Two days consecutively we have been woken by the sound of Air Force jets taking off from DM; full afterburner and low over Laksi and Ngamwonwan. Just now I thought I heard sonic booms, but might be wrong...

Anyone know why after years of quiet, those planes are off the runway and over Bangkok suburbs?

Because Don Muang is a military base used by the CIA and crappy low cost domestic carriers.

Suggest that it might have to do with childrens day today & Air Force Open Day with flight demos ??

Because Don Muang is a military base used by the CIA and crappy low cost domestic carriers.

Hint "after years of quiet" suggests a change, not lack of familiarity... Also pretty sure I mentioned Air Force, not Air Asia, but thanks I guess...

Children's Day, and a chance to get some hours in as fuel costs are down. They need to keep their edge and Yes Thailand has some really switched on Pilots.

HA! You must live near me. I wondered yesterday when they were flying over my house all morning. It is for Childrens day at the air base. The place was full yesterday..

All peaceful today...

Because Don Muang is a military base used by the CIA and crappy low cost domestic carriers.

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It is not used by the CIA, but it is used by the Thai Air Force and sometimes also used in exercises by other ASEAN and U.S. military aircraft during joint exercises.

High performance jet fighter aircraft normally take off with minimum fuel load on take off to minimize time to operating altitude, then immediately after take-off join up with an orbiting tanker aircraft to take on fuel for their mission

They will often use afterburners and a high rate of climb to get to the tanker.

It's noisy.

The reason they do this when operating from areas where there might be civilian aircraft is to get up above an altitude where a civilian aircraft might be flying as soon as possible after take-off.

Once they are up a altitude, they "throttle back" and go locate the tanker and refuel in the air..

That's what they would due if it was a real combat mission, and simulated alert operations use the same profile.

Because Don Muang is a military base used by the CIA and crappy low cost domestic carriers.

----------------------------

It is not used by the CIA, but it is used by the Thai Air Force and sometimes also used in exercises by other ASEAN and U.S. military aircraft during joint exercises.

High performance jet fighter aircraft normally take off with minimum fuel load on take off to minimize time to operating altitude, then immediately after take-off join up with an orbiting tanker aircraft to take on fuel for their mission

They will often use afterburners and a high rate of climb to get to the tanker.

It's noisy.

The reason they do this when operating from areas where there might be civilian aircraft is to get up above an altitude where a civilian aircraft might be flying as soon as possible after take-off.

Once they are up a altitude, they "throttle back" and go locate the tanker and refuel in the air..

That's what they would due if it was a real combat mission, and simulated alert operations use the same profile.

didn;t know that the RTAF had refueling capably aircraft. Looking at what the have in their inventory see some old C-130 but not mentioned has being used for that mission.

Because Don Muang is a military base used by the CIA and crappy low cost domestic carriers.

----------------------------

It is not used by the CIA, but it is used by the Thai Air Force and sometimes also used in exercises by other ASEAN and U.S. military aircraft during joint exercises.

High performance jet fighter aircraft normally take off with minimum fuel load on take off to minimize time to operating altitude, then immediately after take-off join up with an orbiting tanker aircraft to take on fuel for their mission

They will often use afterburners and a high rate of climb to get to the tanker.

It's noisy.

The reason they do this when operating from areas where there might be civilian aircraft is to get up above an altitude where a civilian aircraft might be flying as soon as possible after take-off.

Once they are up a altitude, they "throttle back" and go locate the tanker and refuel in the air..

That's what they would due if it was a real combat mission, and simulated alert operations use the same profile.

I wouldn't mind this because it's pretty standard. Yesterday was singles, pairs, and triples flying pretty low....maybe a 2,000 feet. Close enough to clearly see the external tanks on the Alphas.