Southern York County Life

First of all, I just *love* A10s… Simply amazing machines.

FYI, there’s a big air show coming up in May down at Andrews AFB.  Blue Angels will be there, along with the new F/A 22.  This is a joint service event, so all branches will be present, showing off the good stuff.

http://www.jsoh.org/show.html

i used to keep my boat on frog mortar creek in maryland and being in that body of water when the c130’s and warthogs came into martin’s field 100 feet above you was a thrill. we, in this area, almost had some serious trouble with the c130’s...up off of plank road there used to be a landing strip for ultralights. several close calls occurred when the low-flying monster 130’s came close to a cruising ultralight. if they had come too close the ultralight would have disintegrated just from the turbulence. luckily, that never happened. the request that the flight path be changed was granted by the md air nat’l guard...soon after, the airfield was shut down due to complaints by nearby residents concerning the noise made by the ultralights...i always wanted one of those…

Guy, are you referring to ShoeString aviation?  I believe you will find that they are still there.

When I was in the Navy we often found ourselves working as plane guard for the carrier.  We would be stationed about 1/2 mile behind the carrier during landing operations.  By far the loudest aircraft coming in were the A6 bombers.  I could be in my workspace below the waterline and still hear them.

C

Chris_McGraw - 03 April 2008 01:30 PM

Way back when, long before 9/11 security precautions, you could go to BWI and park right near the end of one of the runways.  Was always fun to lay on the hood looking up and watch them take off.  Set foot near the runways now and I’m sure you’d garner attention quickly

There is actually a park called Observation Park near BWI where you can sit on benches and watch the flights coming in, it is great around dusk because you can see the lights too.  There is also some play equipment for the kids and it hosts the head of the BWI walking trail.

My hubby thought the C130’s were Reservists on training runs, considering they are in formation and what seems to be circles, is there a base close that they would be flying from.

Chris_McGraw - 03 April 2008 01:30 PM

Way back when, long before 9/11 security precautions, you could go to BWI and park right near the end of one of the runways.  Was always fun to lay on the hood looking up and watch them take off.  Set foot near the runways now and I’m sure you’d garner attention quickly

You can still do that at Lockheed Martin in Middle River.  I grew up in Maryland and spent many evenings just sitting on the car and watching the planes.

I noticed planes flying very low several weeks ago, over the schools in Fawn.
My kids even made mention the could hear very loud planes over head while in their classes.
I dont know what the ones were I saw a couple of times there, but they were huge!  Katgirl

There are two C130 bases near by and one for A-10s. Harrisburg International is home to an Air National Guard Special Operations unit that flys C130 models that specialize in electronic warfare (they were used quite a bit in Iraq to broadcast over their TV airwaves). The other is a standard transport unit at Martin State Airport in Maryland (Air National Guard as well).

The A-10s fly out of Martin. They do fly up to Ft Indiantown Gap for bombing runs and such.

There are also C130 units that fly recon flights for the US Geological Survey so they can update topo maps.

Alex - 04 April 2008 09:57 PM

There are two C130 bases near by and one for A-10s. Harrisburg International is home to an Air National Guard Special Operations unit that flys C130 models that specialize in electronic warfare (they were used quite a bit in Iraq to broadcast over their TV airwaves). The other is a standard transport unit at Martin State Airport in Maryland (Air National Guard as well).

The A-10s fly out of Martin. They do fly up to Ft Indiantown Gap for bombing runs and such.

There are also C130 units that fly recon flights for the US Geological Survey so they can update topo maps.

Some relatively close C-130 home bases are: 

327th Airlift Squadron Reserve Command - Willow Grove Naval Air Station, Philadelphia Pennsylvania (C130)
913th Airlift Wing at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Willow Grove, Pa (C130) - Closing due to BRAC

758th Airlift Squadron Reserve Command - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (C-130H)

VX-20 Development Squadron - Patuxent River, Washington DC (KC130F)

193rd Special Operations Wing, Pennsylvania Air National Guard Harrisberg International Airport, Middletown, Pennsylvania (EC-130E)

Fort Indiantown Gap is also the 2nd largest helicopter training base in the US, so thats likely where the choppers are coming and going - I see those around all the time, regardless as Alex says there are many more military locations around that have air strips long enough to host a C130 or two so who really knows where they are coming from or going to. Its still nice to see, my tax dollars at work (and I mean that in a very nice and proud way)

I too have noticed the frequent low flying, but nothing beats last summer in the early evening, one was coming from the west right over my house and it was so low I didn’t know if I should duck or open the front door to let it through. Despite the knees shaking, that was a sight.

So why are they frequently flying low at different hours of the day and night?  Are they practicing for something?

I can’t help but think as they’re shaking my house that it won’t be long before we’re in Iran.

Rainsong - 05 April 2008 12:24 PM

So why are they frequently flying low at different hours of the day and night?  Are they practicing for something?

I can’t help but think as they’re shaking my house that it won’t be long before we’re in Iran.

This is nothing new.  I’ve lived in East Hopewell Twp. for 20 years and the planes have always flown over.  More often than the planes, we have the military copters flying by here, low and rarely solo.

Many times they are so low, I used to be sure there was going to be a crash...but never has been, and now I’m used to it.

Not only do I see the miltary planes and copters fly low going over my house but there are times when I see regular passager jets fly somewhat low going south. I wonder if it is because they are starting to come down to land at BWI.

Just to the West of Stewartstown is a Vortac transmitter.  FAA name is Vinny.  This is actually a guide post for 6 different federal air routes, so it could have been any number of things.  For most domestic airlines heading into BWI, this is too far north if approaching from the West, and too far West if approaching from the North.

Rainsong - 05 April 2008 12:24 PM

So why are they frequently flying low at different hours of the day and night?  Are they practicing for something?

I can’t help but think as they’re shaking my house that it won’t be long before we’re in Iran.

Sad to say, we are at war. Dosnt matter how you cut it or explain this or that, the fact that the American military is in conflict overseas should be more than enough to explain the increased activity, especially when new deployments are about to be made. Troops are rotated in and out all the time, and when a unit’s time comes, they sometimes get a chance to do some increased training before shipping out. That is more than likely what is going on.

That’s what I’m thinking too.

Does anyone remember seeing a STEALTH pass overhead in Stewartstown, I guess maybe 2 years ago or less? I thought I was seeing things and had to ask someone I know in the military if it was even possible.  They said it was possible for practice runs occasionally, but obviously it was the wildest thing I ever saw. At first I thought it was a spacecraft - alien type. Then I thought I was losing my mind. I love planes and run out to see those planes you were all talking about almost every time.

The stealth or whatever it’s officially called was quiet and seemed low, but just big and black and took up alot of sky from my vantage point. It’ was in the early evening, but not dark out. I was so overcome by the sight, I couldn’t run to get any family member in time to tell them what I saw. But I don’t know of anyone else that saw it as of now.