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Low flying F-15


Slander

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There is a refueling track out in NW Iowa, and one a little bit south of me in Missouri. They were on a heading of roughly 080 basically halfway between those tracks, and I know some other people saw them still in formation a couple hundred miles east of here. Granted, that is not far in terms of jet aviation. I guess I was just curious why 3 C-17's would cross country like that, certainly makes sense if they were going to take gas from a single tanker.

3x WIC birds RTB from Nellis to McGuire. Number 3 is one sexy animal I can tell you that... It IS the most efficient way to spread chem-trails.

Chuck

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3x WIC birds RTB from Nellis to McGuire. Number 3 is one sexy animal I can tell you that... It IS the most efficient way to spread chem-trails.

Chuck

Interesting. I like it.

Is there a tactical reason to fly like this? Can you do this comm out?

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One time I had a brake failure near EOR and after the jet got hooked up to a tow by mx I took off my helmet (and earplugs) and jogged up to a hold-short line on a taxiway about 1,500' down the runway just in time to watch a four ship take off. It was by far the loudest and most awesome thing I have ever heard - to the point of physical pain. Through my boots I could feel the cement of the taxiway vibrating from the engines and feel the heat from the afterburners as the jets rolled by 50' away.. That sh!t gave me goosebumps.. I couldn't hear right for the rest of the day but it made me feel pretty f*cking proud to be an American.

That's what I loved about working ARM end at EOR. Sit in one of those old ass bread van EOR trucks when the jets launch. The noise will rattle the fillings out of your teeth and cause you to need a pacemaker to re-adjust your heart rate.

Awesome beyond words!

There's lots of stuff I don't miss about being retired, but there is some things I do.

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Interesting. I like it. Is there a tactical reason to fly like this? Can you do this comm out?

Depends - what you see is standard SKE/FFS (formation flying system) spacing (4000', L/R 500') from a vantage point 36,000 feet below where I was sitting. It's the worlds finest "admin system" - meaning we have the ability to hook up the autopilot to maintain station off of lead. This was an admin leg to get home, nothing more, so we use the FFS system and let the jets fly themselves off of what lead is doing (for the most part). FWIW I'd always rather fly with the bros then be single ship...

Tactically, if the weather was complete dogshit, and we were in the soup, I could couple to lead and maintain position without ever seeing him. Makes for great formation integrity when you otherwise couldnt see a thing... and usually stays on long enough for me to get clear of clouds.

Comm out depends too - when using the FFS, you dont need comms - lead passes cues (up, down, left, right, faster, slower) back to the flight, your jet will match speed and heading changes, turn over the same geographic point, etc., you have to tell it to climb and descend. It has a text message feature that is useful for telling lead he sucks at leading, telling 2 to STFU, etc. But it doesnt require comms so long as you are hooked up to lead.

Like I said, it's nice until you hit clear air down low, then I get to do my job.

Chuck

Edited by Chuck17
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The spectacularly high gravity might have something to do with the chubby cornfed chicks. That's why I found a Cali girl. But then again, she grew up halfway between Edwards and China Lake, so she knows a thing or two about noisy low flying aircraft.

Did she come from Cal City Prison?

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We had the airport manager from a podunk airport about 10 miles NW of MXF call the SOF desk one afternoon raising hell because "[we] just flew right over his airport less than 300 feet".

Quick thinking Captain who answered the phone..."Really, when?...Less than five minutes ago?....Good."

Airport Mgr:..."what do you mean, 'Good'?"

Capt: "Well sir, we don't have a single airplane in the air right now."

Airport Mgr: "Well who was it then?"

Capt: "I have no idea." click

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