Low-flying Jets over Maine

[Bob Kittredge]

From this morning's Boston Globe:

Hearing set today on low-altitude jets

Western Maine residents have one more chance today to be heard on a proposal to allow low-altitude jet fighter training. The Mass. Air National Guard has proposed that F-15 fighter pilots be allowed to fly as low as 500 feet in the Condor Military Operation Area, 3600 square miles that include Bethel, Rumford, Rangeley, and Farmington. The Guard said pilots need to train at low altitudes to prepare for combat. But critics have concerns about noise, safety, and quality of life issues. The final hearing will be held tonight at 6 in Thomas Auditorium at the U of Maine at Farmington. (AP)

 

[Barbarossa]

When I was 15, I hiked (most of) the John Muir Trail in California with my father. We had stopped for lunch one day and it started raining. We put the tent fly as a shelter and stayed pretty dry. We were in a high canyon, headed for a pass. Suddenly, we got buzzed by an F-4 Phantom. It came from the direction of the tent fly, adding to the surprise.

Even though I almost jumped out of my skin, I thought it was terrific.

Later on when I joined the Army, I got buzzed by A-10s in at least three states.

I guess I could live with an occasional F-15.

 

[Nessmuk]

I guess I could live with an occasional F-15.

Amen. Bless our defenders in uniform.

 

[marty]

Back in the late 1980's through mid 1990's, such low elevation flights were common over the Rangeley Lakes and then they just stopped.

I fondly recall hearing this thundering noise and looking up the lake to see one or two planes fly by at about 50 feet over the lake surface. These scenes were amazing to watch and I never felt that they detracted from my wilderness experience.

I welcome their return.
Marty

 

[Hillwalker]

miss em

Gotta say I miss the A-10 Warthogs that used to fly over my house so low you could see the pilots. One real treat is to see the A/C roar by below you when you are hiking. That was a common occurrence in Western Scotland. Bring em on!

 

[onestep]

Back in the day I was atop Avery Peak in the Bigelow range. I heard a jet approach so I scanned the sky to spot it. No luck. It came low level across Flagstaff lake and up the N slope of the Bigelow's. It crossed Avery col at eye level, so low I could see the pilot and his oxygen mask / hose.
He dropped down into Carrabassett Valley and went up and over Sugarloaf... way cool!!

 

[Fisher Cat]

We had F-15's & F-16's constantly flying low and over our house in Jefferson in the 80's. We lived back in the woods and were none the worse for wear. Some of the A-10's came in so low they clipped the tops off of trees and the force would bend the trees way over. We had three fly low over our White Mountains Regional High School once and it shook every window in the building, I was in the cafeteria when they came over and it was awesome.
There's nothing like the whine of an A-10 throttling up on one engine while it banks.
Just don't hurt themselves or anyone/anything else.

 

[skiguy]

SAC out of Plattsburg used to put on a good show from time to time

 

[erugs]

As one who loves to hear the coal train chugging through Manchester, right under my window, I'm also one who loves the Cog. I am not fond of war but understand the need to practice and gain skill so could accept a limited amount of that type of flying but would be upset if it were as common as a cell phone call in a public place. I remember jets coming close to the treetops of my home in New Boston, NH during the 80s and found it exciting but also a little to close to home. This September when Brian and I were on Whitney, just below the East Face route and could hear tremendous roaring but not see the jets flying right overhead. If it hadn't been so overcast...what a sight that would have been! I enjoy a good thunderstorm and fireworks display, too, but also yearn for peace and quiet. It's a challenge to meet all needs, isn't it?

 

[The Hikers]

We got free air shows with the A-10's on Mt Israel, and Sandwich. as they flew between the peaks. Nothing beats looking DOWN as a fighter passes below you.
My wife isn't an aircraft lover as I am , but even she was thrilled by the show

 

[NewHampshire]

I may be biased cuz the F-15's are one of my favorite craft. I look forward to some encounters up north!

Brian

P.S. Last years FOT48 (not this past Septembers) we had a couple C-130's buzz through Franconia Notch....that was pretty cool!

 

[Quietman]

I remember watching a YouTube video of something similar.

Here is a link Flags on the 48 flyby video by silentcal

 

[Lawn Sale]

During Army-Air Force week they'd buzz us with a different plane every day, and I always loved it. The A-10's had to fly up to clear the buildings, and one flew circles around the flagpole, while below the top of it...very impressive.

I also don't mind an occasional training exercise. The planes from BNAS will do touch and go training for hours around my work, and now I barely even notice it.

I think it would be great to be buzzed while camping/hiking, so long as it wasn't late at night or all day long.

 

[DougPaul]

The noise is not always welcomed by animals: I have watched a loon respond with alarm cries and postures when 2 A-10s (IIRC, otherwise it would have been F16s) flew over. Location Jabes Pond, NY (Just W. of Lake George.)

If loons are annoyed too much, they will abandon their nests.

Doug

 

[freedan]

I have been buzzed by A10s several times in the Adirondacks. A few times coming low over Indian Lake while canoeing, also canoeing on North Lake and the closest encounter was while skiing Chimney Mtn. I was skiing down from true summit, pulled up on a cliff overlooking Kings Flow, heard a rumble and then it was there, eye level with me not more than a hundred yards away, could clearly see the pilot.

These pale in comparison to driving across the Nevada desert and having two F-15s do repeated "strafing" runs on me. Come swooping out of nowhere down to the deck following the road until they got to me and pulled up to disappear only to come around again. Happened about 5 times and got a little disconcerting

 

[marty]

The noise is not always welcomed by animals: I have watched a loon respond with alarm cries and postures when 2 A-10s (IIRC, otherwise it would have been F16s) flew over. Location Jabes Pond, NY (Just W. of Lake George.)

If loons are annoyed too much, they will abandon their nests.

Doug

Up at my camp in Rangeley, the loons respond the same way every time a small float plane flies over, which is frequent during the summertime.

 

[Bob Kittredge]

When I first started hiking Monadnock about 15 years ago, I was once or twice treated to the sight of military jets (from Pease?) flying by at eye-level a couple hundred yards off the summit. A real crowd pleaser.

 

[brianW]

Bob, those same planes (a-10's_ used to fly over my house in Fitzilliam, NH. My kids and I used to run out side almost every time to see them. My wife just said I was a big kid.

I would like to see our pilots be the best trained and pray they will never have to be tested.

 

[Mad Townie]

Don't know the genus and species of planes, but once on Pleasant Mountain (ME) we watched a couple jets fly by . . . BELOW us!

 

[peakbagger]

A few years back, I was leading a slow group over the knifes edge at Katahdin on a nice day. We were running real late and there were some afternoon clouds forming, so I was on the alert for thunderstorms. I started to hear some booming off at a distance which set off my "oh shoot what do we do now reflex". About five minutes later an A-10 came straight into the Chimney Pond Basin below us and went near vertical as they buzzed the summit of katahdin. It was a quite interesting vantage point!