B1 kept buzzing my pool party!

[bigD]

Today, I was at a pool party in west Austin, and witnessed a B1 fly rather slowly directly overhead on several occasions. I'd guess at about 1000' AGL - it was loud enough to drown out our converstations and music at the party.

VERY cool! I love that plane. Wonder what it was doing, though - I usually don't see many military planes flying over the hill country, let alone a B1! Draginass, was that you!?

 

[LearLove]

It was actually a couple of banner tow pilots trying to find New York City or their on to you, hide the weed man.

 

[TankerPuke]

I think there is a military low-level route around Austin. I remember doing one that started somewhere west of Austin and it looped North around the city.

PUKE

 

[Slug]

Austin Low Levels

Those that you speak of are SRs (SR 286 I believe) I don't think a B-1 would be on those as the max speed per reg is below the Bone's stall speed. He was probably just doing some pattern work, albeit extended, somewhere up that way. Just my .02.

Slug


Where'd ya do your t-1 time?

 

[TankerPuke]

Did my time at the best base - of course...Laughlin

PUKE

 

[bigD]

Heh - if I mistook a banner plane for a B1 - I REALLY need to cut back on the ganja!

The only thing I can think of was it was part of some flyby for the festivities downtown that day, and was hanging out west of town until it was time to make its pass. I haven't found any evidence that any flyby was scheduled, but it's the only thing that makes sense to me.

The military route's max speed is below the B1's stall speed? Wow! What's the stall speed of a B1?

 

[Slug]

ok a little bit of an exageration

I'm not sure of the stall speed, but considering the SR routes are limited to 250 Knots Ground I doubt he was on the route. I think they do theirs at 480 to 540. Whooooheeeee!

 

[cessna_driver2]

On the fourth we had two B1'S come straight down one of the main roads about 3000-6000 cross over KC CENTER and high tailed it toward the north west. It was great seeing freedom at work on the 4th.

 

[Draginass]

Wasn't me! Have no idea what the mission could have been. BTW, the B-1 flys fine at 250 with the wings forward. With the wings aft, below 300k gets uncomfortable. Low levels are flown nominally at 560k.

 

[Pilot3729]

The Iraqi's are comming!

Are you sure it wasn't an aquired Iraqi BlackJack bomber lost from that top notch Loran navigation system!

They look a like you know....