don't see this everyday,,,,,,,,

woodmoose

Administrator
Staff member
Contributor
I was out tending to some yard items since I just got back from a work boondoggle,,,,,heard a C-17 coming from the north,,,,real high,,,,,looked like about 18-20 thousand feet or so,,,,,,maybe less,,,,,,,,,,and it was refueling,,,,,,,,never seen one doing that in this area,,,,,,went to the truck and grabbed the binos to watch till they went near out of sight,,,,,,,,,,cool thing was that the C-17 was bigger than the KC 135 (what it looked like but hard to be sure)

freedom baby,,,,,,,,,,,

maybe a resupply for Jade Helm?:cool:;)
 
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NCST8GUY

Frozen H20 Guy
:cool: ;)

Where they heading west? ;)

I remember when flying commercial across the country once, most everyone was sleeping even though it was a daylight flight. The pilot came on saying on the left side of the plane (not my side :mad:) if anyone wanted to see a KC refueling a plane, it was there. And whats funny, well, after the stampede to the left side of the plane, which I led, was that the refueling was going on BELOW our altitude. Not sure if they need density, or a slower speed or what not.

I can tell when military planes fly around our parts, I have NEVER seen a refueling situation. :(

Cool for you!
 

genesis27:3

Old Mossy Horns
That would be something cool to see!
No doubt there are good reasons, but I'm curious as to why they don't land at one of the many airports below? We've had C-130's drop in unannounced , but never a C-17. I would assume it could be training.
 
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g3trappernc

Twelve Pointer
Had a pair of warthogs buzz me in the mountains of PA while I was deer hunting one time. So low I could see the pilots helmet. Pretty cool.
 

Longrifle

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
I got a fly-by from a fighter jet going across Lake George in central Florida one day. I was on the bridge of a 30' yacht and he was very close to eye level, so low he made a roostertail on the lake.....
 

JHB4

Spike
Still waiting to get a ride on a C17. Only been on C130s and have only landed with the C130 two times. Much rather jump out then land in those things.
 

Banjo

Old Mossy Horns
I miss being in the Air Force. Not long after I had been in, I was on leave and at our home in Montrose WV. A C130 and two A10 Warthogs flew over. The first time I saw a C5 Herc land and Langley, I was amazed. Then to see it lay down on the tar mac and open from both ends was even more amazing. Then the boss said, Airman, take the K-Loader over to unload it. I was as nervous as a cat in a room full of rocking chairs.
 

DRS

Old Mossy Horns
Cool!

Never forget going hunting one day. I was still getting stuff out of the truck and I could hear the wind rustling. I looked at some pecan trees not a breeze one.:confused: I looked around nothing, then I looked up. I was hearing the wind rushing the wings of a low flying C5. All I know is that's one big bird.
 

Frostcat

Twelve Pointer
For years the military did a lot of training here in the mountains. C130's would go over so low they would shake the house. They also did a lot with helicopters when they first started using night vision. It was something to see them flying so low in these mountain ridges. I remember one day I thought I heard a helicopter and was looking all around when an Apache popped up from behind the ridge below the house. Then one night, my wife and mother heard a chopper and saw them hover, the doors open, and several figures dressed all in black rapell out. Another time a couple of black hawks came over. We were standing in the yard watching them and I gave them a big old wave. The chopper circled back over, hovered, and the pilot leaned out and waved back. It was pretty neat. They don't train like that through here any more and I miss it.
 

dpc

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
For years the military did a lot of training here in the mountains. C130's would go over so low they would shake the house. They also did a lot with helicopters when they first started using night vision. It was something to see them flying so low in these mountain ridges. I remember one day I thought I heard a helicopter and was looking all around when an Apache popped up from behind the ridge below the house. Then one night, my wife and mother heard a chopper and saw them hover, the doors open, and several figures dressed all in black rapell out. Another time a couple of black hawks came over. We were standing in the yard watching them and I gave them a big old wave. The chopper circled back over, hovered, and the pilot leaned out and waved back. It was pretty neat. They don't train like that through here any more and I miss it.

They still do a fair amount out of the Asheville Airport. There is a Navy C130 that seems to be doing touch and goes about daily. Have seen several Apaches, Pave Low's, Chinooks, Osprey's, Even had Air Force One fly over my house once.
 

wturkey01

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
They still do a fair amount out of the Asheville Airport. There is a Navy C130 that seems to be doing touch and goes about daily. Have seen several Apaches, Pave Low's, Chinooks, Osprey's, Even had Air Force One fly over my house once.

One of the pilots told me they use AVL a lot because it is similar to many European airports.......surrounded by mountains, updrafts, downdrafts, haze, clouds, fairly short runways, and the airport has some pretty good gaps in arrivals/departures.

Besides, the military guys like to hang out around Asheville during their time off!!:greenjump:
 

Greg

Old Mossy Horns
My brother used to fly KC-135s .... he flies for the airlines now. My son flies the C-130. :) They are far older than he is.
 

oldest school

Old Mossy Horns
i think they used gaston and kerr lake fishermen as "targets" back in the day. i remember very vividly the buzz by's that scared the crap out of me.

but i have never seen a refuel deal anywhere. Very unique.

Good for you woodmoose.
 

Smitty010203

Twelve Pointer
that is pretty cool. I had a fighter jet buzz right over top of me when I was out in the middle of a field in a deer stand last year. At first I thought an 18 wheeler was coming down the road, that obviously happened very, very fast. I bet he wasn't more than 150' off the ground. It was loud, very loud, not a sonic boom, but still loud.
 

LeGrande

Guest
Still waiting to get a ride on a C17. Only been on C130s and have only landed with the C130 two times. Much rather jump out then land in those things.

It is a much smoother ride. Rode to Afghanistan and back in one. Laid out the sleeping bag on the deck and no one had a problem with it.
 

wcjones

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
Spent a lot of time on lake James growing up and occasionally you would have a pair of fighter jets come hauling tail over the lake low to the ground. Always got your heart pounding

In the house I grew up in we must have been on a flight path because 4-5 times a year apaches or Chinooks would fly over.
 

Southside

Ten Pointer
One of the pilots told me they use AVL a lot because it is similar to many European airports.......surrounded by mountains, updrafts, downdrafts, haze, clouds, fairly short runways, and the airport has some pretty good gaps in arrivals/departures.

Besides, the military guys like to hang out around Asheville during their time off!!:greenjump:
A pilot told me this very thing last year about Asheville airport. They also do alot of touch and goes over at Ashe Co airport. He said terrain around there is much like Afghanistan.
 

mudflap

Ten Pointer
25+ years give ago I went fishing at a pond in front of my parent's house and heard a noise and looked up (sky was perfectly clear in the fall) very high, im guessing 15k' and saw one plane going up to another plane with its "straw" sticking out behind it to refuel. I was about 13 or 14 years old and said to myself nobody will believe what I saw. I got home and said to my dad and another man "Guess what I saw", the first words out of my dad's mouth was " we seen it too". They were working outside and happened to see it also.
 

NCST8GUY

Frozen H20 Guy
I'm not saying this is personal experience or what not, but.......I know fairly well that IF you happen to hunt in the flightline of a major airport, as planes are lined up on final approach, you can make ALL the noise you want for several seconds, and nothing will notice. Deer go on "alert" but they are scanning with their eyes in those seconds.

Then, a LONG time later (many seconds) you have already heard the planes thrusters, and forgotten about it, this Wooshing sound occurs in the woods. It oscillates from one end to the other. Back and forth woosh, woosh, woosh, the trees move etc. First time someone I know heard they just about climbed down thinking they were on an Indian burial site.
 

Greg

Old Mossy Horns
I know that F-15s out of Langley used to fly over Smith Mountain Lake all the time.
 

Rescue44

Old Mossy Horns
Saw a c-130 refueling a CH-47 Chinook flying over Laurinburg with a couple of black hawks trailing about 15 years ago. C-130 had both of it's hose and drogue out. Used to see A-10s over our farm quite often and really enjoyed it. Sometimes had a good view of the pilot. Crop duster told me that one time he pulled up out of a field and all he could see was A-10. Never happened with F-16s but he could had heard them. I have seen F-16s, some low enough to see the cannon and the 2 slits at the exit. A few have been smoking and pulling some g's. Always enjoy the show!! Also had F-15s fly over on their way to fly over the race track at Rockingham prior to the race.
 
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