Fighter Jets

[that_fjell_guy]

I recall a fair few instances of exciting low fliers. One in particular as I was getting a bit of fresh air outside the Leisure Centre I was working at. The b*gger came right over the centre and I only heard it as it was directly over me. It physically put me to the ground! I felt a right berk!! Then the usual low fliers below in various valleys. There was a Chinook up on Stybarrow doing 'soft landings' repeatedly one day which was fun to see. Then one day as I cycled from Lincoln to Beverley being followed by various planes including the A10 Tankbuster, it was like my own private airshow. My guess was as I was slow moving I'd been used as the days RAF target!!?

[BritNick]

t_f_g that A10 story is interesting. My Dad and I had a similar experience back in the 80s. An A10 deviated from its heading and aimed straight for us as we stood in the middle of a very large field somewhere in Norfolk. It must have been using us for target practice. It was quite intimidating. It returned to its original heading afterwards. I liked those aircraft because they were so quiet, like civilian aircraft with their high bypass ratio engines.

[helix]

I had a similar thing whilst working on a survey boat in the Moray Firth. Over a series of a few days Jaguars from Lossiemouth would fly straight out towards the North Sea proper, gain altitude, about face and then drop down straight for us. It was great fun to watch.

[sore legs]

The sound of fast noisy jets is awesome.

I was walking over Tryfan when 2 Jaguars flew below us. Amazing looking down into the cockpit. Also been on a military area with Tornados using the local infrastructure for low level passes, amazing sound. The best though was also the saddest, a military funeral in a typical relatively overcast and low cloud day, as the coffin was lowered into the ground and prayers finished, a fly past by a Typhoon happened. Very very low level and as he passed overhead he flicked the afterburner on as he went into an incredible steep climb. The noise was deafening, he disappeared into the cloud still climbing and accelerating but was totally out of sight. The noise gradually quietened and that marked the end of the service. Very moving.

[JSP]

I must say, although they do compromise the serenity of the fells, there is something very impressive about it all.

[noel]

When I'm out walking or running, it's nice to see. I remember rock climbing once at Brimham Rocks. We were climbing between two boulders so didn't see the low jet coming. Then the noise hit me, which was pretty scary as I was quite focused and balanced at the time. Funny in hindsight, and a good reminder why we shouldn't solo.

[Rodders]

Tornadoes buzzed us when leading a walk with kids with SENDs. They loved it. Two Tornadoes dropped down the valley from Buckstones, paralleled Pule Hill and pulled a left to buzz over us on the Pennine way. Running up towards Dunn Hill on the PW me and Milburn had a Red Arrows Fly pass. Regularly see Chinooks buzzing round the Wessy Valley. I find it reassuring that the RAF are practicing to keep us safe.