What I did at work today.(Heritage Flight Practice)

[Brad]

We met Rick Sharpe in his AC-47 overhead KLBX this morning. There were cars pulled over on both sides of the interstate watching so somebody is bound to have pictures from the ground.

On a side note, we flew past Galveston. This was the first time I've seen it since the hurricane. It sure looks like a ghost of its former self. It's really sad.

[TAdan]

Looks like a great day at work to me! Those C-17 seats look pretty comfy.

[jet1]

...watch this"...
looks like lots of fun was had!

[NathanT24]

So thats why Spooky flew over my place in Pearland so low today? Heading out to LBX. Only if I knew I would have gone out there and got pics!!!!

[Alan Brooks]

Looking forward to seeing you guys in the air next week..... Alan

[LadyO2Pilot]

That last shot of Spooky over the runway is great !!!!.....well all of them are but I really like that last one.

Look forward to seein ya....and your pretty gray birdie at MAF, Brad.

[RickH]

Rick showed me this, today. It's hilarious !

Low-flying planes cause buzz

By John Lowman
The Facts

Published October 2, 2009

ANGLETON — A pair of military aircraft flying low over parts of Brazoria County were part of a training mission, emergency personnel said Thursday, but officials struggled to find out where the planes came from and why they were here.

They’re still not sure.

The massive C-17 Globemaster and smaller C-47 Skytrain caused phones to light up at the offices of Brazoria County officials. They were reported over Angleton about 11:30 a.m. and left the area just after noon.

The Brazoria County Sheriff’s Office received about two dozen calls from the public about the planes, the same number as the Angleton Police Department.

“We confirmed with the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) that there were military aircraft in the central Brazoria County area,” Brazoria County Assistant Emergency Manager Steve Rosa said. “There was no reason to be alarmed, but they didn’t clear anything with us.”

They likely don’t have to, a federal aviation department spokesman said. As long as the planes are flying below 10,000 feet using Visual Flight Rules — other pilots can see them and they can see other pilots — there is no violation of air laws and a detailed flight plan isn’t required, the spokesman said.

The C-17 cargo plane is 174 feet long and 55 feet high, has a wingspan of 170 feet and a maximum, loaded takeoff weight of 585,000 pounds, according to the U.S. Air Force Web site. The C-17 transport is 63 feet 9 inches long, 17 feet high and has a wingspan of 95 feet 6 inches. Its maximum takeoff weight is 31,000 pounds.

Planes that size are required to fly at an altitude of at least 1,000 feet in densely populated areas and at least 500 feet in less-populated areas, Brazoria County Airport Director Jeff Bilyeu said.

“That’s generally speaking, for civilians,” Bilyeu said. “Those are the federal regulations we’re expected to adhere to.”

Calls to the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Army were not returned Thursday. Brazoria County Emergency Management on Sept. 22 received an e-mail from the Army Test and Evaluation Command stating a C-27J cargo plane would be tested over areas around Houston Oct. 12 through Oct. 16, Rosa said.

The e-mail made no mention of Thursday’s flight.

The letter was copied to the Department of Homeland Security for clearance, but aside from discounting any serious risk to the area, a Homeland Security officer would not comment on Thursday’s flights. Calls and e-mail to the Army Test and Evaluation Command were not returned.

Some Brazoria County officials said they would have appreciated notice before the planes flew over cities and near chemical plants, including Dow and BASF.

Arthur Velasquez, executive assistant to County Judge E.J. “Joe” King, said aviation officials told him the planes are privately owned, but he did not know who owns them.

“They can fly anywhere as long as they’re not in restricted airspace,” Velasquez said. “We’re being told they’re practicing for the Wings Over Houston Air Show.It would have been good to know something to answer the number of calls we got. It would have been helpful, but there’s nothing that says we have to know that. They can fly anywhere another privately owned plane can go as long as they’re not in restricted airspace.”

Photos of the C-17 Globemaster III and smaller C-47 Skytrain are posted at the Wings Over Houston Web site, but a spokeswoman with Wings Over Houston said planes for that show weren’t yet in town. Officials with Ellington Field near Pearland, the Houston Airport System and Lone Star Flight Museum in Galveston said the planes did not take off from their airstrips.

The C-17 can take off and land on runways as short as 3,500 feet, according to the Air Force Web site. The Brazoria County Airport’s runway is 7,000 feet long. While planes as large as a C-17 do fly in Brazoria County airspace, it’s not a regular occurrence, Bilyeu said.

“We see them from time to time,” Bilyeu said. “They come to airports and practice approaches and training. It’s not unheard of, but it’s rare.”

Maneuvers with similar planes were done about six months ago and prompted the same response from the public, said Pete David, training supervisor at the Brazoria County Airport.

“Everybody on Highway 288 was stopping,” he said.

[Holedigger]

And they weren't even dropping Ruperts!!! Now THAT would have got the Sheriff's attention! Nice Pics.

[warbird1]

Rick showed me this, today. It's hilarious !

Low-flying planes cause buzz

By John Lowman
The Facts

Published October 2, 2009

ANGLETON — A pair of military aircraft flying low over parts of Brazoria County........

Its maximum takeoff weight is 31,000 pounds.

Now that's a great article. Wow, the C-17 is only 31,000 pounds at max takeoff weight? It must have been a 1/10 scale model those people saw!

I love the way that the author of the article states that all of his phone calls to the various governmental departments and agencies were not returned. This is how those "conspiracy theories" get started. Just wait, within a few months, there will be websites on the internet talking about secret government planes eavesdropping on the public in Brazoria county!

[Jack Cook]

That was a typo C-17 instead of C-47

[Holedigger]

Now if one were to paint them black............

[RickH]

The C17 achieves a 31000 lb takeoff weight by filling the cargo area with Helium !

The Facts are not always noted for having for their, well, facts, straight !

Notice they said that both aircraft were privately owned, Rick was unwilling to tell us where he keeps his C-17 or who flys it for him....

[Holedigger]

Well, if Spooky started orbiting, I can see a Nam Vet getting worried and start to look for a Deeeeeep Hole!!! Apparently they do not have enough aircraft flying low in these parts, memo to all CAF squadrons, new formation practice box is at the following coordinates........

[Brad]

Maybe this is why the Texas Ranger was following me here at Midland today....

When we were flying this practice, we recieved one radio call from somebody at KLBX asking what airshow we were coming from. We told them we were just practicing for a future show. There was a lot of cars pulled over on the side of the road watching but that's not uncommon. It didn't look to me like anybody was that concerned.

I hate to think that so many people down in South Texas are that stupid. But, if Obama can get the Nobel prize then I guess anything is possible!

[Jack Cook]

It's a freaking typo
C-17 transport is 63 feet 9 inches long, 17 feet high and has a wingspan of 95 feet 6 inches. Its maximum takeoff weight is 31,000 pounds.