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Loud planes in Ballard?

(29 posts)

Started 3 months ago by SeattleRichardson
Latest reply from ronnyj

SeattleRichardson

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Anybody know what's going on with the planes flying really low overhead just now (8:35pm)in Ballard? ...the loudest I've heard in a long time. Woke up my 6 year old!

Posted 3 months ago #
yachtrocked

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Just heard that too! sounded like a very low flying jet but it lasted for a long time

Posted 3 months ago #
BTown

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Woooo that was a loud one. I think it might have been the Radar plane that stays at Boeing field. I couldn't see anything due to the clouds.

One of these:

http://radioactiveremediationlabs.com/db2/00145/radioactiveremediationlabs.com/_uimages/US-RADAR-PLANE-web1.jpg

Posted 3 months ago #
BallardChick

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That was super loud! I ran to the window but I couldn't even see anything. Could you see if it was a commercial liner? I'm sure it was landing at Boeing, but still!!!

Posted 3 months ago #
BTown

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[Double post]

Posted 3 months ago #
DDF

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No, it's the UPS plane. It flies at the same time all the time. Right over my house! In the summer you can see it - it flies really slow and low.

Posted 3 months ago #
Gnomie

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We are just relaxing around the table after dinner and it went right over our place. Like 500 ft above.
I have never heard a jet that low throttle up like that while on approach to the runway.
You have to wonder if the instrumentation had malfunctioned and the pilot took control once he saw through the cloud cover. Oh! this is how rumors start.

It was a bit nerve racking to say the least.

Is there a number to report this incident to the port of Seattle?

Posted 3 months ago #
ginamarie

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That scared the LIFE out of me.. I thought there was an air-raid. At least now I know how I would react in a flight or fight situation...... badly.

Posted 3 months ago #
SeattleRichardson

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Yeah I've lived in Ballard for 10 years and that's the loudest one I can remember. My wife who is at home more than me says she's heard em that loud before but I don't think for that long of duration.

Posted 3 months ago #
MidWest

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That was as loud as a military jet, but much too slow; wonder if it was the AWACS plane BTown referenced?

Posted 3 months ago #
clamster

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Was it one or two? I could sure hear it for a long time after it passed, very odd. I've definitely seen/heard the UPS jet several times last Summer but this was reeeeally loud tonight. Maybe due to the weather they were flying lower or made the turn closer tonight, or it's the new UPS F-16 PFJ (Parcel Fighter Jet). They blast the packages at your house from mid-flight using a precision parcel delivery system.

2 weekends ago I think I might have seen a near miss up above Ballard between a Cessna type plane and a low flying jet. The little plane suddenly gunned it's engine while making a turn and then the jet took a turn right over the same area a second later. Of course it's pretty difficult to judge from down here whether a large jet is flying at the same height as a small plane. Anyone else happen to see that?

Posted 3 months ago #
ginamarie

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I'd like to see that new UPS F-16 PFJ. preferably not from right underneath it. Imagine the law suits. It would be pretty cool though.

Posted 3 months ago #
Gnomie

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If it was going to Boeing Field it was a bit off course. They usually line up over Discovery Park and the Magnolia residents have been voicing complaints for a while now. This was right down 20th Ave NW.

Posted 3 months ago #
clamster

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Here's a cool flight track website (see below) but it only shows info for Sea-Tac and not Boeing Field. You can select a time and replay the flight paths. The only thing I saw there over Ballard around 8:35pm was supposedly around 4600ft and whatever we heard must have been much lower and maybe going to Boeing and therefore not on this track map. Fun site though:

http://www32.webtrak-lochard.com/WebTrak/sea

Posted 3 months ago #
bellie

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Spent some time at this site http://www32.webtrak-lochard.com/WebTrak/sea to try to figure out what plane it was, but nothing fit, nor did any of the noise monitoring stations show anything unusual. Maybe someone else will have better luck.

Posted 3 months ago #
Just Me

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I live on 32nd and it sounded like it was flying right over my roof. I am home a lot and have never heard one this low and for such a long time. It sound as if it got stuck over my house. It was kind of scary. I looked out the door to see if I could see a plane but it is
too cloudy.

Posted 3 months ago #
clamster

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Maybe Jean, Jesse or Jim would like to investigate this story. ;-)
If it wasn't the UPS plane maybe it was that giant Boeing parts plane that almost looks like a blimp and flies really really slowly on the approach. First time I saw it last year I thought it was going to fall out of the sky it was going so slow. However, I don't recall it being noisy, just large and flying low.

Posted 3 months ago #
nina

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It was really freakin loud here in Magnolia also. The cat was rudely awoken by it.

Posted 3 months ago #
jubbjubb

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I'm going to opt for fighter jet. I'm no expert, but I can say that it was quite similar to an experience I had a few weeks back -- that time we clearly saw a military-type fighter. Could be someone off Whidbey or from down in Tacoma. Or, there's also the private resale market. A couple of years back an ex-military jet that some collector bought and flew (poorly apparently) crashed right across the road from an account of mine up in Ketchikan.

Posted 3 months ago #
mongo

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It looks like it was an Alaska Airlines flight it was a 737 and it was pretty high according to this site.

http://www32.webtrak-lochard.com/WebTrak/sea

It must have been the weather reflecting more sound then normal, plus it was making a very tight turn over Ballard which requires them to apply power to maintain their glide slope.

Posted 3 months ago #
pandabur

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I am glad I was not the only one! I thought we were under attack!

Posted 3 months ago #
TropicsOfBallard

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I heard the plane too, it felt it like it went right over our house. I ran out the back where we have a clear view to the South and could only make out quickly fading navigation lights.

There was an F-15 parked down at Boeing Field this afternoon. It seems possible it was that although the plane did have more of a multi-engine jet sound to it.

Oh, flights directly over Ballard tend to be into Boeing field (BFI) instead of SeaTac (SEA). Also, websites with flight track info don't have military flight statistics. If this was a military flight, it would not appear in any traffic history for BFI.

Posted 2 months ago #
Jack Tar

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The low cloud cover(moisture) and cold air add to the loud effect of the aircrafts engines. The roar is produced by the super heated exaust of the engine meeting the cold air flowing around the engine. In addition the bypass ratio of most millitary engines is less than the newer technology required on commertial aircraft. The flight test and millitary aircraft are exempt from the noise requirements that airlines must meet. Unfortunatly the airlines are taking the blame for the noise when it should be directed elsewhere. It might be a good plan to ask air trafic control at Sea Tac to modify the approach flight path when these weather conditions occur. As for the freight opperations of UPS or Fed X Im not sure of the category requirements regarding engine noise or exemptions related to these old aircraft.

Posted 2 months ago #
BTown

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clamster,

Military planes most likely wouldn't be listed. My money is still on the AWACS. That thing is louder then hell. You can hear it, on I-5 over freeway noise, plus radio, with all the windows up. :D

-bt

Posted 2 months ago #
BlackSheep

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Is it just me, or has anyone else noticed that a certain someone is conspicuously absent from this discussion? Maybe someone with an aircraft that could be large, maybe pretty loud, and likely difficult to identify? Someone who might have an interest in scaring off the bums* by buzzing Bergen Park? Just sayin'.

Posted 2 months ago #
SPG

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Fixed wing is so passe.

Posted 2 months ago #
Bluewing

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I heard this plane the other night as well and it was definetly a fighter jet. It appeared to be on an approach to Boeing Field in a very slow configuration and by the sound of it the afterburner was engaged, hence why it was so unusually loud.

Posted 2 months ago #
Ethan

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I got afraid as if there is a plane crash.
Lean Muscle X

Posted 2 months ago #
ronnyj

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I "heard" that NORAD was doing security training for the Olympics, and that the noise was military jets coming back here from maneuvers.

Posted 2 months ago #