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C-5A's In The Boston Area

767ALLTHEWAY From United States of America, joined Nov 1999, 659 posts, RR: 0
Posted (12 years 4 days 3 hours ago) and read 872 times:

I live about 15 miles north of Boston in North Reading which is near the former Hanscom AFB/now Bedford/Hanscom Field. And recently there have been several C-5A Galaxies flying around at a low level. Does anyone know what there doing around here last week I saw a low level 707 EWACs Aircraft (sorry, i dont know the official designation of the 707 ewacs). Thanks

"Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgement that something else is more important than fear"

4 replies: All unread, jump to last

B747 From United States of America, joined May 1999, 245 posts, RR: 2
Reply 1, posted (12 years 3 days 21 hours ago) and read 703 times:

Westover Air Reserve Base is a little to your west. They have several C-5A's assigned there. I once flew through there on a C-5 myself. The Air Force does something that they call "locals" which means they fly around for periods of usually 4 hours for pilot, and crew training. I would guess this is what they were doing. Sometimes they will get a 100 miles or so from their home base while doing this. Only speculation that is what they were doing, but my best guess.
Hope this helps,
Brian

At Pope, where not happy, until you're not happy!

JohnM From United States of America, joined Feb 2001, 310 posts, RR: 0
Reply 2, posted (12 years 3 days 16 hours ago) and read 695 times:

I agree 100% B747. My wife's family lives in Ludlow, very close to Westover, and MANY folks out that way are not big fans of Uncle Sam and/or the C-5. I imagine that they try to get out of the local pattern some, as not to get too many complaints. Some of the Bay Staters it seems don't enjoy the sound of freedom. I see Westover and Stewart airplanes here at Dover every now and then for locals. Maybe they are on part scouting missions!

Tomh From United States of America, joined May 1999, 960 posts, RR: 3
Reply 3, posted (12 years 3 days 5 hours ago) and read 685 times:

How do you know they are not C-5Bs?

Anyway, Westover ARB in Chicopee, MA., about 100 mi. west of your location is home to the 439AW/337AS. This organization operated about a dozen C-5As. During local flights, their callsign is usually "Rod" followed by a number. Look for a red or blue horizontal stripe on the vertical stabilizer.

If you can get a scanner radio (UHF AM capability is desired) you can listen to the Hanscom tower/approach and get a fair idea of what's going in there.

I seriously doubt that any unnessesary military flights (like practice approaches) are taking place at BED due to the high-profile resistance by some local residents who object to this 60-year old airport being used as an airport.

Still, a scanner might help you answer the old question-"Who are these guys?"

TomH