F-16 just buzzed my house

About 15 minutes ago an F-16 passed over my house here in Berkeley, CA.

Moving very fast going west to east.

We don't see them here unless it's Fleet Week (October) and the Blue Angels are here.

Just reporting, don't know why that jet passed over.

Anyone else here in the Bay Area see/hear it?

reply to post by berkeleygal


Sorry about that, I was texting someone when I should have been checking my altitude and watching where I was going! Anyway, did you see that guy on the bicycle in the road? I think he might have soiled himself!

They fly by daily in Sacramento, California. I'm no expert on what planes they are. It's normal to hear a jet fly by during the day. Also they spew out at the end large clouds. Which many ATS members call chemtrails.

reply to post by jackflap


No, didn't see that, but that's hilarious!

Yeah, I was in the kitchen and I heard it coming (I know what they sound like, I love the Blue Angels). Poked my head out the dining room window just as he passed over. Exciting!

But don't know why he was here.

reply to post by Romantic_Rebel


No trails of any kind from this one... flying FAST and low, was loud!

Like I said we don't see them here but rarely.

If you didn't see it, how can you know what plane it was?

Also do they brake the sound barrier over land, or just water over there?

reply to post by berkeleygal


It could of landed somewhere? We have a large public airport in my area and I think a place where they fly jets. San Fran is about a hundred miles from my area. So it should not take someone long to Launce, fly and then land.

reply to post by andy1033


I did see it, who says I didn't?

Anyway, I have not heard any break the sound barrier, ever... even when the blue angels are here. But I know they do.. Only time I ever heard the sound barrier broken was when I was little and Chuck Yeager flew over our home town, now that was exciting!

My Uncle is ex-military and told me that they are doing fly-over training mission's at low altitude under radar practice.

reply to post by berkeleygal


What was the sound like when you heard the sound barrier being broken?

What was the experience like?

reply to post by andy1033


It was a beautiful sunny clear day, my cousin and I were out on our bikes.. All of a sudden we heard what we thought was a huge clap of thunder. We raced home and Dad told us that Chuck Yeager had flown over Clarksburg, WV. It sounded just like thunder, very loud.

well I wouldn't get too upset about it.
My house gets buzzed about twice a month.
Mostly during daylight hours.

Just wanted to say f-16's are flown by the air force. Blue Angels fly f/a-18's.

When I went to Luke AFB for my F-16 training, on my "dollar ride," the first flight in a new aircraft, where the trainee doesn't have any real responsibilities, we went out into the military operating area and we had a few minutes to spare. The pilot (it was a B-model) decided to let me go ahead and take the controls, and kick in the afterburner. I did so and kept watching the Mach meter in the upper left part of the HUD, and it rolled through 0.95, 0.96, 0.97, and as I watched, it went to 1.00, 1.01, 1.02, and kept going.

I asked, "Did we just go through Mach?"

The guy laughed and replied, "You were expecting some turbulence, like in "The Right Stuff?"

I said, "I've only been above Mach in the T-38s, but I could tell it was coming. If I hadn't been watching the HUD, I wouldn't have known it had happened."

The Viper driver simply said, "Well, Chuck Yeager wasn't flying an F-16!"

reply to post by berkeleygal


Hey berkleygal,
I live in "near" clarksburg
WV.........wow.............................cool to hear from a WVian........i was in CA before.......once you see military planes you don't forget. They GET your attention. When you live in a military neighborhood you learn which plane is which.....like in VA Beach, I knew f4's from say.........chinoks......ha just kidding but you do learn the differences. Wing shapes and such. I am glad you heard the sound barrier broken, I would like too. I love Chuck Yeager......from WC too btw......wow and he had teeth and shoes.

reply to post by Truth1000


Great story!

Thanks for sharing.

Originally posted by abecedarian
Just wanted to say f-16's are flown by the air force. Blue Angels fly f/a-18's.

I too, am guessing you saw a F/A-18 doing training out of NAS Alameda. No real Air Force facilities left in the area to speak of except Travis in Fairfield and that is all transport and refueling. .

It is hard to tell what kind of aircraft just flew by when they're fast-movers. While there are not any F-16 bases in your area, there are some Reserve and ANG F-16 units located in position to have an aircraft in that area. Plus, sometimes crews will log on a "cross-country" mission to get extra practice with long-rage navigation, so the aircraft could have started a couple of states away before reaching your area.

That doesn't prove or disprove whether the aircraft was an F-16 or not, but it does make it plausible to be a Viper.

Originally posted by clay2 baraka
I too, am guessing you saw a F/A-18 doing training out of NAS Alameda. No real Air Force facilities left in the area to speak of except Travis in Fairfield and that is all transport and refueling. .

NAS Alameda is mostly closed. I believe only a museum remains operating.


I'd be more inclined to think it was a private jet taking off from SFO that was heard overhead, not a military one.

edit- nevermind. didn't see that the plane was spotted.

[edit on 5/18/2010 by abecedarian]

WoW you are so lucky! Here where I live all I ever get buzzed with are C-130's and Spookies practicing their "low n slows". I used to live near Moody AFB and loved seeing and hearing the 16's flying formation and breaking the sound barrier. Used to send tingles up my spine to see them fly around all day. I saw the Thunderbirds a couple of times, nothing like 5 or 6 aircraft breaking the sound barrier at once ahhh I got to plant my @$$ in an F-16 once at an air show, that was great!!!