HikeArizona.COM

While I was out hiking Picketpost, there were two military jets (or possibly, alien spacecraft?) flying back and forth passing directly over the mountain. And, when I say "flying", think 'rocket'. I have never witnessed anything like this. I tried to get photos, but most of the time I couldn't even see them. Their altitude was probably over 50k feet and they were going faster than anything I've ever seen. They never broke the sound barrier, but they came about as close as you can get without breaking through. Even from 10 miles up, the roar from these things was just deafening. It literally shook the ground. If I didn't already know what was causing it, I might have thought they had just dropped the big one on Phoenix. There's no way that everyone in Superior or at Boyce Thompson didn't hear this, and it went on for 30 minutes. Maybe this is why I didn't see a single animal of any kind all day - not even a lizard. One of the aircraft left a puff of smoke or vapor right in the middle of blue sky all around... not a contrail, just an isolated ball of white. I did get a picture of that, but didn't post it with the rest of my photos. My description doesn't do this event the justice it deserves. It was a stunning spectacle like I've never seen at any air show.

Does anybody know anything about this or has seen this before (or, should I say, 'heard')? Is this our tax dollars at work? If so, I would really like to have one of these, or at least find out what they are. Tibber, you didn't happen to be out at Boyce Thursday morning , did you? Anybody?

I've been buzzed by low-altitude fighters hugging the ridgelines and roaring along at a good clip. Once I got a wing-waggle.

Nothing low altitude about these guys.

once, out climbing in Devils Canyon we were treated to a show. A couple fighter jets performing manuevers for about 15 minutes right over the canyon. Loud and fast, like you said, you could feel the ground shake. They were performing stall-like manuevers and tight turns. It was something to see; I was glad to be on belay, when it first started we could only hear them and couldn't quite figure out what was going on.

snakemarks wrote: . . .One of the aircraft left a puff of smoke or vapor right in the middle of blue sky all around... not a contrail, just an isolated ball of white. . . .

As these jets approach supersonic, they can create temporary condensation puffs (vapor balls). (Prandtl-Glauert singularity)

For those of you who have witnessed such events and for those that have yet to. Just remember that those pilots are the one's who put their life on the line for us. The noise they make in their practise manovers is to me the sound of freedom and I am very greatful for their willingness to serve with so little recognition and pay. I served as an aircraft crewchief in the USAF many years ago and witnessed the accidental death of eleven flight officers during my time of service. Fortunatley my aircraft always came back with it's crew intact but we did have a few scares.

Every year at Easter our family goes camping on the Santa Maria near Bagdad river and every year we get a show. The jets come over Monday thru Thurday and do war games above the area. They use flares to simulate the actual shooting down. And during the day all you see is the smoke trail of the flares. They barrel roll and fly down low and up and down the canyons out there. Then at night they play somemore they cut all lights and the after burners and sneak up on each other. Then using the flares "shoot" each other down. They do this for about 3 or so hours each night.

i love our military jets in action .like the time i was at the northern edge of lake pleasant panning some dirt for gold i got at a different site . my truck and camp were above me w/a small american flag on my truck when all of a sudden i here the wine of 4 a-10s flying no more than 2-or 300 feet [ i reconized the wine from being in germany stationed near an airfeild that they were stationed at] fly right over me the last one tipping his wings like in a salute tio my flag and me jumping up and down w/ extreme pride.they were heading s. over the lake and gage a showing for every body out there that afternoon. i love our military. i was so fuull of pride.a moment i will never forget.

Not sure why, but I seem to attract Black Helicopters
As a kid growing up at Miramar, my dad used to bring the squadron over our Quonset Hut. And pilots would buzz our Boy Scout camps northeast of Miramar towards Palomar. As a kid that was quite a thrill. Of course that was before jets were invented so we could actually see the pilots waving at us.

We often have Blackhawks buzz the Vermilion Cliffs near/over the release site. Also saw an aerial refueling of some 747-size/shape plane from a KC-135 over the Kaibab. Perhaps the coolest and scariest moment was when two F-15s buzzed the site about 10-15 minutes apart. They were super low and super fast, so that was pretty cool, but I was terrified they would strike one of our birds. Bad news on both ends.

Al_HikesAZ wrote:

snakemarks wrote: . . .One of the aircraft left a puff of smoke or vapor right in the middle of blue sky all around... not a contrail, just an isolated ball of white. . . .

As these jets approach supersonic, they can create temporary condensation puffs (vapor balls). (Prandtl-Glauert singularity)

Thanks! Yes, this is what I saw. Those jets were absolutely phenomenal!

The first time I hiked Picacho Peak in 2001 we heard some low flying jets coming up from behind us. By the time we turned around to look at them, they had already passed us. It was pretty amazing to witness that kind of speed.

As much mileage as I got making fun of the Air Force while I was in the service, I get a huge smile every time one of their pilots flies over. When you're on the ground and someone giving you trouble is dug in, you get an overwhelming feeling of relief when you hear them coming because you know they're bringing the pain.

I think about that from time-to-time when they fly over town here and smile because the mere sight of that technology reminds me that I'm extremely lucky to have been born an American...

Several years ago, I crested a small hill, and directly in front of me at a distance of about 100 yards, hovering at about 50ft was an Apache helicopter. Its amazing how quiet it was. I still can't believe that it wasn't making more noise. Not like any other helicopter I've ever seen.

Anyway, I almost crapped my pants because it just hovered there, pointed right at me, as if it was ready to launch any of the stacks of munitions attached to it.

Luckily, it didn't and after a few minutes it took off back toward its home in Mesa. It made me think that any enemies who encounter one on an actual mission would not be happy.

chumley wrote:Several years ago, I crested a small hill, and directly in front of me at a distance of about 100 yards, hovering at about 50ft was an Apache helicopter. Its amazing how quiet it was. I still can't believe that it wasn't making more noise. Not like any other helicopter I've ever seen.

Anyway, I almost crapped my pants because it just hovered there, pointed right at me, as if it was ready to launch any of the stacks of munitions attached to it.

Luckily, it didn't and after a few minutes it took off back toward its home in Mesa. It made me think that any enemies who encounter one on an actual mission would not be happy.

Intense!

chumley wrote:Several years ago, I crested a small hill, and directly in front of me at a distance of about 100 yards, hovering at about 50ft was an Apache helicopter.

You can go out near the Boeing plant in north-east Mesa and see the Apaches being tested (hovering) on most days. They also fly along the Salt River.

Hoffmaster wrote:

chumley wrote:Several years ago, I crested a small hill, and directly in front of me at a distance of about 100 yards, hovering at about 50ft was an Apache helicopter.

You can go out near the Boeing plant in north-east Mesa and see the Apaches being tested (hovering) on most days. They also fly along the Salt River.

Also along the Beeline up to Payson a lot of the days. You will be "targeted" as you drive up or down the hill. There has been lots of times we look up and see an Apache flying above, in front or beside us..

More years ago than I care to remember my work took me to very remote areas of Wyoming. One day I was standing outside the vehicle accomplishing a micro dust abatement project, and felt as much as heard, the presence of others. Looking up towards the roar, I saw a B-52 at about 500 feet on a low level bomb run training exercise. My guess at the elevation but the pilot and I made eye contact.

Sredfield wrote:More years ago than I care to remember my work took me to very remote areas of Wyoming. One day I was standing outside the vehicle accomplishing a micro dust abatement project, and felt as much as heard, the presence of others. Looking up towards the roar, I saw a B-52 at about 500 feet on a low level bomb run training exercise. My guess at the elevation but the pilot and I made eye contact.

Many, many years ago while at Fool Hollow lake I looked up one evening and saw the strangest sight quietly closing over the lake at low altitude. It wasn't until the Kosovo conflict that I realized it had been a B2 stealth. That was a pretty cool encounter...

A few weeks ago, two friends and I were dirt biking in the Sycamore Creek area out off the Beeline Hwy. We played "tag" with two apaches for a few hours. I think they were tracking us for practice. They would pop up over hills and then a few minutes later come up on the other side of us over a different hill. A few times the pilot gave us a thumbs up...that's how close they were. It was crazy, you didn't hear them coming or circling us just out of sight. To finish their little game with us, they flew over us while we were shooting down the wash at about 50 mph. They came up from behind us, not more than 50 feet off the ground, and side by side they just blasted right over our heads. It was one of the coolest afternoons I have had out in the desert!!!

I wish I knew who those pilots were, I want to buy them a beer!