How low can they go?

[Razor61]

Snip:-
www.af.mil
http://www.af.mil/news/story_media.asp?id=123081379

C-17s low level... look at the height they state, surely not?

[harrogate]

To me, that reads like the author's talking about military aircraft in general, chap.

Just my opinion, like.

[Razor61]

that is exactly what i originally thought, as i can't see a C-17 drooping along at 100ft...., it won't have much leeway to bank and turn will it.
Mind you, the KC-135F in Chad did it! Albeit not operational!

[harrogate]

The KC-135 looked more like 30ft!

Perhaps the C-17 could too, but not in the course of combat as is suggested in that article. Extreme measures, etc.

[allan908]

USAF C141 Ser AF 59412 8 May 1981 Cold Lake, Canada. On detachment with 208 Sqn Buccaneers and now sitting in the rear jump seat of said C141.

We were number 6 in a stream of 2 x Canadian C130 and 4 x USAF C141. Rad Alt set at 100 ft. Flying towards rising ground covered with pines up to about 50ft. Wingspan of C141 - 160ft. Fighter CAP moving in rapidly for the "bounce". Evasive action. Bitching Betty sounding off - "Pull Up, Pull Up". Ground still rising, Bitching Betty continuous now, angle of bank must have been 30 degrees, then over the top and straighten up.

You work out the distances and clearances. I'm just glad I'm still alive!

[SoundByDesign]

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=aeb_1172446766

[sitigeltfel]

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=aeb_1172446766

Called the Ke Sahn approach. Reminds me of my first stall/recovery lesson, but not at that height :yuk:

[The Adjutant]

How low can they go?
So how many of you opened this thread expecting to read about yet another shafting us poor people had been given at the hands of our politicians/lords and masters/general public/Americans (choose any combination you like)

I had to laugh when I discovered it was about low flying...what else of course??

[goudie]

Very perceptive Adj. I for one wasn't sure.

[DX Wombat]

How low can they go? Well if they are flying over Shobdon the answer has to be not nearly low enough - especially if they are flying something nice and noisy like a Tornado or Typhoon, preferably a whole host of them. :E :E :E Hercules are lovely but just too quiet to enable the NIMBYs to appreciate just how fortunate they are to have mainly C152s and PA28s flying from there. I parked the tin tent in it's storage site yesterday evening, heard something interesting flying high overhead and looked up to see two something-nice-and-noisys, red lights glowing, heading off to the West before turning South overhead somewhere like Telford or Shrewsbury. Brilliant. :) :ok:

[mr fish]

i seem to recall back in the 80s at red flag, a buccaneer returning from a sortie with tumbleweed stuck to its refuelling probe and another with sand scrapes on its belly, THATS low!!!:eek:

[brokenlink]

Following the vein of this thread just wondered who woke the pavilions staff up at at certain Cambs base yesterday afternoon when FJ zipped over very fast and not awfully high up. Nice change from the Tutors, more please.

BL

[WhiteOvies]

Low flying is fun to watch but lose your SA and this sort of thing happens - he was lucky to get away with it.

http://www.strategypage.com/military_photos/2004113022.aspx

Heard stories of Sea Harrier 'fish strikes' due to low flying over the sea...