It’s an emergency! Sound the bugle!

akjuneau May 15, 2009 5 Comments

I live within earshot of ALL the noise going on around the airport this week as the 148th Fighter Wing conducts some training exercises.

I’m used to all the military fighters and other planes overhead, and I still enjoy looking up into the sky to see them.

But sometime last night, I groggily woke up to what sounded like bugles playing over a tornado siren. I wasn’t sure if I had been dreaming until just now, when (in a fully awake state) I heard it again – and it was clearly coming from over by the airport. I’d never heard it before last night.

The sound is a constant tornado siren noise, with a few overriding bursts of what sound like bugles playing a melody of 8-12 notes. The whole thing lasts maybe 45 seconds. I’d like to know what that sound signals to the military personnel. Does anyone out there know?

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5 Comments

vicarious

about 16 years ago 

I spend most days at the airport in flight training. Today the 148th was sounding a practice "deploy" alarm every hour or so. This may be what you heard... it does indeed sound like a tornado siren interspersed with a modulating tremolo.

Cathyp

about 16 years ago 

Thanks for the info. I was wondering why it sounded like there was a firefight over Lake Superior last night. I would have appreciated it if they had not done it at midnight!

zra

about 16 years ago 

in order to keep up flight qualifications, fighter pilots have to log in a certain amount of nighttime flying. this is pretty much standard in any flight-type industry, from military to commercial.

depending on the number of hours that need to be logged, this might take anywhere from a couple of days to a week or so. time logged in flight simulators aren't applicable toward actual air time, so they are unfortunately compelled to keep you up for a few nights in order to maintain their flight status.

The Big E

about 16 years ago 

I was kind of amused by how much pre-event warning they issued--I wondered if the New York photo fiasco had something to do with that.

Meghann

about 16 years ago 

The base is getting ready for an inspection.

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