Nighttime AH-64 Gunship Flyovers

Joined
Mar 30, 2020
Messages
528
Location
Houston, Texas
For the past couple of months a pair of Apaches will fly over my place in rural Chambers County, Texas, in the night at approx 1000 feet headed north to south.

What's going on?
[Linked Image from i.ytimg.com]
 
I remember a guy at work who flew Huey helicopters for the national guard. He couldn't make it to one company function but we saw a helicopter fly over us and afterwards he said that was him. He said they basically let him fly where ever he wants to go, just has to get his hours in.
 
Back in the mid 1990's I was living in Houston and had the opportunity to watch a spec-op* training exercise. It took place in the dead of night and there were 3-4 helos in the air. IIRC it was one or two black hawks and one or two little birds. I was living at the astrodome and they flew over my apt heading SE towards Texas City/Pasadena (I have no idea how far they went in that direction), then flew back, loitered over my apt for about 2 mins and headed back to the SE and disappeared.

*A few months later Soldier Of Fortune ran a story about an alleged SF training exercise in SE Houston so who knows.
21.gif
 
Originally Posted by BMWTurboDzl
Back in the mid 1990's I was living in Houston and had the opportunity to watch a spec-op* training exercise. It took place in the dead of night and there were 3-4 helos in the air. IIRC it was one or two black hawks and one or two little birds. I was living at the astrodome and they flew over my apt heading SE towards Texas City/Pasadena (I have no idea how far they went in that direction), then flew back, loitered over my apt for about 2 mins and headed back to the SE and disappeared.

I'm thinking this was in the mid-2000s, as the US was preparing for ground invasion and going into Baghdad, etc in Irag, the Marines did "urban warfare" training in and around Dayton OH. How they picked Dayton, I don't know, but they 'needed' unfamiliar scenery. One evening, maybe around 10-12pm, (2) Chinooks (the ones with twin rotors) landed in a park 2-3 blocks from our house. That was, ummmm, exciting ! The soldiers stayed in the helicopters though. Not sure if that's because a bunch of us from the neighborhood went to see what the heck was going on or if they were more looking at "training" of landing in a park area (as much for the pilots moreso than the troops).

Here's an article about it: https://www.26thmeu.marines.mil/New...26th-meu-hones-urban-warfighting-skills/ and
 
I hitched a ride on a TXARNG Cav UH-1 that was about to return to Austin from the Waco armory. It was Friday afternoon so I was looking to operate a solo night recon mission for UT co-eds on 6th street. I jumped in, laid down on the port side web bench, put my backpack under my head, two seatbelts across my body, and fell asleep in the cool breeze. I woke up hanging partly off to the sight of trees and rooftops. The pilots were doing all kinds of rolling manuvers and forgot I was back there! I screamed HEEEYYY HEEEEY until I got noticed. We had a good laugh on the ground.
 
Training. Low level training routes exist across the country. You would know if you're under one, as you would have low level, high speed (not helicopters...) traffic often.

These guys, at 1,000 feet, at night, they're practicing navigation and flying on night vision devices.

Decades ago, our A-6 guys would fly through Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia, and North Carolina at 500 feet, 480 knots, at night, in the weather, for training - using their terrain following radar.

Folks living under those training routes would hear the roar of an A-6 at night, without warning. They weren't always happy about that...
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted by Astro14
Training. Low level training routes exist across the country. You would know if you're under one, as you would have low level, high speed (not helicopters...) traffic often.

These guys, at 1,000 feet, at night, they're practicing navigation and flying on night vision devices.

Decades ago, our A-6 guys would fly through Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia, and North Carolina at 500 feet, 480 knots, at night, in the weather, for training - using their terrain following radar.

Folks living under those training routes would hear the roar of an A-6 at night, without warning. They weren't always happy about that...


I believe we have one of those routes where we live up here in the mountains. C130s are continuously flying the same route below the mountain tops, day and night. We had two fly over just yesterday. And we occasionally get fighters lighting up the same path. Not sure what kind since they are just about out of sight once we here them. I can assure you that me and Mrs. Sierra048 are extremely excited every time it happens. Our son is an AF pilot and we have enjoyed our fair share of air shows and they never get old.
 
Originally Posted by Astro14
Training. Low level training routes exist across the country. You would know if you're under one, as you would have low level, high speed (not helicopters...) traffic often.

These guys, at 1,000 feet, at night, they're practicing navigation and flying on night vision devices.

Decades ago, our A-6 guys would fly through Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia, and North Carolina at 500 feet, 480 knots, at night, in the weather, for training - using their terrain following radar.

Folks living under those training routes would hear the roar of an A-6 at night, without warning. They weren't always happy about that...


I had a flight of B1Bs fly over me in the TX panhandle near Pecos 20 years ago, doing terrain following training in the desert.

There was a building roar, and you could not see them until they where right on top of you. Scared the crap out of me...
 
Back
Top