Flyby

[Stickjockey]

Here's a little something I stumbled across on another forum. Thought y'all would get at least a smirk outof it. From the Arizona Republic:

A wake-up call from Luke's jets

Jun. 23, 2005 12:00 AM

Question of the day for Luke Air Force Base: Whom do we thank for the morning air show?

Last Wednesday, at precisely 9:11 a.m., a tight formation of four F-16 jets made a low pass over Arrowhead Mall, continuing west over Bell Road at approximately 500 feet. Imagine our good fortune!

Do the Tom Cruise-wannabes feel we need this wake-up call, or were they trying to impress the cashiers at Mervyns' early-bird special?

Any response would be appreciated. - Peoria

:/

[Stickjockey]

And a response:

Flyby honored fallen comrade

Jun. 28, 2005 12:00 AM

Regarding "A wake-up call from Luke's jets" (Letters, Thursday):

On June 15, at precisely 9:12 a.m., a perfectly timed four-ship of F-16s from the 63rd Fighter Squadron at Luke Air Force Base flew over the grave of Capt Jeremy Fresques.

Capt. Fresques was an Air Force officer who was previously stationed at Luke Air Force Base and was killed in Iraq on May 30, Memorial Day. advertisement  
 
 


At 9 a.m. on June 15, his family and friends gathered at Sunland Memorial Park in Sun City to mourn the loss of a husband, son and friend.

Based on the letter writer's recount of the flyby, and because of the jet noise, I'm sure you didn't hear the 21-gun salute, the playing of taps, or my words to the widow and parents of Capt. Fresques as I gave them their son's flag on behalf of the president of the United States and all those veterans and servicemen and women who understand the sacrifices they have endured.

A four-ship flyby is a display of respect the Air Force pays to those who give their lives in defense of freedom. We are professional aviators and take our jobs seriously, and on June 15 what the letter writer witnessed was four officers lining up to pay their ultimate respects.

The letter writer asks, "Whom do we thank for the morning air show?"

The 56th Fighter Wing will call for you, and forward your thanks to the widow and parents of Capt. Fresques, and thank them for you, for it was in their honor that my pilots flew the most honorable formation of their lives.

Lt. Col. Scott Pleus
Luke Air Force Base
The writer is commander of the 63rd Fighter Squadron.

[Gewehr98]

To his credit, the complainant, Mr. xxxxxx, tendered a written apology which was published in The Republic on 9 July:

Regarding "Flyby honoring fallen comrade" (Letters, June 28):

I read with increasing embarrassment and humility the response to my unfortunate letter to The Republic concerning an Air Force flyby ("A wake-up call from Luke's jets," Letters, June 23).

I had no idea of the significance of the flyby, and would never have insulted such a fine and respectful display had I known.

I have received many calls from the fine airmen who are serving or have served at Luke, and I have attempted to explain my side and apologized for any discomfort my letter has caused.

This was simply an uninformed citizen complaining about noise.

I have been made aware in both written and verbal communications of the four-ship flyby, and my heart goes out to each and every lost serviceman and woman in this war in which we are engaged.

I have been called un-American by an unknown caller and I feel that I must address that. I served in the U.S. Navy and am a Vietnam veteran. I love my country and respect the jobs that the service organizations are doing.

Please accept my heartfelt apologies.

xxxxxx, Peoria

[BobR]

Deleted


was beaten by about 15 seconds.

bob

[...has left the building.]

Nevermind. At least he owned up to his words.

[Stickjockey]

Color me impressed.

[Jamisjockey]

Pardon our noise, its the sound of freedom.
Of course, I grew up on USMC air installations.  MCAS El Toro.  NAS Millington.  MCAS Cherry Point.  Stationed at MCAS Yuma for almost 5 years.  Jet noise just doesn't bug me....
I've been around aviation my whole life, and somtimes I still just watch an airplane fly or take-off.

[grislyatoms]

Some afternoons when I was refueling my truck, there would be some pilot hot rodding around NAS Oceana in an F14 Tomcat.

Incredible sight.

He would hit the afterburner and just disappear, then by the time I parked my truck and was heading across the yard, here he would come hammer down and hell bent!

I would stand out there hollering at the top of my lungs, it was such a fantastic sight.

The F-4 Phantoms were the only ones that scared me, but that's when I was really little. A carrier battle group would come home and all the planes would come in first. Used to scare the snot out of me.

I also remember the Huey's and the Chinooks flying along the beach, every now and then the guy at the door would wave at people on the beach. Heady rush for a 5-6 year old.

[RevDisk]

I also remember the Huey's and the Chinooks flying along the beach, every now and then the guy at the door would wave at people on the beach. Heady rush for a 5-6 year old.

I remember similiar things when I was a kid.  Seeing the Huey's and Chinooks fly overhead.  Once in a great while, I'd see them up close whenever they flew lower than they probably should have.  Usually they'd wave back if they saw me.  Not too often, but it happened.  

Then I was that guy waving from the doorway.

[Antibubba]

You know, I'm glad he apologized, but don't you think, as a veteran himself, that he should have had an inkling that something was up?

[grampster]

Once, when I was a little kid (late 40's or maybe real early 50's) I was playing with my metal soldiers and tanks in the sand in a nearby field.  I heard an awesome rumble and when I looked up I observed a massive "flying wing" surrounded by a squadron of propeller driven fighter planes.  We lived in Michigan and I never knew why that plane and it's escort happened to be around our area.  The "flying wing" was not very high, maybe 1000 feet, very loud and awe inspiring.  I don't remember how many props it had, except, it seemed to me, their were a lot of them, maybe 4 to a side?!

edit:
I just googled Flying Wing and looked at some pics.  One was a prop plane with 4 engines total.  (XB-35) The other was a jet powered version with 8 jet engines. (YB-49) I'm not sure which one I saw as it was over 50 years ago.  Maybe it was a jet, and I had no concept of jet engines at that time.  It seems to me their was a lot of engines and a lot of noise which makes me wonder if it was the jet, not the B 35.

[griz]

Hey Grizleyatoms (great name BTW) we have heard some of the same jets.

I noticed right after September 11 that the complaints about jet noise kind of dryed up for a while. As you know they seem to be back and the area might loose the new Hornets. Sadly the financial impact will hit right after they leave, so the damage will be irreversible.

[jefnvk]

Good for him to admit his mistake.  I too wouldn't be happy if planes were strafing my house in the morning for the heck of it, but would probably be much more understanding knowing that there was a good reason for them to be doing so.

[K Frame]

When I was a kid in high school I lived in Central Pennsylvania in the Susquehanna River Valley.

If any of you are familiar with the Susquehanna near Harrisburg, it's nearly a mile wide.

A-10 Warthogs from God knows where would frequently conduct sub 200-foot flights up the river. Talk about impressive... I used to wish that they would use the old bridge pilings for target practice, but no such luck.

[USP45usp]

I actually miss the sound of Jets.  After growing up Air Force and then being Air Force it kind of grows on you.

You should hear folks that move into areas with Bases around, they move in and then complaint about the jet noise

Wayne

[Lennyjoe]

We average 10 complaints a week for noise.  I still can't understand how a person can buy a house near an airport and then complain about the noise.   Most bases were built well outside of the city before the city encroached on them.

[captain obvious]

I would so love to live near a major air force base - I remember being in Las Vegas and watching all the planes flying out of Nellis - every day was an air show!

Oh well, I guess growing up in Langley (next to CIA) was nice, seeing (and sometimes almost dodging) all those helos....

[Nathaniel Firethorn]

I would so love to live near a major air force base - I remember being in Las Vegas and watching all the planes flying out of Nellis - every day was an air show!

Yep. Loved seeing the P-3 Orions and Hogs around Willow Grove NAS when I lived in that neighborhood.

Remember the first time I saw an A-10 and asked a friend about the phenomenally ugly airplanes

- NF.

[K Frame]

"We average 10 complaints a week for noise.  I still can't understand how a person can buy a house near an airport and then complain about the noise.   Most bases were built well outside of the city before the city encroached on them."

The same way that people buy near a shooting range and then go ballistic about the noise.

The Issaic Walton League range in Fairfax, Va., has been having problems like that over the years.

One resident even went so far as to slingshot a bullet through her window and then make a police report. She wasn't too happy when the forensics showed that she was lying.

[jefnvk]

One resident even went so far as to slingshot a bullet through her window and then make a police report. She wasn't too happy when the forensics showed that she was lying.

I do hope that she got nailed for it.  Heard a story a while ago, where a man complained that his house had been shot.  When the police got there, they found an entire cartridge laying in his house.