Rural Areas- Anyone Seeing Increased Air Traffic?

I live in very rural PA.

A couple months ago, the air traffic over where I live increased. Actually, began. At first, I guess I really didn't pay much heed, as I lived for so very long in a military environment, and we had helicopters and military aircraft flying overhead so much that it became part of the background noise of everyday life. Honestly, one pays no attention unless one flys so low that it seems as though it really is going to crash.

Therefore, hearing it was so familiar, that when it reappeared in our lives, my children and I honestly didn't really notice it, and we had just moved up here less than a year ago (we just celebrated out first anniversary here this summer). I know it sounds strange, but it is true. After a couple of helicopters, we just forgot about it.

Then I realized after a few weeks; "Hey, wait. We aren't on base anymore, dummy. This isn't normal anymore."

We live outside of town on top of a hill. The loudest "normal" sound is a dog barking. Seriously.

It is so dark up here at night one can see the constellations and the Milky Way on a clear night. The full Moon is so bright I had to buy the kids blackout curtains because it shines so brightly in their rooms it keeps them awake. We stargaze frequently. We have seen some odd things at night that I am at a loss to describe. I don't post about them because I don't take pictures and I don't see the point of trying to describe what I see. Please don't ask. I can't describe any of it and I don't want to get on a flaming tangent anyway. It makes no difference to me to prove anything to anyone. People make their own minds up about matters.

We live near a Dark Sky preserve that was recently designated a Gold Standard Dark Sky Preserve. It is world renowned as one of the darkest places in North America. No light pollution up here. Astronomers flock here from all over North America to view the galaxy from the preserve.

With all the recent "disclosure" threads, I am curious as to whether or not other rural area residents are experiencing increased air traffic in their communities. Is this nation/ world wide? I also grew up here and we never had any kind of air traffic to speak of. I find it odd.

Just to clarify - is it military or civilian air traffic above your house? What times is it heaviest? Are these groups of aircraft or just singles?

Knowing what part of PA you are in might be helpful to finding an answer. I know there is a DUMB southeast of Pittsburgh - my suspicion would be that this air traffic is connected with something of that nature.

reply to post by Asktheanimals


It seems to be mostly helicopter aircraft.
To be honest, I don't usually run outside to look at the aircraft, I hear them, and it is helicopters. After all the years, I can tell the difference in the sound. Sounds like singles or small groups.
Afternoon, early evening.
Northwestern PA.

Hmmmm.

Not a lot of bases that I can think of near Potter County. That is where we are talking about, right?

The big brag for that area when I was a kid was that there are places where you have to lie on you back at noon to see the sun, because of the steep mountains there.

reply to post by butcherguy


Yes unless you are on top of a Hill, sometime one has to wait a while....

Well this is getting very strange...

www.abovetopsecret.com...

www.abovetopsecret.com...

Originally posted by Death_Kron
Well this is getting very strange...

www.abovetopsecret.com...

www.abovetopsecret.com...

Well you beat me to it,was just going to post same links and message about it being weird!! It seems its not just the U.K but the U.S aswell. World war 3????

reply to post by dooleysleftleg


Gee, I didn't even notice those threads....
Odd.
I have to be offline for a while from now until this evening...
I will check in with everyone later~

Originally posted by dooleysleftleg
Well you beat me to it,was just going to post same links and message about it being weird!! It seems its not just the U.K but the U.S aswell. World war 3????

Something strange is definitely going on, will we find out what it is? Probably not...

But the fact that I created a thread today about strange aerial traffic in the UK, then discovered there was already a 6+ page thread about the same thing and then another thread is created about increased air traffic in the USA...

I reckon that there's either a large military training operation going on or, god forbid, something more sinister.

Originally posted by thegoodearth
reply to post by dooleysleftleg

 

Gee, I didn't even notice those threads....
Odd.
I have to be offline for a while from now until this evening...
I will check in with everyone later~

I didn't notice the original thread before mine about the increase in UK air traffic, but I've noticed it with my own eyes over the past few weeks!

I'll be keeping an eye on all three threads to check for updates.

Its that time of year.. Especially in rural areas...

Its harvest season for guerrilla Marijuana growers.. Every year around this time I notice alot more low flying air traffic...
Thats what I have observed living in the same place for the last 30 years..

~meathead

i am up northeast us ma ct area and have seen a definite incress in hellicopters big black ones flying low! and low flying hellis not so big thou i notice it about 4 times a week
been has never been this much air traffic sence i can rember... huh. somthings going on
-jplaysguitar

Netherlands, around Nijmegen. (east border) here,

I have the same "believe", at nights and daytime it seems like the last few months have an significant increase in air-movements. Sometimes i see them, but mostly i hear them.

Used to a few military jets and an occasional (medical, police or army) helicopter, i just find it annoying, but due to the increase last months i wondered.. What is this? Half our air force flies in Afghanistan, but somehow "all" of the left over planes are "training" above our region?

At night also, besides fighter jets, there seems to be an increase in conventional engine air crafts as well.

After seeing this treat i decided to "report" in as well.

check! they also seem to be flying real low. i started noticing about 3 years ago. im a good 50 Miles from an airport large enough to accomidate them..

Meathead is correct in that this is definately chopper season and they can be seen frequently flying their odd search patterns as they look for crops ready for harvest.

Apparently as pot plants mature, they become increasingly easy to spot from the air do to a specific heat signature they give off making large groups of them identifiable when thermal imaging devices are used.

Thanks for all the responses.
About the pot... it is an interesting perspective that I haven't considered.
I am doubtful of it, only because other people in the area have mentioned the increased traffic as well. Also, we really have not ever really had any huge pot plant busts here... maybe one or two over the past couple decades, I think (could be wrong, but I don't recall ever hearing much, and I used to get the local weekly delivered). It could be possible, though.

A friend of mine has mentioned that he has seen helicopters at night without strobes on flying low. I am not sure what this would mean.

3 chinnocks(the ones with two big props) were over kalispell 2 days ago thought it was kinda odd how slow they were going but thats out in montana not pa