look close it's possible to tell when "special" maneuvers just may be taking place. Chinooks, Blackhawks, etc. are common, and you can sure hear them coming. However, when the big a** Chinooks with the refueling probes and other uncommon addons come by it's something to see, 'cuz you're hard pressed to hear those giant suckers until they're right on top of ya. Then they're just GONE! The A-10's out of Middle River are something to see as well.
    "...dying ain't much of a living boy"-Josey Wales
  • varianvarian Member Posts: 2,250 ✭✭✭✭
    Ken im pretty sure helicopters cant fly at 1000k feet, but you have some pretty good eyes.
  • Nanuq907Nanuq907 Member Posts: 2,552 ✭✭✭✭
    Elmendorf AFB lies due north of us, and often hosts Red Flag or Northern Edge.  It's a hoot being outside when they head out and come back in groups with the different aircraft representing different nations.  Usually the boys who "won" come back first, and it's always our F22s high and fast heading home.  You'll hear different sound profiles and F15s or F16s will come over, sometimes some F18s, even EuroJets once in awhile, moving FAST and then chopping the gas and whistling as they get close to home.  Then the AWACS come home, and KC135s flying light cause all the hotshots sucked them dry.  What fun!
  • Grunt2Grunt2 Member Posts: 2,525 ✭✭✭✭
    varian said:
    Ken im pretty sure helicopters cant fly at 1000k feet, but you have some pretty good eyes.
    Can't speak for all choppers...but the old  AH-1 (Cobra) had a service ceiling of 11,400 feet and a rate of climb of 1,230 feet per minute...It's all about the air!!!   :o   
    Retired LEO
    Combat Vet VN
    D.A.V Life Member
  • pulsarncpulsarnc Member Posts: 6,216 ✭✭✭✭

    Seymour Johnson Air Force base lies about 2 miles out my back door . F15 e strike eagles fly over the house daily . The new KC-46 Pegasus tankers are now up and flying . See ospreys and just about everything that flys when exercise s are going on

    cry Havoc and let slip  the dogs of war..... 
  • KenK/84BravoKenK/84Bravo Member Posts: 12,055 ✭✭✭✭

    Well, 5280' is a mile up. These were no where close to that. So maybe 2000' (?) If that.

    I see V-22 Ospreys coming over (nap of the earth) up our holler, and over my house significantly lower than 1000' on a regular basis.

    High performance/hot rodded Loach that was doing extensive tree trimming in our area (and over/around my house) was maneuvering maybe 75-100' off the ground hanging a long 25-35' Chain Saw from his Chopper for hours/days on end. Super impressive. (We heard about 4-5 months later, he had crashed [for like the 5th/6th time] and was killed.)

    Yes, varian I understand you are speaking to normal flight elevation for transit flights. Not disputing that restriction Sir.

  • KenK/84BravoKenK/84Bravo Member Posts: 12,055 ✭✭✭✭

    Oops, sorry. Did not see/notice the "K."

    I see what the issue is now.

    My Bad.

  • Ricci.WrightRicci.Wright Member Posts: 5,129 ✭✭✭✭
    Sam06 did a parachute jump from space. But that was when he was young and in his prime. Before the fever.
  • KenK/84BravoKenK/84Bravo Member Posts: 12,055 ✭✭✭✭

    I heard Sam was a door gunner on the Space Shuttle.

    Part of the Space Farce.

  • varianvarian Member Posts: 2,250 ✭✭✭✭
    said you had good eyes
  • chmechme Member Posts: 1,461 ✭✭✭✭
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