Unknown Jet Noises

[Skeptic Ginger]

[sidetrack] My friend used to live right under the San Diego airport runway approach. We'd sit on the roof when jets were landing and they made the most incredible sci fi sound. I can't describe it in print, it was sort of a high pitched sound you'd hear in an old sci fi movie. [/sidetrack]

[Checkmite]

I've heard a couple different odd sounds and noises during my life. While in my middle/high school years in Ohio in the 90's, I also occasionally heard something very close to what the OP is describing; a sound like a jet engine, but certainly one which must've been stationary and operating at constant speed for significant periods of time. This ruled it out in my opinion as either a flying aircraft or an aircraft running up - in the first instance, the sound changes as the bird flies over and winds aloft break up the sound a bit as it filters down to you - and the plane and its sound only takes a few minutes to clear the area. The second instance would be more steady like the unidentified sound, but nobody runs up a jet for 45 minutes or more. I'm well familiar with the jet engine sound environment, having lived a significant portion of my childhood on an active Air Force base; and in any case, the nearest airliner-class airport was, while in the general direction the sound seemed to be coming from, over 30 miles distant during the time period in question. At one point I moved to a location which was only about 5 miles beeline from this very airport, and didn't hear this sound. My memory associates the jet sound mostly with the morning, and cool weather (although never during proper winter or freezing temperatures).

The noise was interesting because it didn't belong. I heard it rarely (only a couple times a year) and could not identify the source; which piqued my interest. I seem to remember very occasionally hearing something resembling a quite distant echoing "great steel pipes falling on concrete" sound associated with the jet sound, but I can't 100% vouch for this; the pipes-sound might've happened on different occasions and I'm misremembering them as related, or it may have been coincidental and stemmed from a completely unrelated source. But the whole thing lent the impression of some heavy industrial machinery somewhere, which only ran a couple of times a year. I searched in vain for nearby pipe mills and furnaces. There was a large steel plant roughly 5 miles to the west; but this sound certainly seemed to originate in the east, and visits to the vicinity of the plant did not yield any prolonged jet-sounds.

Where I live now, in the Gulf region, I have yet to hear anything like these sounds.

While living in the same place, about three times over the course of ten years or so I heard what sounded like an isolated explosion (at least two of these rattled the windows), always at night, which I could not associate with any local accidents or mishaps. I presumed them for sonic booms, although any jets making them in that location and certainly that time of day surely would've been breaking the law.

[smartcooky]

Originally Posted by petrov2500

Could you hear the engine testing from inside your house, or did you have to go outside or open a window to hear it. This still seems like the most likely explanation for what I hear and it explains why the noises sound like planes--because it is a plane engine.

Mostly I could near it at night (too much ambient nose during the day; road noise etc, and didn't have to go outside).

It only happened about 1 or 2 times per year.

Quote:

By the way, what is wrong with Christchurch?

Too shaky for my liking.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Ch...rch_earthquake

[Old man]

Originally Posted by aggle-rithm

Could it be grain-drying? I don't know much about the process, though, except that it takes a huge supply of natural gas once a year.

I like this. They do make quite a racket.

petrov2500, Is this noise short duration, or does it last for hours?

[DGM]

Originally Posted by petrov2500

, but I am near ~2mi to a power plant. I don't know if they make any loud noises.

It wouldn't happen to be a coal (or trash/wood) fired plant. If it is, that's most likely your noise. Every so often these plants need to cool down and restart. They use large fans/blowers to induce the draft to get them back up to speed.

These restarts are not quite by any stretch of the imagination.

[The Greater Fool]

In two different states I've lived near rocket / jet testing facilities. If the facility was upwind, we would often hear the tests, yet downwind not a peep. The facilities were 8-11 miles away.

[Mike!]

Originally Posted by smartcooky

I used to have that same thing happen when I lived near Christchurch International Airport.

It turned out to be Air New Zealand Maintenance test running a jet engine. Normally, I was too far away from the airport to hear it clearly, but if the wind was right, or if the night was very still or if they were pointing the aircraft in such a direction that the jet exhaust was pointing towards my place, I would hear it clearly, even though I was about 12 miles from the airport.

Such tests can often involve running the engine at Maximum Continuous Thrust for 10 - 15 minutes, and sometimes at "Take-Off" for extended period as well.

I feel sure this is what you are hearing.

I agree. Jet engines need to be test ran after repairs like any other engine.

[abaddon]

Originally Posted by petrov2500

Could you hear the engine testing from inside your house, or did you have to go outside or open a window to hear it. This still seems like the most likely explanation for what I hear and it explains why the noises sound like planes--because it is a plane engine.

By the way, what is wrong with Christchurch?

I have never been there so I have no idea.

But in answer to your question, there are a lot of variables, aircraft orientation, wind direction and so forth.

There are times when I can hear the tests indoors, times when I can only hear if I go out my back yard and times when I cannot hear at all, EVEN WHEN I CAN HEAR ON MY SCANNER THAT SUCH TESTS ARE IN PROGRESS.

It's a lottery. In my location, best bet is a still, frosty night for hearing it. Turboprops are the best. But it really is all down to wind, atmosphere, ambient sound, geography and such whether you will hear it or not at your location.

[petrov2500]

Originally Posted by Checkmite

I've heard a couple different odd sounds and noises during my life. While in my middle/high school years in Ohio in the 90's, I also occasionally heard something very close to what the OP is describing; a sound like a jet engine, but certainly one which must've been stationary and operating at constant speed for significant periods of time. This ruled it out in my opinion as either a flying aircraft or an aircraft running up - in the first instance, the sound changes as the bird flies over and winds aloft break up the sound a bit as it filters down to you - and the plane and its sound only takes a few minutes to clear the area. The second instance would be more steady like the unidentified sound, but nobody runs up a jet for 45 minutes or more. I'm well familiar with the jet engine sound environment, having lived a significant portion of my childhood on an active Air Force base; and in any case, the nearest airliner-class airport was, while in the general direction the sound seemed to be coming from, over 30 miles distant during the time period in question. At one point I moved to a location which was only about 5 miles beeline from this very airport, and didn't hear this sound. My memory associates the jet sound mostly with the morning, and cool weather (although never during proper winter or freezing temperatures).

The noise was interesting because it didn't belong. I heard it rarely (only a couple times a year) and could not identify the source; which piqued my interest. I seem to remember very occasionally hearing something resembling a quite distant echoing "great steel pipes falling on concrete" sound associated with the jet sound, but I can't 100% vouch for this; the pipes-sound might've happened on different occasions and I'm misremembering them as related, or it may have been coincidental and stemmed from a completely unrelated source. But the whole thing lent the impression of some heavy industrial machinery somewhere, which only ran a couple of times a year. I searched in vain for nearby pipe mills and furnaces. There was a large steel plant roughly 5 miles to the west; but this sound certainly seemed to originate in the east, and visits to the vicinity of the plant did not yield any prolonged jet-sounds.

Where I live now, in the Gulf region, I have yet to hear anything like these sounds.

While living in the same place, about three times over the course of ten years or so I heard what sounded like an isolated explosion (at least two of these rattled the windows), always at night, which I could not associate with any local accidents or mishaps. I presumed them for sonic booms, although any jets making them in that location and certainly that time of day surely would've been breaking the law.

The airport 30 miles distant seems to be too far away to explain the noise, unless they used really powerful engines or tested many at once. It seems you experienced the noise lasting longer then I have, which might indicate a different type of source.

Originally Posted by smartcooky

Mostly I could near it at night (too much ambient nose during the day; road noise etc, and didn't have to go outside).

It only happened about 1 or 2 times per year.

This fits with my experience. I mostly heard it at night or when its quiet in the house.

Originally Posted by Old man

I like this. They do make quite a racket.

petrov2500, Is this noise short duration, or does it last for hours?

It lasts around 10 minutes.

Originally Posted by DGM

It wouldn't happen to be a coal (or trash/wood) fired plant. If it is, that's most likely your noise. Every so often these plants need to cool down and restart. They use large fans/blowers to induce the draft to get them back up to speed.

These restarts are not quite by any stretch of the imagination.

The power plant I live near uses oil and gas, I just googled it.

[abaddon]

Originally Posted by petrov2500

The airport 30 miles distant seems to be too far away to explain the noise, unless they used really powerful engines or tested many at once. It seems you experienced the noise lasting longer then I have, which might indicate a different type of source.



This fits with my experience. I mostly heard it at night or when its quiet in the house.



It lasts around 10 minutes.



The power plant I live near uses oil and gas, I just googled it.

Originally Posted by abaddon

I have never been there so I have no idea.

But in answer to your question, there are a lot of variables, aircraft orientation, wind direction and so forth.

There are times when I can hear the tests indoors, times when I can only hear if I go out my back yard and times when I cannot hear at all, EVEN WHEN I CAN HEAR ON MY SCANNER THAT SUCH TESTS ARE IN PROGRESS.

It's a lottery. In my location, best bet is a still, frosty night for hearing it. Turboprops are the best. But it really is all down to wind, atmosphere, ambient sound, geography and such whether you will hear it or not at your location.

Respond to this. This is a daily and expected event for me. I possess the equipment to know you are wrong.

[Foolmewunz]

Originally Posted by abaddon

Respond to this. This is a daily and expected event for me. I possess the equipment to know you are wrong.

Uh.....

1. Did we forget to say "please"? "Respond to this" is rather imperious, dontcha think?
2. And what's he wrong about? Are we in a debate here or are we discussing the possible causes for the sounds he says he's hearing?

[abaddon]

Originally Posted by Foolmewunz

Uh.....

1. Did we forget to say "please"? "Respond to this" is rather imperious, dontcha think?

Yup, apologies indeed we did, but that was because of

Originally Posted by Foolmewunz

2. And what's he wrong about? Are we in a debate here or are we discussing the possible causes for the sounds he says he's hearing?

this egregious attempt to squeeze some mad paranormal malarkey out of nothing. There is a whole mad conspiracy theory out there about noises. This is no more a RFI than a leprechaun.

[Silly Green Monkey]

Explanations other than yours are mad paranormal malarky? Why couldn't it be a power plant running its blowers?

[Foolmewunz]

Originally Posted by abaddon

Yup, apologies indeed we did, but that was because of
this egregious attempt to squeeze some mad paranormal malarkey out of nothing. There is a whole mad conspiracy theory out there about noises. This is no more a RFI than a leprechaun.

This... attempt. Please read the posts by the OP again. And I will reiterate what I said before, the only mention of a woo explanation was me, making fun of the general trend we sometimes see. The OP clearly stated that he doesn't believe it's aliens (which I proposed as a joke) and no one has offered anything but plausible and "natural" (e.g. real) explanations, many of which he/she is commenting on and apparently judging the possibilities - quite fairly, I'd say.

We're trending towards Atheism Plus behavior here in GenSkep and in CT. The first thing we do is jump all over the person asking what appear to be loaded questions. Do we get brownie points for being the first to spot the troll, now. Would it kill us to wait a few posts and actually see what the person is asking and what they accept?

[Dancing David]

Originally Posted by aggle-rithm

Could it be grain-drying? I don't know much about the process, though, except that it takes a huge supply of natural gas once a year.

Grain drying is not that loud, harvest on the other hand...

[Checkmite]

Originally Posted by abaddon

Yup, apologies indeed we did, but that was because of
this egregious attempt to squeeze some mad paranormal malarkey out of nothing. There is a whole mad conspiracy theory out there about noises. This is no more a RFI than a leprechaun.

I'm aware of hoaxed videos featuring "sky noises", using a sound clip from "War of the Worlds" evidently. But this is the first I've heard of a "whole mad conspiracy theory out there about noises".

I'm pretty sure others here in this particular thread are under a similar impression as mine; that the sounds we've heard are industrial in origin. Not sure how you get "paranormal" from that. Cool your jet-sounds.

[petrov2500]

Originally Posted by abaddon

Yup, apologies indeed we did, but that was because of
this egregious attempt to squeeze some mad paranormal malarkey out of nothing. There is a whole mad conspiracy theory out there about noises. This is no more a RFI than a leprechaun.

I never made any claims about a conspiracy. How can you be so sure that it is engine tests, though I think that is a good explanation for it.

Originally Posted by Checkmite

I'm aware of hoaxed videos featuring "sky noises", using a sound clip from "War of the Worlds" evidently. But this is the first I've heard of a "whole mad conspiracy theory out there about noises".

I'm pretty sure others here in this particular thread are under a similar impression as mine; that the sounds we've heard are industrial in origin. Not sure how you get "paranormal" from that. Cool your jet-sounds.

There are many videos out there showing noises. I can't say how many are fake. Some of those videos depict noises similar to what I hear. Since people on this forum and elsewhere also report such noises, I don't think they are all fake. Also I'm not sure how much can be learned from videos on YouTube or elsewhere because the people recording it might not have high quality microphones on their camcorders. Does anyone know how good typical camcorders are at faithfully representing ambient sound? Are they more focused on producing video?

[Old man]

Originally Posted by Dancing David

Grain drying is not that loud, harvest on the other hand...

...And both usually last longer than 10 minutes.

[Checkmite]

Originally Posted by petrov2500

There are many videos out there showing noises. I can't say how many are fake. Some of those videos depict noises similar to what I hear. Since people on this forum and elsewhere also report such noises, I don't think they are all fake. Also I'm not sure how much can be learned from videos on YouTube or elsewhere because the people recording it might not have high quality microphones on their camcorders. Does anyone know how good typical camcorders are at faithfully representing ambient sound? Are they more focused on producing video?

Yes, none of the videos I've seen have replicated the noise I'm speaking of either.

I have very little experience with handheld videocameras; but such experience as I have does suggest that yes, the cameras tend to have great (even high-definition) video capability, but the audio systems are small and clearly of lesser priority in the overall design. And when it comes to cell phone video, of course the quality suffers even more. Usually in both cases the mics are directional, aimed in the direction the camera is pointing; they're not so great at catching ambient noise.

[petrov2500]

Originally Posted by Checkmite

Yes, none of the videos I've seen have replicated the noise I'm speaking of either.

I have very little experience with handheld videocameras; but such experience as I have does suggest that yes, the cameras tend to have great (even high-definition) video capability, but the audio systems are small and clearly of lesser priority in the overall design. And when it comes to cell phone video, of course the quality suffers even more. Usually in both cases the mics are directional, aimed in the direction the camera is pointing; they're not so great at catching ambient noise.

I've seen some videos that depict similar noises to what I hear. When I reach 15 posts, I'll post some links to videos.

[Dancing David]

Originally Posted by petrov2500

The airport 30 miles distant seems to be too far away to explain the noise, unless they used really powerful engines or tested many at once. It seems you experienced the noise lasting longer then I have, which might indicate a different type of source.

Again if the flight path points the jet engine noise of take off at you, you will hear it quite a distance.

[Dancing David]

Originally Posted by Old man

...And both usually last longer than 10 minutes.

Harvest is pretty amazing in general and can sound like a tank patrol

[Hellbound]

Originally Posted by petrov2500

I've seen some videos that depict similar noises to what I hear. When I reach 15 posts, I'll post some links to videos.

If you post it in non-URL form (for example, www-dot-google-dot-com instead of www.google.com), someone will repost it in link form for you. The 15 post rule is mainly to prevent link-spamming bots

[petrov2500]

Here is an example of something that sounds kind of like what I hear.

www (dot) youtube (dot) com (slash) watch?v=nMZEk-ODFbk

[petrov2500]

Originally Posted by Dancing David

Again if the flight path points the jet engine noise of take off at you, you will hear it quite a distance.

Planes taking off don't explain the noise, since it doesn't take 10 minutes to take off.

[RedRatSnake]

Originally Posted by petrov2500

Planes taking off don't explain the noise, since it doesn't take 10 minutes to take off.

Some one got a kerosene torpedo heater going ?


Tim

[dasmiller]

Originally Posted by petrov2500

Here is an example of something that sounds kind of like what I hear.

www (dot) youtube (dot) com (slash) watch?v=nMZEk-ODFbk

In that particular case, I'd note that the video was recorded in Mississauga, Ontario. Mississauga is a suburb of Toronto, notable primarily because it's the home of . . . Toronto International Airport.

I'm liking the engine test theory.

[petrov2500]

Originally Posted by dasmiller

In that particular case, I'd note that the video was recorded in Mississauga, Ontario. Mississauga is a suburb of Toronto, notable primarily because it's the home of . . . Toronto International Airport.

I'm liking the engine test theory.

I didn't know anything about the location from the video. It does give an idea as to what the noise I hear sounds like.

[Foolmewunz]

Originally Posted by petrov2500

I didn't know anything about the location from the video. It does give an idea as to what the noise I hear sounds like.

The point he's making is that it's the reason Mississauga exists. It was exurbia before the airport was put in. Now it's got lots of airport related businesses and feeder to those businesses, plus residential for people who work in those areas and don't want to commute.

It does lend credence to the "coming from airport in some fashion" theory.

[Biscuit]

It just occurred to me that "unknown jet noises" are just jet noises from an unknown location. They are still caused by jets.

[petrov2500]

The airport I live within 10 miles of is Newark International Airport http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newark_...tional_Airport. Here is 2 videos of someone from Jersey City (which is also close to Newark Airport) who heard similar noises.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bju3pHUL45w

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozrZphDFHGA

Maybe this is the same thing I hear.

[Dancing David]

Originally Posted by petrov2500

Planes taking off don't explain the noise, since it doesn't take 10 minutes to take off.

When I say that I mean it, so what happens after a plane takes off, it rises to a certain altitude, yes. It does so how?

In a long path? I am speaking from experience, not making this up, jet engines are very loud and if the flight path points the sound at you, you can hear the jet noise for about ten minutes.

The time that the engines are running full out is not just the time to reach air speed and take off, it is also during the ascent. I have experienced this at least four times and I am six miles from the local airport.

Heck there was an explosion in a burn tube at a factory 30 miles away that produced a sonic boom, it was heard for over fifty miles.

[autumn1971]

I grew up about 40 miles from a Pratt/Whitney facility in south Florida. If the wind was right I could hear engine tests. Granted, I think the really loud ones were rocket engines, but it was audible 40 miles away.

[Aardvark422]

I grew up 10-15 miles away from Norton Air Force Base in Southern California. We heard similar engine noises.

[Foolmewunz]

Originally Posted by petrov2500

The airport I live within 10 miles of is Newark International Airport http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newark_...tional_Airport. Here is 2 videos of someone from Jersey City (which is also close to Newark Airport) who heard similar noises.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bju3pHUL45w

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozrZphDFHGA

Maybe this is the same thing I hear.

If it's EWR, then I would presume it's engine tests. United and Continental have extensive service out of EWR and I'm sure they have maintenance facilities.

Next time you hear it, could you check the wind direction? If you're 10 miles out, it's pretty likely South or West? East would put you in Brooklyn and you'd never refer to your proximity to EWR if in Bkn, because you're closer to both JFK and LGA. North would take the sound right over the city of Newark, and I'd assume no noise could penetrate the city sound cushion. Ergo, I'd say you're sort of South of EWR (Carteret/Woodbridge) or on Staten Island because the prevailing winds (most times of the year) will be coming off the water and if you were west, you'd hear it more often*. But only now and then would the winds be more-or-less coming from the north or northeast. That'd explain why it's not so common.

*Presuming it's engines being revved at EWR after maintenance, the topography and wind still have to come into play because they'd certainly do such calibration/checking more than once a year.

[petrov2500]

Originally Posted by Dancing David

When I say that I mean it, so what happens after a plane takes off, it rises to a certain altitude, yes. It does so how?

In a long path? I am speaking from experience, not making this up, jet engines are very loud and if the flight path points the sound at you, you can hear the jet noise for about ten minutes.

The time that the engines are running full out is not just the time to reach air speed and take off, it is also during the ascent. I have experienced this at least four times and I am six miles from the local airport.

Heck there was an explosion in a burn tube at a factory 30 miles away that produced a sonic boom, it was heard for over fifty miles.

During the plane's ascent the engines won't be pointed at my house as they will be pointing on an upward angle. It might be possible that a plane could point toward my house during descent and landing but I don't think this is the case, as the runway is not in line with my house.

Do you know for certain if an aircraft sounds considerably louder if the jets are pointing directly at you?

Originally Posted by autumn1971

I grew up about 40 miles from a Pratt/Whitney facility in south Florida. If the wind was right I could hear engine tests. Granted, I think the really loud ones were rocket engines, but it was audible 40 miles away.

Originally Posted by Aardvark422

I grew up 10-15 miles away from Norton Air Force Base in Southern California. We heard similar engine noises.

It seems a lot of this forum's members hear similar noises near airports.

Originally Posted by Foolmewunz

If it's EWR, then I would presume it's engine tests. United and Continental have extensive service out of EWR and I'm sure they have maintenance facilities.

Next time you hear it, could you check the wind direction? If you're 10 miles out, it's pretty likely South or West? East would put you in Brooklyn and you'd never refer to your proximity to EWR if in Bkn, because you're closer to both JFK and LGA. North would take the sound right over the city of Newark, and I'd assume no noise could penetrate the city sound cushion. Ergo, I'd say you're sort of South of EWR (Carteret/Woodbridge) or on Staten Island because the prevailing winds (most times of the year) will be coming off the water and if you were west, you'd hear it more often*. But only now and then would the winds be more-or-less coming from the north or northeast. That'd explain why it's not so common.

*Presuming it's engines being revved at EWR after maintenance, the topography and wind still have to come into play because they'd certainly do such calibration/checking more than once a year.

I am in the general Woodbridge area (i rather not give away my exact location online); you seem to be familiar with the area, have you ever lived in New Jersey? What does EWR refer to?

[Aardvark422]

EWR is the airport code for Newark International.

[Foolmewunz]

Originally Posted by petrov2500

During the plane's ascent the engines won't be pointed at my house as they will be pointing on an upward angle. It might be possible that a plane could point toward my house during descent and landing but I don't think this is the case, as the runway is not in line with my house.

Do you know for certain if an aircraft sounds considerably louder if the jets are pointing directly at you?





It seems a lot of this forum's members hear similar noises near airports.



I am in the general Woodbridge area (i rather not give away my exact location online); you seem to be familiar with the area, have you ever lived in New Jersey? What does EWR refer to?

As mentioned, EWR is that recognized IATA code for Liberty Int'l (formerly Newark Int'l) Airport.

Yeah, didn't want you to reveal your location, necessarily, just playing Hercule Poirot in my spare time.

I was in logistics for many years and for a while ran a little depot/terminal in the invented town of Port Reading. "Port Reading" just sounded so much better than calling it "Rahway Depot". And it was right next to Carteret and the general Woodbridge area. There are a lot of distribution centers in that area because it's close enough to the ports in Elizabeth, Bayonne and Newark (and the airport, of course) yet far enough that hopping onto the NJ Tpk is much faster than if you're approaching from the port area, itself.

If you're in that area, I'd surmise either a bored pilot waiting for takeoff and running up the turbines (waiting times during evening rush hour can be up to an hour and if they're out on the tarmac on hold, they do quite often do a rev, but I can't recall any doing a ten minute steady gunning of the engines) or a plane that's come out of maintenance and they want to make sure the turbines do their thing properly for a long duration. And, as I said, the prevailing winds are usually off the Atlantic, so you'd get something blowing your way and carrying the noise to you only maybe 10% of the time and they'd have to be testing those engines on those days and you'd have to be home to hear it. All told, I'd say...

EWR
Engine Testing
Wind carrying the noise
The "pike" has very limited elevation and probably makes a nice channel through which the sound waves move.

[Dancing David]

Originally Posted by petrov2500

During the plane's ascent the engines won't be pointed at my house as they will be pointing on an upward angle. It might be possible that a plane could point toward my house during descent and landing but I don't think this is the case, as the runway is not in line with my house.

Do you know for certain if an aircraft sounds considerably louder if the jets are pointing directly at you?

I am assuming most of the noise comes from the rear of the engine, not the front. So a cartoid distribution from the rear, therefore on take off the planes engine are tilted downwards, and again I don't normally here engines noises, but flight paths vary.

If you look here you will see that on take off alot of the noise comes from fan exhaust and jet exhaust
http://www.nasa.gov/centers/glenn/about/fs03grc.html

[Foolmewunz]

Originally Posted by Dancing David

I am assuming most of the noise comes from the rear of the engine, not the front. So a cartoid distribution from the rear, therefore on take off the planes engine are tilted downwards, and again I don't normally here engines noises, but flight paths vary.

If you look here you will see that on take off alot of the noise comes from fan exhaust and jet exhaust
http://www.nasa.gov/centers/glenn/about/fs03grc.html

I think you can rule out planes taking off, landing, or holding.

Approaches INTO the airport (EWR, specifically) are very gradual, but planes taking off climb very rapidly as they do at most airports. It'd be conceivable that a plane approaching for landing could be low enough that he'd hear it,... but for upwards of ten minutes? I doubt it. He mentioned that there's none of the Doppler effect that you'd associate with a moving plane, I believe. Other than harriers and choppers, no airborne craft that I know of could stay in a single position for that time. Even a jet in a holding pattern is flying 50 to 100 mile circles. You wouldn't hear a consistent sound from a landing or takeoff or plane holding.