What airplane did you see flying today?(airplane spotting)

[Obergrafeter]

Stripes or no, at least it was running. Maybe one of these days (soon I hope) we will have ours up and flying again.

[ChrisK48]

Some A-10s.

[Ztex]

Great to see A-10 being used by their gun! BBBRBBBRRRRRRRRUUUUUUUUPPPPPPPP!


ON the non warbird front....
It was the first day for new, daily, Emirates Airlines flights to DFW Airport. Hazy gray day at the time of departure...but cool to see nonetheless.

[jamesintucson]

Since Chris beat me to the A-10s. There were a few of these as well.



James

[steve dickey]

Since Chris beat me to the A-10s. There were a few of these as well.



James

So where you on the range?
What are the circumstances with the gun displays?
And lastly can you describe the sound?

[jamesintucson]

So where you on the range?
What are the circumstances with the gun displays?
And lastly can you describe the sound?

We were on one of the target ranges that make up the Barry Goldwater Range in south-western Arizona. During the winter and spring the range does tours for civic groups and aviation photographer's groups. I'm not sure exactly how they are set up since I wasn't involved in that part of it. I just showed up where I was told and signed the form that says my heirs won't sue if we accidently get strafed. Then we went and spent a few hours standing at the bottom of the spotter's tower watching A-10s and F-16s rearrange parts of the desert.

These aren't actually displays just the normal training exercises that happen to be scheduled for that day. The planes generallly start out dropping practice bombs on a target about a mile from the spotters tower. After that they make two or three strafing runs each on gunnery targets that are much closer. During the gun runs the planes pass within 300 yards of the tower.

The sound is incredible. The first thing you hear after a plane fires is the shells going past you since they are obviously supersonic. The 20mm from the F-16s isn't really all that loud but the 30mm from the A-10s make a loud ripping sound as they go by. Then you get the sound of the gun itself. The F-16s is sort of a low buzz sound. The A-10s is an amazingly loud chainsaw noise. All in all a really cool experience that I would not hesitate to repeat if I get the chance.

Here is a link to a few more of the 600 photos I took.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/planecurator/

James

[Davo87]

Four Blackhawks flew out of Tri-Cities Airport (KTRI) past my house about 4pm on Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 5th, 2012. Caught a photo of one as it passed by.

[Ztex]

Those gun passes would be great fun to see and hear!

Sound like this?
http://youtu.be/EWCPxV12wEc

[jamesintucson]

Those gun passes would be great fun to see and hear!

Sound like this?
http://youtu.be/EWCPxV12wEc

Just like that. All you have to do is turn the volume up to eleven.

James

[StudeDave]

Four Blackhawks flew out of Tri-Cities Airport (KTRI) past my house about 4pm on Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 5th, 2012. Caught a photo of one as it passed by.

I wonder what four NAVY helos were doing flying 'round on a Sunday- Super Bowl Sunday at that!!!

It's hard to tell which flavor you caught on film, but I'm goin' with SH-60 'FoxTrot' on this one...

[Davo87]

Hey StudeDave.

We get helos stopping off for fuel a few times a month at KTRI. They were headed East as they flew past my house.

One note on the Helo, It has a diagonal checkerboard running from the engine exhaust back down to the bottom of the aircraft. Not sure if that would help identify the unit, but it might.

Davo

[b747cf]

Saw This today at the Dunnellon airport.
The Navy's newest.


Mark Fidler

[flyingsailor]

I guess noone in the Dallas area was near their windows this morning. Otherwise they would have heard four 3350s in close formation.

Florida in a couple of weeks!

Chris

CAF
B-29/B-24 Squadron
Public Information Officer
www.commemorativeairforce.org
www.cafb29b24.org

[K5DH]

FIFI!

She flew over my house just before 11:00 this morning, on a westerly heading. She sure sounded fantastic!

EDIT:

About 2:30 PM, we got buzzed by a shiny P-51D! Couldn't see who it was, though.

AND. . .

Cindy and I were on our way to the VFM hangar to pick up some radio gear, and we got to see FIFI landing at Alliance!

This was a "good warbird day". . .

Last edited by K5DH on Sun Feb 12, 2012 11:42 am, edited 1 time in total.

[flyingsailor]

FIFI!

She flew over my house just before 11:00 this morning, on a westerly heading. She sure sounded fantastic!

Flight training under way less than two weeks to Florida