Coolest traffic you've seen in person

Clark1961 said:
It took a 130 five minutes to pass me...
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I'll admit I don't know much about C130's (meaning, I know they have 4 engines and are used for transport, but nothing beyond that), but I have seen them doing what looks like 200kts+ at only 500 or so off the deck (faster than any civilian airplane flying into or around ABQ typically does at that altitude. I've also seen them approach to land at fairly slow speeds. Perhaps they have a wide flight envelope?
 
GCA319 said:
I'll admit I don't know much about C130's (meaning, I know they have 4 engines and are used for transport, but nothing beyond that), but I have seen them doing what looks like 200kts+ at only 500 or so off the deck (faster than any civilian airplane flying into or around ABQ typically does at that altitude. I've also seen them approach to land at fairly slow speeds. Perhaps they have a wide flight envelope?
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Dyess AFB in Abilene, TX has a C-130 wing. Note the "normal" runway, and then the two smaller ones beside it (one paved, one unpaved).

Those are the C-130 "assault strips" used for training. 3500' x 60'.
 
Not sure if this counts since I wasn't the pilot...hopefully it works.
 

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I was flying south of Edwards AFB when I was passed at about my altitude by a B-2. Very cool.

I was the observer in a CAP airplane when a jet fighter passed not far below us, going the same direction. (We were the target aircraft for interception practice.)

I was flying a CAP plane just outside a restricted area northeast of Imperial, CA (IPL) when we saw a jet fighter cross our path as he entered it.
 
I'm near EFD so ...
F-16's (sometimes in formation)
T-38's
PT-17 Stearman (about 2500' seperation, in Class D - we passed each other)
B-17 (he was on landing, I was crossing overhead)
Parallel visual approach with a SWA 737 (I was about 100' higher - hehe)
 
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I would have to say one of these.

Although the time I was a student pilot in a 152 on final for Runway 9R at Palm Beach International when a B-1B made a low approach to Runway 9L was pretty cool.
 

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Oh and I also saw a Blackhawk flying around with the door open. That was pretty cool.
 
A number of things I can't talk about at a location I am not at liberty to disclose while in the back seat of an unidentified aircraft. :rofl:

OTOH, C-5's and C-17's T&G's on the parallel runway @ WPAFB along with assorted other Military traffic at various times when the Aero Club was still on base and I was flying Cherokees.

Cheers
 
X3 Skier said:
A number of things I can't talk about at a location I am not at liberty to disclose while in the back seat of an unidentified aircraft. :rofl:
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Let us know when your book is coming out in 15 years. It'll be a fun read. :)
 
During a pattern lesson, I flew parallel with an Everts DC-6 into Fairbanks Int'l. It looks quite mighty in landing configuration..
 
Flying from Timmerman (KMWC) to Middleton-Morey (C29) two months ago, I passed just south of KMSN as a flight of F-15s were inbound from the north. Got to witness an overhead break at about 3 miles out the passenger window (the knife-edge jet nearly filled the window). I had a hint it was coming from the ATC chatter (and the slight redirect I was given), but never thought to grab my phone to snap a photo.

Still, that's one of the coolest things I've ever seen.
 
Off the coast of Pensacola the controller says:

"Mooney Niner Six Zero, traffic at 8 o-clock, a pair of F-18's climbing, traffic no longer a factor"
 
I saw two shuttle launches from the air. One daytime and one night. Well.... it started at night but when those boosters lit up it turned night into day.
 
Not in flight, but:
1971, 1972: Watching the SR-71 go out of Udorn or Eglin in the middle of the night, full afterburner lighting up the runway and sky as they go.

In flight:
1972: Flying chase for the SR-71, and watch it run away from you at more then twice your VNE.
1971: Pulling into a formation of B-52's with an F-4E as we head out to Haiphong.
1966: Riding in the top turret of a B-25 and having 4 P-51D's come out of nowhere, fly off the right wing, and then peel away and disappear into the clouds.
1965: Flying up the Hudson in a PA-11 on floats while a dozen or more F-100's flash by you on either side.

Last summer, flying in formation with "Aluminum Overcast" for about 5 minutes.

Those are just a few things I remember.
 
Several fun ones:

-flying the NC coast, dodging storms, as I approached my grass field and made the downwind turn, there's a Blackhawks following me. Flaps down, gear down, turn over the field and he peeled off to get out of my way. Taxiing back in, there he was, over the treetops, watching.

-headed south towards Charlotte Exec, ATC warned me of some slow moving traffic. It was a multicolored hot air balloon! Then ATC understood what was on their radar.

-on a practice GPS approach into Wetumpka, AL, was almost run over by C130s flying large patterns out of Gunter AFB. But I had a good time helping the CAP cadets fly their gliders.

-heading home from Dayton Wright Brothers, still climbing, suddenly there are several gliders spiraling up between the clouds, not a radio among them . . . One of them looked more surprised than I was as I banked left, away from them.
 
On final to 22L at FFZ and having two Apache gunships hold at 400ft, waving at me as I fly by.
 
PV-2 Harpoon, but I was in it so i dont think it counts. I guess Apaches or Chinooks
 
One day during the middle of a vert-rep with a carrier battle group (at an undisclosed location many miles from home), with an external load under us, the copilot say's, "holy @@@@!" From my spot, laying on my belly, facing aft, looking out the hell-hole, I push up and look out the starboard bubble window in time to see a Soviet "May" at about 2,000msl and within 2 miles of the carrier. She was flanked by 2 F14s and apparently unconcerned that she'd just crashed our party in a very big way.
 
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Doing our hours of boredom, cockpit crew is all laid back relaxed when the skipper said "we have company"
I leaned forward to look out his side window, to see a Bear setting on our wing tip.
 
I was in the pattern at KGTU with a Ford Tri-Motor. Got a good look at it in the air and on the ground.

Got almost too close of a look at a flight of T-38s near Wichita Falls, TX as I was en route to Kickapoo Airport.
 
I was cruising along at 5500 over the Mojave desert when a B2 bomber climbed from below me and eventually dissappeaared into the cloud layer above. I wish somebody else was with me on that one.
 
Barb and I are bring the Fairchild home, coming by Mountain Home AFB the controllers tell us there are two warthogs over taking from the rear, I acknowledge, by saying I'm looking. One of the A-10s say Fairchild hold heading and altitude, we want pictures.

They came by, as slow as they could, but still faster than we could get our camera out.
 
Tom-D said:
Doing our hours of boredom, cockpit crew is all laid back relaxed when the skipper said "we have company"
I leaned forward to look out his side window, to see a Bear setting on our wing tip.
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Supposedly they fly those in the gulf.
 
sequenced #2 in a line of 4 C-17s landing at KGRF. Told to keep the speed up on final in a C152.

Routinely fly over CH-47 Chinooks in the south puget sound area.

Shared the pattern in Alaska with a C130 doing T&Gs just like I was.

Was being "chased" by an F22 and 2 C17s in Alaska. I was entering the pattern to Merrill Field on a left base and they were heading to Elmendorf AFB. The F-22 was by us in a flash and the C17s looked like they were going to chew us up before they made their turn for a pattern entry.
 
Fat Albert, crossed about 1/2 mile in front and 500' below.

A380, 4000' above and still huuuge.

Worst was when I was a lowely student pilot and I was overtaken by a c130 from the rear. He was 500-1000 above and 3x as fast as me putting along in a 150. I swear I heard it.
 
Flying right seat in EAA’s Ford, saw a Stearman in the pattern with us.
Passing less than a ½ mile of Goodyear blimp flying out of TOA.
Seeing a 172 off of the right wing of the T-6 that I was in the back seat of. The traffic wasn’t the cool thing but I had to get my T-6 ride into the conversation.
Standing on the ramp of a CH-47 while skydiving in Korea, saw a flight of Blackhawks pass behind us.
 
You all have me beat, but I had a pair of F16s pass overhead during a training flight, and got a bit of wake turbulence for my reward, and last week while flying out of Vegas had two large AF cargo planes in formation flying an approach to Nellis. I wish I had grabbed a pic. I think they were C17s. Something similar anyways.
 
I suppose a Mig-17 is cool. Not really traffic since it was a formation though.
 

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Doing patten work at IWA, with a Southwest 737-whatever and me in a archer

Best overheard radio traffic, King Air xxxx you are number one to land, speed bird Concorde, you are number 2. No pressure I guess.
 
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This weird looking French plane that pulled up behind me one time :)

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Roswell called an F117 in the pattern to me at night, he had no lights. Um, right - negative contact. Not sure even how atc knew where he was.
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
Roswell called an F117 in the pattern to me at night, he had no lights. Um, right - negative contact. Not sure even how atc knew where he was.
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Transponder. They also use / used reflectors attached to it in peacetime. I've seen a flight of two primary targets on radar before with SSR off.
 
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P3 Orion below me while I was at 2500' flying over Whidbey Island Naval Air Station. Also F-18 Growler's over the same field. And yes, I was talking to approach the whole time. I've had a Stearman and a Waco off of my wing as I headed into the Flying Circus airfield in Virginia too. They were actually cooler to look at in the air than the heavy military metal.
 
I was instructed to hold short runway 29 for landing traffic: Starship on 4 mile final.

Yes, Beech Starship. Cool looking birds!

And no, it doesn't count here 'cause I was on the ground.

-Skip
 
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