Buzzed by a Coast Guard C-130

The coolest thing happened last Sunday when we were anchored on the Dixie Arrow, over ten miles off Ocracoke Island NC. After completing the day's second dive, we noticed a Coast Guard C-130 in the distance. Didn't think much of it, as it's from the Elizabeth City CG station and is often seen patrolling the coast.

Well, it made three relatively tight circles around us and remained banked towards us the whole time. Then it seemed to almost get out of site until it turned around and came straight towards us and it couldn't have been more than 500 feet off the water. It went perfectly over us from bow to stern and was a completely awesome sight. We speculated that a new pilot was in training and they chose us as a "target" vessel in need of help. That last low run may have been a practice drop run of a life raft they would have done in a real situation.

Anyway, I have always been a big fan of the CG. The knowledge that they are around when we are offshore is always a comfort. Plus, that C-130 is definitely a neat piece of machinery. And to think it flies over the Wright Brothers monument in Kill Devil Hills every day. Wonder what Wilbur and Orville would have thought seeing something like that!

I was an aircrewman in a Navy patrol squadron back in the late 60's. We would go out to photograph ships , especially Russian trawlers, by flying a pattern at about 200 feet to get pictures of the ship from all sides.
We almost bought the farm one day doing it in foggy weather when we were in a banked turn through a fog bank and when we broke out of the fog bank it looked like the wing tip was about 2 feet from the water. The pilot whipped the aircraft back wings level and profusely apologized for scaring the you know what out of us.

I used to work on an oceanographic ship. The area above the bridge was known as steel beach and frequently had women out there sunning in their bikinis. The occasional coast guard helicopter would drop by, hover and check out the scenery.

I was a passenger on the late commute ferry from San Francisco to Larkspur one night. I was standing alone on the open bow with a bourbon in hand taking in the wonderful night air, while all the other passengers were inside, reading their papers or continuing to work.

I noticed some aviation lights in the distance which closed quickly. I was treated to a series of simulated attack runs by a pair of helicopter gunships.

It was very impressive and I felt a bit bad for my ignorant fellow passengers.


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captain:

I was an aircrewman in a Navy patrol squadron back in the late 60's. We would go out to photograph ships , especially Russian trawlers, by flying a pattern at about 200 feet to get pictures of the ship from all sides.

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What squadron? I was in VP4 out of Barbers Point, HI about that same time.

VP 94 NAS New Orleans

Be glad it wasn't an AC-130U flying around you.

Haha! Definitely wouldn't want to be on the wrong side of an AC-130U! Any Coast Guard folks on here, thanks for your service. As beautiful as that C-130 is, I'll bet it is even more so when you floating offshore wondering if you'll ever see land again.