What air traffic do you see?

[mmann]

While working out on my property today, two of the local aircraft I often see flew directly overhead.

First up was a Kamov Ka-32 whose distinctive sound I would know even if I didn't look up to watch it fly overhead (of coarse I looked up I can't resist).

Next up was a de Havilland DHC-2 Beaver which again is such a familiar sight here the sound gives it away even when it's miles away (living in the bush you definitely hear aircraft a long time before you see them).

What air traffic do you see fly overhead (not counting the ones flying at flight levels)?

Regards, Mike Mann

[PRB]

I see float planes going to and fro, usually north south. Also see alot of NAS Whidbey Island traffic (EA-6B, EA-18G, P-3).

[Tako_Kichi]

I get a variety of small GA here plus the occasional microlight and motorized paraglider in the summer months. I also get a daily fly-over by the Cessna Caravan en-route from Windsor airport to Pelee Island and back (the only way in/out for islanders once the lake freezes up). From time to time we also see the Canadian and US Coastguard choppers as they pass by going to and from Lake Erie.

[Willy]

Low altitude it's mostly medivac helos and cropdusters. The rest are jetliners way on up there.

[stiz]

we get all sorts here. High flying jet liners, RAF jets on full after burner going out to sea (1 did it to low the other week and scared the bejesus out of people ), grob tutors, a single engine prop with looks a bit like a piper summing and a RAF resuce helicopter flys over every now and again when they come to use our hospital (best in the area .. which is scary!)

so all in all a plane spotters paradise

[Jagdflieger]

I live near an air base and an army base so I see the full gamut of USAF and US Army aircraft as well as the Navy aircraft out of Whidbey Island NAS.

[Astoroth]

Several local Cessna's, the Chinooks out of the National Guard Base 11 miles away, and the local realtor has a Robinson R44 that he uses to give aerial views of property to prospective buyers. Now that one has a distinctive sound that you won't mistake for something else. Loud and annoying when I'm trying to sleep. (I work nights and sleep days).

[Panther_99FS]

I see these all the time....

[OBIO]

I see a motley crew of GA planes....yesterday I saw what I believe was a Cessna 410! Lots of high wing single engine GA types, a couple of Mooney Bravos, a V-Tail Beechcraft, a Piper Cub or something along those lines (could be an old Taylor or one of the newer built LSAs patterned after the Cub). Today I saw one of the the new C-21s (?)...the militarized Lear Business Jet that the 179th Air LIft Wing at KMFD received in replacement of the C-130s that got parceled out to active USAF units (and until they get their brand new C-27J Spartans...they have one, but I have not seen it yet). Some medical choppers a few times a week, a Blackhawk or two every once in a while. A few weeks ago I saw a flight of 6 CH-64 Chinooks....the sound! the sound!

Late Spring/Early Summer there is a Grumman Ag-Cat that comes in the spray the huge corn field across the road and the other huge field just over the hill behind me. For a couple hours each year I get serenaded with the wonderful sounds of a Pratt and Whitney radial as the Ag-Cat passes over my house, just a few hundred feet up!

OBIO

[kilo delta]

Not a whole lot apart from the usual GA. We had a couple of float-planes (C172 and Piper Cub) that flew off the river at the back of my home during the summer. I live near an army base and we have military AW-139,EC-135 helos with the odd PC-9M flying over on nav-ex.

[OBIO]

There was a fella about 4 miles from my house that had a small private helo (one of the small two seat kit built types ) that he kept on his property and would take off and land on his own mobile landing pad. He was killed in a crash a couple few years ago...the helo lost power and he crashed into his own back yard. Died on impact. I never met him, but every one I talked to who knew the guy said that he was a down to earth, gentle, caring man who worked with a number of charities, fostered a lot of abused and abandoned animals and a fair number of abused or neglected children as well. Left behind a wife, 4 biological children and 5 adopted children.

OBIO

[Bone]

... far too numerous to enumerate.

[TARPSBird]

Commercial and light air traffic in and out of Norfolk International (KORF), and an occasional E-2, C-2, H-60 or H-53 from NAS Norfolk (KNGU).

[mmann]

Well Panther_99FS, the only big plane I saw that close overhead was when we had a forest fire in the area. The Martin Mars water-bomber picked up a load of water in a nearby lake and flew directly overhead at about 200-300 feet. Need I add that it sounded noticeably louder than the Beaver or Kamov!!

Regards, Mike Mann

[demorier]

Stacks of mostly tourist type joy flight aircraft. Mainly Helicopters and the occasional Tiger moth and C185 floatplane. We live about 5 km outside the area of our main airport approach path and holding area for the larger passenger aircraft.

[Toastmaker]

KC-135's, F-16's (DCANG), C-17's, various VIP birds and Air Force One -

I live next to the Andrews AFB pattern.

[Terry]

Just student pilots in F-16s practicing approaches to Luke auxiliary field and a rare civilian air rescue chopper. Nothing else allowed so it gets rather boring.

[rpjkw]

General aviation and air carriers and a good many of those fly over the house. I love it when the jets are on initial approach to ABQ and at but 1500' or so. On occasion Air Force Ospreys make an appearance. Several years ago it was my pleasure watching the Eclipse 500 making approaches to Double Eagle II during the certification process. And when the B-17s and B-24s from various flying museums used to park at KAEG, they flew right over the house on final to Rwy 22, and OH! what a thrill!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Now, sadly, they park at ABQ Sunport, about 10 miles away. Once I watched a 727 (C-22), obviously military or government fly over on climb out. The nose was long and 'drooped' like a number of C-135s and 737 surveillance type aircraft. I've not been able to find any info on it, though.

Bob

[Daveroo]

great thread..........

im in auburn ca,,and about 2 miles as the crow flys from the airport.i see a variety of light ac..from biplanes to cessna caravans and the california highway partol 206s and helos,also have a bell 206B stationed at the local pacific gas and electric company yard just a stones throw away so i see it daily oout of my window..thing about that...i wathed it lose power and drop into the american river canyon where it cut off its tail and crashed a month or so ago..theyve replaced it allready...i also see in mid summer a number of reno air racers making high speed runs and tight turns over the auburn dam construction site...was much better when the sanders were still at Ione( or maybe still there..im sooo confused about that),but i dont see theyre sea furies anymore and tom Dewelle's "Critical Mass" sea fury is being returned to "stock"..albit with a PW engine i bet...but there are many formula one and other class racers based here..i also have seen tim decker parcticing his show arebatics over the canyon...i can sit at my desk and see the planes out my window...pretty cool

[stansdds]

Pretty much just GA aircraft over my house with a few CRJ's. Then there is the occasional news helicopter (Bell 206) or state police, Blackhawks from time to time. Once in a while a C-130. Frequently on weekends when the weather is nice and fuel prices are down, a T-28 Trojan and Boeing Stearman or two. A few weeks ago I did see a B-24 (Collings Foundation), but never saw the B-17.

[ndicki]

Other than a bit of light GA stuff I can't be bothered to identify, Harvards and Yak-11s from the nearby warbirds field at La Ferte Alais. They do aerobatics close to the village, so I can watch them easily from the garden. Now and then things get more exotic - from time to time I see the Ju-52, Mitchell, Dakota, Beech Expeditor and so on. The list toppers are a B-17G, Spitfire and Mustang IV... Not bad, is it?

[mfitch]

What we see depends on the part of town and the direction of the wind.

The most frequent GA planes are C185, C206, C207, and Cubs. The occasional Lake amphibian and Widgeon fly by as well.

The commercial include B737-800, B747, and MD-11's along with a variety of turbo props.

Military include C-130, C-17, F-22 (used to have F-15) and the occasional AWACS.

[brad kaste]

...Big, stupid aluminum tubes.......(within five miles of O'Hare Field...ugh)

[Brian_Gladden]

Mostly light GA and the occasional Biz-jet. lots of tubes in the flight levels since I'm under one of the major routes for international flights coming into the US.

Back when I worked at KBTV? Well that was a whole different story. Everything from Cubs to C-5's...

[pilottj]

here in Napa, the local airport is a few miles south, being wine country there is some money here so quite a few bizjets. Otherwise your usual mixture of GA. Japan Air Lines has a flight school there so lots of Bonanzas and Barons painted in JAL livery. Now and then will see the County Sheriff chopper. Travis AFB is over the hill to the east so like Panther I occasionally see a C-5, C-17, or KC-10.