If two small planes started buzzing your neighborhood...

[BethanyF]

I live 1 mile from a small airport so I hear small planes all the time, I rarely even notice them.
Plus, I grew up, and later had an apartment, under O'Hare flight paths.
After 30 some years as planes being part of my everyday noise I dont even notice.
However, after 9/11 I certainly noticed the lack of noise. It was eerily quiet without them. That is until the day a fighter jet was chasing a plane to O'Hare. Freaked me out when it broke the sound barrier. From what I remember, it freaked out a lot of people, I guess the 911 center got a lot of calls that afternoon.

 

[inaminute]

You're not over-reacting at all.

Recently we were at an outdoor Navy event where President Carter and his family were in attendance, as well as some other officials. A small plane flew overhead and EVERYONE looked up! It was very disconcerting and a little funny at the same time. It was nice to know that I wasn't the only one thinking something negative. But it was sad that the thought even crossed so many minds.

 

[Kirby]

No, you weren't over reacting.

The other day I went to Target and there was an unmarked white shortbox moving van in front with the motor running. There was no one in the front. I felt so wierd walking past it, just saying to myself that it was supposed to be there and it wasn't going to blow up. I didn't say anything when I went inside, maybe I should have, but I didn't. When I left, there was a man in the back unloading cans of soft drinks for the store. I felt a little foolish for being paranoid but you can never tell when terrorism might show up in your home town. Just because we're not a big city, doesn't mean it won't be visiting us one day.

 

[dena91]

I always get a little scared now whenever low flying planes or helicopters fly by.

 

[Geoff_M]

No promotion had been made of an air show, so I decided to call 911. The person I talked to said she had no knowledge of this until she came into work and that the Andretti's were having a private air show. They live about 1/4 mile from us. She said they were getting tons of complaints.

One of Andretti Green Racing's major sponsors is Klein Tools. In addition to sponsoring one of the team's cars. Klein also sponsors aerobatics pilot Michael Mancuso. Go to http://www.kleintools.com/ and click on the Klein Aviation link. You'll see what I'm talking about. If this was the plane, it obviously wasn't a rouge small aircraft and had the markings of a stunt plane.

Mancuso performs at a number of the Indycar races around the country. As you probably know, this weekend the Indycars are racing at Nazareth Speedway (sadly, for the last time as the owners, ISC, are set to close the historic track). The Klein plane will perform there this Sunday.

Being one of their "home races" undoubtedly Michael Andretti (he owns the team, not his dad) was having a corporate party on his "estate" this week... and I'd guess the Klein plane was entertaining the guests at the party.

"Inform the neighbors?" Well, that's a bit problematic. First of all, how do you do it? How big an area do you need to alert? etc. Also, if you send out notice, and it'll likely become a headache in other ways as people will show up nearby, with lawn chairs in hand and enjoy the "show".

 

[mkcp91]

To the original poster: I see you are located in eastern PA. The Lancaster county air show is tomorrow. Perhaps they were on route to the Lancaster airport? We've seen all KINDS of cool airplanes fly overhead today!

http://www.schultzairshows.com/Lancaster2004.htm

It never occurred to me to be concerned!?! And I'm ususally a worrier - I guess I didn't think twice about it because we're headed to the airshow tomorrow.

~Heather

 

[Nancy]

This reminds me of something that happened soon after 9/11. I was driving my girls to dance. driving along a major higway north of Buffalo and there was a small plane circling the highway...so of course all the traffic is slowing down to watch the small plane...including me! (this was probably right after airspace reopened because this really made people nervous) We were listening to a radio station and their air straffic guy comes on and starts talking about a major slowdown on the 290 in both directions and he was trying to see what was going on. well that cracked me up...HE was causing the major slowdwon!

 

[crazyforgoofy]

Originally posted by Pop Daddy
I would go read to a bunch of grade schoolers, j/k Im a Bush man

 

[disykat]

Originally posted by Geoff_M

"Inform the neighbors?" Well, that's a bit problematic. First of all, how do you do it? How big an area do you need to alert? etc. Also, if you send out notice, and it'll likely become a headache in other ways as people will show up nearby, with lawn chairs in hand and enjoy the "show".

Easy. Our paper frequently posts notices that a "private fireworks display will take place on date/time in the 'general location'" It's not specific enough for people to show up with lawn chairs, but notice enough so that when people hear it they won't call 911. I would expect the same kind of notice for an air show wold be easy to do.

 

[buckylarue]

We live literally at the end of 2 runways at MSP International Airport. I don't even HEAR small planes; I'm much more concerned that the 40-year-old DC9's that Northwest flies right over my house every day will lose a wheel, a door, an engine...

On the other hand, we were at the MN State Fair on Thursday, and were leaving for our bus to come home when we noticed a helicopter circling overhead...then another one,,,and a third. Couldn't figure what they were all doing, until we got home and found out that John Kerry (who had been at a campaign stop in Anoka) decided to stop by the fair, and they were security for his visit.