We are similar in this way... I keep 12 x 70 mm binoculars handy ( up to 60 power and a tripod ) in the garage when I am working in the garage. I live about 20 miles as the crow flies from March AFB. The flight paths of C17s, KC 135s and others including Apache Helicopters going from Camp Pendleton to 29 Palms Marine base means something is flying by pretty often. We also have French Valley airport about 10 miles away and the Confederate Airforce squad go by occasionally with different relics from the past.
I also got some good pictures of Cal Fires scooper plane for fighting fires getting a load from the Diamond Lake Reservoir I worked on over 20 years ago and its only about 5 miles from here. I can post those up sometime.
The highlight of my sky watching at night came in August of 2009 when I saw a craft fly by. The only reason I saw it was because it was briefly blocking my sight from stars as it approached. I just happened to be star gazing in the right direction at that time. It was round and looked like a 2 layer cake turned upside down. In the center were 4 or 5 differently configured antennas pointing downward. No lights were visible and not a sound as it passed over. Size and speed? Probably 40 to 80 ft across and moving at probably 200 to 300 mph. It was difficult to judge. 4 seconds was about all the time I had to observe it. Once it passed behind me I jumped out of the lawn chair to follow it visually but it was already gone. After that I kept an old and heavy 2 or 3 million candle power flashlight by my side just in case I ever got another chance to see something like that again. Oh how I wish I could have lit that craft up! As it usually is with most unusual sightings it has never happened again.
Yeah man, cool stuff.
I've seen quite a few round craft too.
It's also Very quiet where I live, bugs and animals, and an occasional car.
So it's easy to hear if there is any engine noise, some do, some don't.
Considering I can clearly see and hear the 777 when they goe over twice daily at 35k'.
The next gen/Raptor style fighters show up on rare occasion, usually at higher altitudes(it's the old stuff they buzz the trees in, lol), and they have a distinct and quieter sounding engines.
Some of the triangles have very low jet noise, but all of the round ones are always silent.
Many people think you're crazy if you say things like this. My answer is simple...Look up...you'll be suprised what you see...or don't, lol. As in, I know they fly the fighters cloaked here often too(yes, for those that don't know, this is not fantasy tech, but simple facts) as some jets are skinned in mini cameras and leds, and whatever the top or sun facing cameras colors pick up, like blue sky or gray clouds, the lower or visible from below parts of the jet's leds turn that color, giving a masking or cloaking effect.
The sound is still there though.
Some would argue that you just hear a jet but don't see it from glare, obstruction, or distance. Fair enough, but when you've watched them all your life, have huge clear views of the sky, and are familiar with when and where an aircraft should be visible, not so much.
When you hear manuvers, and jets are in the area, and remain in the area for extended periods of time, vs a quick fly over, you come to realize that they are using this simple but amazing tech.
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