A close, personal friend of mine works in a rather mountainous area of the U.S. which is used by military aircraft for training runs. It is not unusual for him to see A-6 and F14/15 aircraft making practice, low-level runs in this area. However, he advises that today the activity in the area is unusually high, with aircraft coming over every few minutes. Also, he says this is the first time he has ever seen larger aircraft, including F-111 type bombers and C-5 transports making tree-top level runs in the area. Said this morning some of these planes were so low that he could actually make out the figures of the pilots in the cockpit. Anybody else notice increased military aircraft activity anywhere? Any thoughts on what increased activity could mean?

-- duckinglow@keeplow.com (rhh@earthlink.net), December 22, 1999

Answers

Most likely it's preparation for martial law, scheduled for 6 days from now.

-- (g23@the.bunker), December 22, 1999.

Well at least you guys have made a prediction regarding what will happen in six days from now. Remember back in June when you were all saying how we'd be in deep martial law on December 1?

Not!

-- (that@was.funny.though), December 22, 1999.

I can say that I am not near your base. However, I have notice a rather large increase in the air traffic around me. Most of the "heavy" planes are moving at night. Yawn! I need some sleep, as they are keeping me awake at night.

-- (need@sleep.now), December 22, 1999.

duckinglow, You wouldn't exactly classify an F-111 as a larger plane along with a C-5. The F-111 is a little bit larger (about 73 ft) than an A-6 (about 54ft.) but the C-5 most definitely dwarfs most planes out there (almost 250ft length). I wonder why a C-5 would need to make treetop level runs?

-- Powder (Powder@keg.com), December 22, 1999.

The Miramar Air Base in SoCa has been quiet.

FWIW

LunaC

-- LunaC (LunaC@moon.com), December 22, 1999.

McConnell AFB in Wichita, KS is noticably more active. I live 40 minutes south of them. Helicopters flying north from me from (assume) Tinker AFB in Oklahoma. Fleets of heavy multi-engines heading north at night. B-1 and B-2 traffic up considerably. KC-135 traffic up slightly. Fighter AC, mainly F-16, FA-18 and F-14 (?) traffic noticably higher in the last 3 weeks. Very unusual for this area. I have lived here a long time and this is out of the ordinary. My brother also confirms this as he is nearer the base.

-- Rob (maxovrdrv51@hotmail.com), December 22, 1999.

Powder,

C-5's will make treetops to deliver "palletized" mechanized and artillery. They are "skidded" in sometimes or parachuted from higher altitudes for the lighter armor.

-- Rob (maxovrdrv51@hotmail.com), December 22, 1999.

Yes. Lots of increased late night and early a.m. air traffic here in north Florida. I'm not sure exactly what they were, but hubby (ex-naval air reserve) said they were large transport planes. I think he said C5Galaxy or C141s.

And, they were heading WEST.

We have a large military presence in this area, and we have often heard such increased activity before military events.

-- Lurkess (Lurkess@Lurking.Net), December 22, 1999.

Live in SW New Mexico. Have noticed a lot more low-level flying here in the past couple of days. AF base in White Sands---????

-- jtruett (nearthere@here.com), December 22, 1999.

>I can say that I am not near your base. However, I have notice a >rather large increase in the air traffic around me. Most of the "heavy" >planes are moving at night. Yawn! I need some sleep, as they > are keeping me awake at night.

Same. In fact last night it became so bad I had to get up around 1 am and wait until I was even more sleepy to try and fall asleep through it. (Inland Empire, SoCA) It was as if the air traffic had been rerouted over the dairies.

-- Paula (chowbabe@pacbell.net), December 22, 1999.

my sister lives in columbia, connecticut. she has told me numerous times in the past 3 weeks that 3 helicopters go over low everyday and a couple days a week they go over twice in one day. she keeps asking me why things have changed the regular routine from 1 helicopter maybe once a week. wish i knew the answer. laura cavallari

-- laura cavallari (ladygoat13@aol.com), December 22, 1999.

I live near Springfield Or.There are no active duty military bases of any kind left in Oregon, only reserve facilities.Yet a few days ago looked up to see an Apache gunship buzzing over.Have lived here since the 80's and never seen one before.

-- Raph Kramden (And@AwayWeGo.com), December 22, 1999.

---saw my very first live B-1's last week. Two flights of two, etremely low level, dipping in and out of the valley. Most awsome, looked like starships.

-- zog (zzoggy@yahoo.com), December 23, 1999.

Oahu is busy

-- Lokelo (lokelo@hotmail.com), December 23, 1999.

Confirm McConnell in Kansas. KC-135's are refueling birds, so, looks like the midwest is being used as a gas tank for x-continent moves.

-- bob (bob@bob.bob.bob.bob), December 23, 1999.

Bob,

Have you noticed C-130, C-5 or large x-port AC ? I haven't seen those directly and am curious. It reminds me of the activity right before Desert Storm, huh ?

-- Rob (maxovrdrv51@hotmail.com), December 23, 1999.