Military aircraft in skies above Melbourne?

[foreigncorrespondent]

Guys, what is going on? For the last few weeks, at least once a day I hear a military aircraft fly over head.

Because they are so fast and must be coming in from the bay (I live in a beach side suburb of Melbourne) I don't hear them until they are pretty much on top of my home. So as yet, I haven't been able to race out side and see the actual plane.

One flew over yesterday and must have gotten somewhere around Frankston when I heard the sonic boom they make when they hit the speed of sound.

Has anyone else experienced this, or have any idea about what might be going on?

[Lil]

1. Hi - F. C. - I live in Mentone, between Melbourne and Frankston.

I will keep ears open and eyes peeled.

[foreigncorrespondent]

2. Thanks, Lil.

I'm in Bonbeach, so we are virtually neighbours. :)

[lenidog]

3. Last time I checked

Australia did have an air force and if they are like air forces everywhere they do like the pilots to take the planes up once in a while. Also if haven't seen the planes how do you know they are military?

[foreigncorrespondent]

4. Very simple!

By how fast they are moving and the sound they make. I have never heard a commercial airliner make this certain sound, or seen one move so fast. BTW, when was the last time you heard of a commercial airliner making a sonic boom?

And I never said Australia didn't have an Air Force, I know we do. But I was aksing my fellow Aussies if they have heard about anything regarding this.

I am not speculating about anything. Nor am I making up conspiracies here. I am merely asking the question simply because where I live, it isn't very common to hear jets of any kind.

[Lil]

5. Howard gave US ok to use Northern Australia for weapon experiment

Hi neighbor,

I wonder if the jets could have anything to do with that. Just a thought. I havent' heard anything yet. Have you heard more?

Lil

[foreigncorrespondent]

6. I haven't heard any...

...since the weekend (but I have been working most days this week.) But a bloke my mum works mentioned hearing military jets over the weekend. Of course when mum heard this her ears pricked up. LOL

Yeah, it could very well be related to everything that is going to be happening up north, who knows?

Anyway, have a great Friday tomorrow. It is gonna be a hot one. :)

[Tashi]

7. Americans using WA for bombing practice.

Just pray it doesn't happen near to you..

an email from a friend.

"This afternoon since 1.30pm Hornets from the USS Stennis are dropping LIVE bombs on Western Australia

just 120km from the capital of WA Perth and only 8km ( 2 secs )from homes of locals

this is OUTRAGEOUS !

in 2002 when the aussie govt wanted to expand this training area to over twise the size ( at the request of the yanqis ) the excuse was so it would be safe for air to ground bombing ( admiting it was NOT safe at its present size )............. but the expansion was defeated

then a few months later ( jan 2003 )the Abe Lincoln turned up on its way to Iraq and did ATG bombing but they said that was ok because they only used inert bombs they just started bushfires

in July 2003 the Vinson came and in March this year the kitty hawk .........

despite fire risk they used smoke bombs ..... showing little respect for the locals

but now in complete secrecy they have escalated to using LIVE bombs

we dont hear the actual bombing with inert bombs ( just the noise of the planes ) but starting at 1.30 we hear loud explosions and feel the vibration

we have had no official notification of the US visit and have no phone
number to complain to

I thought of ringing the US consulate but if I spoke to an american I
think I might end up in gaol

they just keep treating us with such contempt ( sorry but they
are arrogant *****s )
if they do this to the people of so called allies I can image what they
do to others ...........there is no excuse for treating people like us
here at Lancelin like this ........ making it unbearable to live in our
own homes ............ no wonder so many people in the world hate
americans ! they have no decency and no respect for anyone ..........

not that the Aussie military and our govt are not to blame as well

friday night the noise of the planes flying over was terrible - and went
on well after dark

after that I couldnt face it saturday so we went out for the day -
forced to leave our home by bloody american arrogance

After we got home last night we had a helicopter flying low
over our homes at arround 8pm

dunno what time they will finish tonight have a bad feeling they may
save the worse for the end

but this is one of the top 25 places in the world for biodiversity and full of unique flora and fauna eg the bottlebrush in the foreground

it is teeming with kangaroos, emus and echidna

further north there are also banksia woodlands

I would expect it to be blackened sandhills now ......... will try and go and get some new pics when the area is opened again next week

when they are bombing there is a sentry at the gate ....... but most of the area is "permissive occupancey" and when they are not bombing public access is allowed

but the actual impact area of 1000ha is always closed and has a fence."

[foreigncorrespondent]

8. Yes I know!

The trouble with the letter from your mate is, he/she is blaming the Americans, and he/she can't do that. HOWARD gave the yanks permission to do this.

What your mate needs to do is take this to every left leaning newspaper in Australia, so the truth hits right around the nation. From there the people can begin to work together.

[SweetLeftFoot]

9. I'm from Melbourne

Living in Scotland at the moment ... but ... don't forget that Point Cook RAAF base is just across the bay from you and there are occassionally Hornets there.