Jet sighting from Jove

They do a lot of low mountain flying practice over the Cascades. I've heard it's from the Whidbey base. I have to think any such run is a "fun ride," but I'm sure it's all paid for in order that the pilots get practice. I've seen this multiple times in the mid-north Cascades. Kinda cool, but startlingly noisy.

Washington benefits economically from a massive military presence and that means lots of training that includes all types of watercraft, aircraft, and ground vehicles.  In discussions at Ft. Lewis commanders were complaining about the 78,000 acres being too small for ground exercises with modern vehicles (and they do use Yakima TC as well, taking trains there) and I suggested they might rent Capital Forest from the DNR.  US Military is the number one use of oil-based fuels in the US.

Oh yeah, and I wish I could have ridden with my brother in his gunship during his high speed terrain hugging flights in Korea, Kuwait, Iraq, Afghanistan, ... practice was in the US (but not in wilderness areas ).

I got that, I was joking too.

FWIW, the north facing treed slopes behind the jet are kind of fun. I rode off of 5576 with my dog last winter.

US Military is the number one use of oil-based fuels in the US.

In the world.....

I object far more to the week long grandstanding/recruitment exercise of the Blue Angels over Lake Washington every year with it's associated traffic snarl ups, noise pollution and risk of crashing in a dense urban environment.

Perhaps the best way to avoid the need for our fighter pilots to train in our mountains is to just not send them to war in mountainous regions?

Nimby.

In the world.....

I object far more to the week long grandstanding/recruitment exercise of the Blue Angels over Lake Washington every year with it's associated traffic snarl ups, noise pollution and risk of crashing in a dense urban environment.

Perhaps the best way to avoid the need for our fighter pilots to train in our mountains is to just not send them to war in mountainous regions?

Nimby.

How 'bout not sending them to any unnecessary war, anywhere? Use the savings to develop more National Recreation Areas and rehabilitate our excessively degraded forests?

How 'bout not sending them to any unnecessary war,

Sounds v.good to me. V.unlikely but v.good.

Use the savings to develop more National Recreation Areas and rehabilitate our excessively degraded forests?

Not sure that the $s shouldn't be used on significantly more pressing needs though.

anywhere?

Until then the bitching about them training seems....ermmmmm....... silly?

Some of my most memorable experiences with Jets have been looking down at one crossing the valley as I stood on Glacier Peak and another jet passing over us numerous times on Summit Chief Col. The coolest had to be a helicopter hovering over me as I skinned across the Blue Glacier on Mt. Olympus, it followed me for what felt like 10 minutes.