Living under the pattern...

[astanley]

... is pure bliss. I've been out back working on a 10# brisket for most of the morning, watching traffic come in over head. I've see it all - a Pitts, Cessna's, Piper's, Bonanza's (including a V-tail), a Piper Seminole, a Twin Commander, a few Cirrus', and even a few helos.

Last night, at the grocery store, the local Pitts was on a long final doing S-turns for spacing. He kept it quite high until short 1/2 mile final, and then dropped it like a safe. My wife said "I want to go for a flight in one of those!!! It looks more fun than a roller coaster!"

One big upside of Ohio versus Boston is GA. GA is everywhere here, and I get to hear the dulcet tones of so many wonderful aircraft throughout the day.

Cheers,

-Andrew

 

[AWACSEng]

That is one great thing about living on an Air Force base. Not GA, but mil traffic is the next best thing!

 

[astanley]

That is one great thing about living on an Air Force base. Not GA, but mil traffic is the next best thing!

I can imagine. C-5 and C-17's turn a wide, wide base a few miles from my house - it's awesome to watch!

Cheers,

-Andrew

 

[Teller1900]

I grew up under the final approach path for McConnell AFB (KC-135s, B-1Bs, and F-16s all lived there in its hayday) and just a few miles from the Cessna, Beechcraft, and Boeing factories. I think I was pretty much destined to love aviation.

 

[KennyFlys]

I can imagine. C-5 and C-17's turn a wide, wide base a few miles from my house - it's awesome to watch!

Cheers,

-Andrew

Wide? That's sure not the case at Dobbins AFB. I see C-141 and C-9's all the time flying a pattern so dang tight, the C-9 is gotta be 30+ degree bank on short final.

 

[stagecoachco]

My office is on the opposite ridge facing the local GA airport (SBS). I have a window that looks right at the field. I get to see all kinds landing (I am at the approach end, unless the wind is funky). Being that Steamboat is a destination resort, we get the expensive planes also. The Gulfstreams, Hawkers, Citations etc. all make their presence known!!! We even have a Pilatus PC12 that makes a regular appearance.

Its fun to watch the students in the 172's doing pattern work. Of course I am jealous that I am only watching and not doing...

 

[JohnAJohnson]

I grew up under the final approach path for McConnell AFB (KC-135s, B-1Bs, and F-16s all lived there in its hayday) and just a few miles from the Cessna, Beechcraft, and Boeing factories. I think I was pretty much destined to love aviation.

Me too. I lived out on Webb Road toward Derby for a few years under the 36 downwind and loved watching the 135's.

 

[Teller1900]

Me too. I lived out on Webb Road toward Derby for a few years under the 36 downwind and loved watching the 135's.

Douglas and Oliver then 13th and Woodlawn...seven miles from Beechcraft/Raytheon, 1.5 from Jabara Muni and right under where they'd turn base to final for McConnell. That's a great city if you like aviation, ain't it!?

 

[kkoran]

Wide? That's sure not the case at Dobbins AFB. I see C-141 and C-9's all the time flying a pattern so dang tight, the C-9 is gotta be 30+ degree bank on short final.

I assume that's C-130 and C-9's since the last C-141 went to the Air Force Museum about a year ago.

 

[KennyFlys]

I assume that's C-130 and C-9's since the last C-141 went to the Air Force Museum about a year ago.

Oops, my bad! You're right. They are flying the C-130s there. My mind was wondering as I once flew on a C-141, it being the largest I've had the pleasure. The plane I wanted to specify is the C-5.

Lockheed is doing the upgrades for both the Hercules and the Galaxy at Dobbins. Many of the systems for the Raptor are also built there. I see Falcons flying out quite a bit as well.

 

[Lawreston]

If I ever get settled-in after the move to Georgetown I need to spend a quiet sunny afternoon on the deck -- with camera and my longest lenses. There's a bunch of traffic overhead. Most of it is GA out of my base IWI(Wiscasset -- 12.5sm from here), so I only see overflights. Then there's the Orion P3-C out of NAS Brunswick, their flight patterns coming this way. The other day there were two F-16 a/c flying quite close together. I suspect the latter were in the area so Bath Iron Works could do tests of the radar etc. on one of the to-be Navy ships.

Oh, and the helo which came over the other day, not far above treetops. (I don't think it was Navy or Coast Guard. 'Sppose they were looking for 'growth' amongst the trees?)

I'm told that the GA traffic comes over this area, generally at 1500 - 2000msl, for two reasons:
(a) the general trick of seashore sight-seeing
(b) staying left and outside NASB air space for which overflight requires 3000msl or higher.
All in all, fodder for some good photos.

HR