Jets Scrambled Overnight? Not in the News this a.m.

4-14-2011 | Boss Claw

[Boss Claw]

Around 12:45 a.m. on Thursday April 14, 2011 (in the wee hours today), my husband and I awoke to hear major (military) jet rumblings over D.C. or nearby. It reminded us of the strange-sounding reverberations we hear at the annual air show. It came in two subsequent periods. The first one lasted probably no more than 3-5 minutes. I'm a bad judge of how long it lasted when I can't see a clock (after I initially checked the time) and when it is a startling event. Anyway, it was a significant period, and not just a flyover -- which we get a lot here in Arlington, by the way.

I looked online when I woke up this morning for any reports, but have not seen anything. I did find where there had been a NORAD jet scramble last Friday, though, from a Washington Examiner reporter.

Does anyone know what happened?

[RexBeach]

Sometimes C-17 transports stage out of Andrews AFB. They are loud, and that noise is long lasting.

Did it sound like that, or did it have a sharper, faster tone like an F-16 since they are Fighting Falcons based at Andrews?

[jakerobins]

Nothing to be alarmed about...Probably just barry, moochelle or bite-me taking another joyride on AirForce 1....

[TSgt]

Did You Hear the Fighter Jets Last Night?
http://www.arlnow.com/2011/04/14/did-you-hear-the-fighter-jets-last-night/
NORAD conducted an air defense exercise over the Washington area late last night, startling area night owls who aren’t used to the sounds of fighter jets streaking across the sky at 1:00 a.m.

Although NORAD regularly conducts exercises in the D.C. region, for some reason this one seemed louder than others. On Twitter, we heard from Bethesda, McLean and Arlington residents who all heard the jets and wondered what was going on.

The exercise was actually scheduled for the night before, according to a press release, but was delayed a day due to inclement weather.

[mirkwood]

It was a ufo:

[AnyStreetFL]

Here's is why!

NORAD Flight Exercise Planned for National Capital Region North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and its geographical component, the Continental United States NORAD Region (CONR), will conduct an exercise, Falcon Virgo 11-07, beginning midnight Tuesday into early Wednesday morning in the National Capital Region, Washington, D.C. and Frederick County, Md. Flights in the National Capital Region are scheduled to take place between midnight Tuesday and 2 a.m. Wednesday morning. Flights in the Frederick County, Md., area are scheduled to take place between 4:10 a.m.and 5 a.m. Wednesday morning. In the event of inclement weather, the exercise will take place the next day until all training requirements are met. For more information on Falcon Virgo exercises, please contact CONR Public Affairs at 850-283-8080, or the NORAD Public Affairs Office at 719-554-6889.

[PGalt]

Interesting; thanks for the post; thanks very much for the post...(what UFO/sarcasm).

[edpc]

Check the control tower records. I suspect Colonel Jessup may have had something to do with this.

[Carley]

Moochie and Jill Biden leaving for Denver to attend the baseball game there showing support for the troops?

[Only1choice____Freedom]

There’s a UFO in that pix?

I can’t see it.

[Former Proud Canadian]

You can’t handle the truth.

[NavyCanDo]

All it takes is for a private plane to wander into the protective airspace around the President to trigger alert birds to scramble. It was August of last year during Obama’s fundraiser in Seattle where a pilot flying a float plane wandered into the massive protective airspace that triggered two F-15s from Portland to scramble and at super sonic speed and fly to Seattle to intercept the plane. What surprised me about that incident is the plane never got close to Obama. He was 10 miles away when he triggered the alert, which had me pondering, how much protective airspace does any President really need?

Fighter jets scramble; sonic booms rattle Puget Sound area

A pair of loud sonic booms heard around the Seattle area shortly before 2 p.m. Tuesday were caused by two F-15 jets, pursuing a seaplane that entered restricted airspace.
Two loud sonic booms heard throughout the Seattle area Tuesday afternoon were caused by a pair of F-15 jets pursuing a seaplane that breached a 10-mile restricted zone around the president’s Air Force One.
The jets were sent off at 1:38 p.m. from the 142nd Oregon Air National Guard Wing in Portland, said spokeswoman Maj. Melinda Lapore. Fighter planes are on alert around the clock there to defend the Northwest coast from Canada to Northern California, she said.
At the time, President Obama’s plane was parked at Boeing Field during his tour of Seattle on Tuesday, which included a stop at an eatery, the Westin Hotel and one other fundraiser.

excerpt…

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2012647005_sonicbooms18m.html

[NavyCanDo]

Nice digging. Looks like you came up with the answer pretty fast.

[Hoodlum91]

It was a NORAD exercise. It had been postponed from the previous night because of the rain.

Alert DC sends out notices.

[AnyStreetFL]

No digging, I get all the DoD updates via email. I remembered the email from a few days ago and the link was in there.

[silverleaf]

Maybe they were just trying to wake up the Air Traffic Controllers at Reagan Nat’l

[muawiyah]

Then there was the plane with the Rolls Royce carbon fiber filled engines rotating overhead for about 5 minutes yesterday afternoon ~ sometimes they come over and land in Fairfax County.

NOTE TO EVERYONE: Andrews isn't the only airfield with military capability within the WARSHDC METRO REGION.

We usually know when the end of the world stuff is happening just by listening for the jets taking off UNDER the power lines. Always a sign.

[Sacajaweau]

Just seeing if anyone is awake in the tower.

[Cheburashka]

There’s a UFO in that pix?

I can’t see it.

---

Put your hand in the middle of the picture, palm down against the screen. Keep the fingers together.

[baddog 219]

What UFO?.....