Seen Over Your House Today

[perttime]

When I see airplanes over the house, they are almost always heading straight for the airport/air force base. Minimizing the noise and complaints...
Today I heard a fast jet maneuvering in a direction where they usually don't go. After a while of listening, I saw an F/A-18 turning. Maybe just waiting for the runway to clear?

[Captain Canada]

Lucky. I love seeing military jets in the 'real world' as opposed to the airshow environment. I don't know why, just do.

Heard a Herc yesterday. It was so hot and humid that the sky was just a haze of sun and humidity. It's funny how the sound is exacerbated in that condition. Also maddening when you can't spot the offender.

[perttime]

Found a reason for the unusual activity: the new conscripts were giving their oath at about that time, so the Hornet was holding for the parade overflight or display.

[NARSES2]

Found a reason for the unusual activity: the new conscripts were giving their oath at about that time, so the Hornet was holding for the parade overflight or display.

Finland still have conscription ? I always thought most European nations when they had conscription timed the intake until just after the harvest or sowing, lambing/calving seasons.

[perttime]

Found a reason for the unusual activity: the new conscripts were giving their oath at about that time, so the Hornet was holding for the parade overflight or display.

Finland still have conscription ? ...

Always had and it has strong support among the people. Compulsory for men, optional for women. It is 6 to 12 months service now, depending on specialties and positions you are trained for, unless you opt for civilian service or are rejected in the pre-service checks.

If you ever meet Finnish peacekeepers or people on international exercises, you probably mainly find reservist volunteers who took a Government temp job.

[Captain Canada]

Herd a Herc again, dropped my tools ( working on bikes ) and ran for the camera. Swapped lenses and ran outside. realised I didn't have a memory card and ran back inside. This is where he was by then. looked like a Marines bird. Bluey-gray. And it has the extra underwing pods.

[kitnut617]

Watched a CF-18 roar off 35L this afternoon at YYC

[Captain Canada]

Nice ! I wish we were closer to more action here. Hopefully in a few years we can do more travelling and spotting.

[perttime]

Driving back from the shooting range, I saw an Antonov An-124 parked in front of the airport with the nose door open. Looked like this Ukrainian one with blue and yellow stripes:
https://theaviationist.com/2014/09/05/antonov-124-el-centro/
They seem to run errands for air forces, Red Cross and UN, all over the world.

No chance of a photo with my phone...

[NARSES2]

Found a reason for the unusual activity: the new conscripts were giving their oath at about that time, so the Hornet was holding for the parade overflight or display.

Finland still have conscription ? ...

Always had and it has strong support among the people. Compulsory for men, optional for women. It is 6 to 12 months service now, depending on specialties and positions you are trained for, unless you opt for civilian service or are rejected in the pre-service checks.

If you ever meet Finnish peacekeepers or people on international exercises, you probably mainly find reservist volunteers who took a Government temp job.

Thanks, wasn't aware of that. Mind you in this day and age shouldn't it be compulsory for both sexes ?  Must admit I've always been a bit ambivalent about conscription. It ended in the UK when I was 6 or 7 and I'm told the reason it ended was that the services couldn't find anything for the conscripts to do ? People I know whodid it tended to enjoy it post basic training but then they only seem to remember the boozy/fun times 

[Nick]

I've just been out in the garden for a spot of cool air and I've seen two shooting stars from the Perseid meteor shower and the International Space Station. All within 2 minutes! 

[perttime]

... Must admit I've always been a bit ambivalent about conscription. It ended in the UK when I was 6 or 7 and I'm told the reason it ended was that the services couldn't find anything for the conscripts to do ? ...

The Finnish 6 to 12 months is pretty much used for getting people good at whatever they are trained to do. After that the result is a good sized military reserve for a country with a small population on a big chunk of real estate.

[Captain Canada]

Nice one Nick ! As Rat pointed out, been clear skies for months until this.....and now it's overcast and thunderstorms for the next week 

[NARSES2]

... Must admit I've always been a bit ambivalent about conscription. It ended in the UK when I was 6 or 7 and I'm told the reason it ended was that the services couldn't find anything for the conscripts to do ? ...

The Finnish 6 to 12 months is pretty much used for getting people good at whatever they are trained to do. After that the result is a good sized military reserve for a country with a small population on a big chunk of real estate.

Yup and very understandable. I had a boss at work who did a maths degree at Cambridge and then his National Service in the early 50's. What did the Army do with him ? Trained him as a heavy vehicle maintenance engineer  However as he always said, it saved him a fortune in garage costs as he could fix anything on 4 wheels having worked on Scamells 

[PR19_Kit]

En route to Milton Keynes yesterday (someone has to be there.....) I was buzzed by a Stearman of all things! 

I'd just crossed the M40 at the time and could hear this buzz-saw drone from above, and the Stearman, in a white and silver scheme, came right over me from astern and vanished over USAF Croughton.