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Low flying fighter jets

JohnnySolo

Active Member
May 6, 2011
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One came by last night around 8pm in gilbert that sounded like it was skimming the tree tops. Has anyone discussed why there has been an increase in fighter jet traffic in the Midlands. I see them in Lexington all the time now.
 
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McIntire is shut down for runway repairs. They are flying out of Columbia Metro now, so probably flying out toward Gilbert and Lake Murray.
 
Makes sense. I've always loved hearing and seeing them. I was just wondering why they were doing a fly by at my house.
 
They have been doing night operations for the last three night out of CAE. By the way, those are Block 52 platforms that fly the SEAD mission, Suppression of Enemy Airfield Defenses. The use the HARM, Highspeed Anti-Radiation Missile.
 
When I was visiting some friends back behind the a/f base of garners ferry, a military helicopter kept circling the same path most of the evening. Obviously training I suppose. . The neighbors were having a bonfire. They did what any drunk people would do and started shining flash lights at it. The helicopter responded by flying direct over the house in circles almost power line level. This just amped every up to start cheering and chanting USA USA. They thought pilot was being cool and giving them a show.
Apparently the pilot wasn’t playing around because shortly later Richland County showed up saying that the AF was making a complaint. Apparently shining flashlight at a helicopter is illegal, or at least frowned upon.

but yea, I see fighter often on the lower side especially.
 
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They have been doing night operations for the last three night out of CAE. By the way, those are Block 52 platforms that fly the SEAD mission, Suppression of Enemy Airfield Defenses. The use the HARM, Highspeed Anti-Radiation Missile.
This piqued my interest.

As these jets are on approach to CAE, from the ground you can hear a high pitch squeeling noise. Very short bursts, a few times as they approach. What is this noise?
 
This piqued my interest.

As these jets are on approach to CAE, from the ground you can hear a high pitch squeeling noise. Very short bursts, a few times as they approach. What is this noise?
Maybe opening airbrakes or some other control surface moving.
 
One came by last night around 8pm in gilbert that sounded like it was skimming the tree tops. Has anyone discussed why there has been an increase in fighter jet traffic in the Midlands. I see them in Lexington all the time now.
I live on Lake Murray at Blacks Bridge. The fighters must use the bridge as a waypoint or landmark, because they're always flying low over here. It's cool to see and I appreciate the spectacle.
 
I passed by Shaw AFB one afternoon last week and they were very busy. Took me back to my childhood where I was an Air Force brat and heard and saw that every day, multiple times a day.
 
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I live on Lake Murray at Blacks Bridge. The fighters must use the bridge as a waypoint or landmark, because they're always flying low over here. It's cool to see and I appreciate the spectacle.
I live one mile from Blacks Bridge and often see F-16's flying around. I have also been lucky enough to train and fly in one. FAA rules stipulate all airplanes in this airspace and below 10,000, fly at a speed of no more that 250 knots, or, roughly 300 MPH. This was reiterated to me by my pilot as we were departing Shaw AFB, the site of my ride (we went supersonic when we were well of the coast). A military pilot friend of mine said that in certain circumstances, that rule is broken, but generally, it is honored. F-16 engines, either GE or Pratt and Whitney, are considered low-bypass engines. Commercial jets fly with high-bypass engines. What is startling about the low bypass engines is the outright loudness of the engine is supplying the enormous levels of compression and thrust, They are much louder and factor into the perception that the plane is moving faster than it is, and at Blacks Bridge, they are usually flying at no more the 1,500 feet, adding to the perception. I know this, it is a brilliant thing to see. Sometimes we get a group of Seymour Johnson F-15's embedded, and that is a new level of loudness with the two high performance engines propelling them. Most of the time, these jets are headed to the Townsend, Geogia gun range, located close to Savannah. Thanks.
 
They are training in the upstate today chasing each other in and out of the clouds. Fun to watch. That’s got to be a thrill to be able to do that.
 
If any aircraft should be flying low level, it should be the A-10. Those fighter jets are too noisy and there should be a curfew (not training at night). Also, they should train in isolated areas because you just do not know when a pod or external fuel tank might jettison from aircraft.
 
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