Military Helicopter Activity ?

bigdog · 06-08-2023, 09:49 AM

In the past several weeks, there has been a great deal of Military Helicopter traffic around the lake, especially at night. Last night a Blackhawk buzzed the house near the tree-tops, and scared the heck out of us?

I was in the Army and attached to a helicopter battalion, and we use to do flight training at night, but this isn't normal flight patterns, flying so low to the ground. Seems like this activity is a daily occurrence.

Anyone know what's going on, and why the increase in this type of traffic ?
Seems like they're prepping for an invasion !

chachee52 · 06-08-2023, 02:34 PM

Saw a couple last night too, and this AM I was over at the Hole in the Wall and saw 2 head toward Gilford from Ossipee area, and one came back about an hour later.
I've seen them do this in the past.
I remember right before the Gulf war they did training in the abandon mills in Lowell right on the river. They didn't tell anyone and man the 911 calls coming in for explosions and people were repelling out of the helicopters!! Pretty scary at first but funny after the fact.

WinterHarborGuy · 06-08-2023, 04:22 PM

A lot of helo activity over Winter Harbor today.

dickiej · 06-08-2023, 08:28 PM

It’s just the government spying on us…

GusMan · 06-08-2023, 10:04 PM

Really? Never heard of such a thing... gotta be kidding!

Gusman

tis · 06-09-2023, 05:15 AM

I heard on the news a group from North Carolina is doing some kind of joint training.

ApS · 06-09-2023, 07:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WinterHarborGuy

A lot of helo activity over Winter Harbor today.

A pair of helicopters "shot" the full length of the Wolfeboro airport on the morning of June 8th.

Quote:

Originally Posted by dickiej

It’s just the government spying on us…

The Wolfeboro airport was used several times for local resident Mitt Romney when he was an active candidate for President. Back then, I saw two helicopters parked there at the same time; peculiarly, neither were at the designated helicopter landing site.

Story behind NC jets:

https://www.wmur.com/article/fighter...-6823/44132455

steve-on-mark · 06-09-2023, 07:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tis

I heard on the news a group from North Carolina is doing some kind of joint training.

I think the North Carolina crew consisted of fighter jets, which were flying over Dover all day.

The Real BigGuy · 06-09-2023, 08:46 AM

I know they used to use NH as a surrogate for Europe when doing combat flight training. Wonder if the uptick has anything to do w/Ukraine?

Sent from my iPhone using Winnipesaukee Forum mobile app

NH.Solar · 06-09-2023, 09:40 AM

I live on a hilltop and look down over Squam to the north and becuse there are no hills between my property and where the Vt and NJ National Guard practices in the Sandwich Range I can hear the jets and choppers quite clearly. There has been quite a lot of activity the last few weeks so I imagine that there is a bigger than normal deployment coming up. Once they have shipped out it will be quiet for a month or two and then the practice activity will pick up again. This cycle has been going on for quite a few years now and as pointed out they use the White Mountains for practice because the terrain is similar to the mideast. It has become much noisier now however because the F16s have been replaced by the much louder F35s. I prefer silence but this practice is neccessary and the noise is just the cost and sound of freedom.

Islandbum · 06-09-2023, 11:38 AM

Wouldn’t be surprised if it’s deployment training for Haiti.

garysanfran · 06-09-2023, 06:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Islandbum

Wouldn’t be surprised if it’s deployment training for Haiti.

Damn. I was wishing San Francisco.

Weekend Pundit · 06-10-2023, 09:25 PM

It is my understanding an USAF fighter wing from North Carolina is training in NH, including training flights in MOA Yankee 1 and Yankee 2 (covers northern parts of the Lakes Region and the White Mountains) so I expect we'll see quite a bit of flight activity over the next few weeks. I believe most of the fighters are F-15E Strike Eagles used in ground attack. NHANG KC-46 tankers of the 157th Air Refueling Wing are also taking part in the exercises. I don't know if the helos are Army or Air Force.

welch-time · 06-11-2023, 08:12 AM

I recorded them practicing a few years ago. Very entertaining.
I think they are HH-60 Pave Hawks
I'd have major pucker factor if I was a passenger.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRwykNLlsj4

Blue Thunder · 06-14-2023, 06:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Weekend Pundit

I don't know if the helos are Army or Air Force.

My Flightracker App shows them to be US Army. There have been a few Blackhawks over here on Sebago the past couple of weeks.

steve-on-mark · 06-16-2023, 09:53 AM

The fighter jets just took off from Pease and are heading north...they should be up there in 5 minutes!

Sent from my Pixel 6 using Tapatalk

06-08-2023, 09:49 AM	#1
bigdog Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Central MA-Gilford Posts: 1,377 Thanks: 286 Thanked 109 Times in 90 Posts	Military Helicopter Activity ? In the past several weeks, there has been a great deal of Military Helicopter traffic around the lake, especially at night. Last night a Blackhawk buzzed the house near the tree-tops, and scared the heck out of us? I was in the Army and attached to a helicopter battalion, and we use to do flight training at night, but this isn't normal flight patterns, flying so low to the ground. Seems like this activity is a daily occurrence. Anyone know what's going on, and why the increase in this type of traffic ? Seems like they're prepping for an invasion !

06-08-2023, 10:04 PM	#5
GusMan Senior Member Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 122 Thanks: 0 Thanked 42 Times in 24 Posts	Unannounced bomber training in Lowell... Really? Never heard of such a thing... gotta be kidding! Gusman

06-09-2023, 09:40 AM	#10
NH.Solar Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2017 Location: Jackson Pond, New Hampton Posts: 206 Thanks: 35 Thanked 127 Times in 68 Posts	I live on a hilltop and look down over Squam to the north and becuse there are no hills between my property and where the Vt and NJ National Guard practices in the Sandwich Range I can hear the jets and choppers quite clearly. There has been quite a lot of activity the last few weeks so I imagine that there is a bigger than normal deployment coming up. Once they have shipped out it will be quiet for a month or two and then the practice activity will pick up again. This cycle has been going on for quite a few years now and as pointed out they use the White Mountains for practice because the terrain is similar to the mideast. It has become much noisier now however because the F16s have been replaced by the much louder F35s. I prefer silence but this practice is neccessary and the noise is just the cost and sound of freedom. __________________ Peter NH Solar

06-10-2023, 09:25 PM	#13
Weekend Pundit Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Gilford Posts: 265 Thanks: 17 Thanked 42 Times in 24 Posts	Joint Training It is my understanding an USAF fighter wing from North Carolina is training in NH, including training flights in MOA Yankee 1 and Yankee 2 (covers northern parts of the Lakes Region and the White Mountains) so I expect we'll see quite a bit of flight activity over the next few weeks. I believe most of the fighters are F-15E Strike Eagles used in ground attack. NHANG KC-46 tankers of the 157th Air Refueling Wing are also taking part in the exercises. I don't know if the helos are Army or Air Force.

06-11-2023, 08:12 AM	#14
welch-time Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2016 Location: Welch Island Posts: 117 Thanks: 4 Thanked 66 Times in 31 Posts	I recorded them practicing a few years ago. Very entertaining. I think they are HH-60 Pave Hawks I'd have major pucker factor if I was a passenger. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRwykNLlsj4 Last edited by welch-time; 06-11-2023 at 08:53 AM.

06-08-2023, 02:34 PM	#2
chachee52 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Tyngsboro, MA and Gilford, NH Posts: 361 Thanks: 6 Thanked 72 Times in 58 Posts	Saw a couple last night too, and this AM I was over at the Hole in the Wall and saw 2 head toward Gilford from Ossipee area, and one came back about an hour later. I've seen them do this in the past. I remember right before the Gulf war they did training in the abandon mills in Lowell right on the river. They didn't tell anyone and man the 911 calls coming in for explosions and people were repelling out of the helicopters!! Pretty scary at first but funny after the fact.

06-08-2023, 04:22 PM	#3
WinterHarborGuy Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2020 Location: Wolfeboro Posts: 58 Thanks: 13 Thanked 29 Times in 16 Posts	A lot of helo activity over Winter Harbor today.

06-08-2023, 08:28 PM	#4
dickiej Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: White Salmon, WA Posts: 286 Thanks: 21 Thanked 162 Times in 89 Posts	It’s just the government spying on us…

06-09-2023, 05:15 AM	#6
tis Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 6,222 Thanks: 690 Thanked 1,322 Times in 917 Posts	I heard on the news a group from North Carolina is doing some kind of joint training.

06-09-2023, 08:46 AM	#9
The Real BigGuy Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 1,039 Thanks: 94 Thanked 382 Times in 227 Posts	I know they used to use NH as a surrogate for Europe when doing combat flight training. Wonder if the uptick has anything to do w/Ukraine? Sent from my iPhone using Winnipesaukee Forum mobile app

06-09-2023, 11:38 AM	#11
Islandbum Member Join Date: Apr 2017 Location: Some farm on an island somewhere Posts: 22 Thanks: 1 Thanked 7 Times in 6 Posts	Wouldn’t be surprised if it’s deployment training for Haiti.

The Following 5 Users Say Thank You to welch-time For This Useful Post:
CL 240 LS (06-11-2023), KennyFromBoston (06-14-2023), SAMIAM (06-11-2023), Weekend Pundit (06-13-2023), WinterHarborGuy (06-11-2023)

06-16-2023, 09:53 AM	#16
steve-on-mark Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Epping, NH / Mark Island Posts: 1,567 Thanks: 147 Thanked 626 Times in 352 Posts	The fighter jets just took off from Pease and are heading north...they should be up there in 5 minutes! Sent from my Pixel 6 using Tapatalk __________________ ....keeping " urban decay " out of photos for nearly a year.

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