Quoted:
Ask Troy how loud a B-1 bomber is, sitting on the runway with full afterburners... [BD]
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OH MY GOD!
So the B-1B taxis out to the far runway, about 150 yards from the ropeline. The airshow announcer says, "Ok, folks, this one gets kind of loud."
Now, earlier we had had six F-16Cs spool up, then turn around with engines facing the crowd, and taxi out. A B-52G had done a fly-by. I thought I knew what loud was.
As the B-1B starts spooling the engines up, making little noise, I look over at DVDTracker and comment, "Huh, that isn't loud." "I know," he replies. Over the next 20 seconds or so, the engines get louder and louder.
"Ok, that's pretty loud," I say, leaning in and using a loud voice. "Yeah."
30 more seconds go by. "DAMN, THAT'S FRICKIN' [b]LOUD![/b]" DVD nods.
Another 30 seconds. "..........." I shouted, not able to hear if I'm actually making any noise or not. The tarmac, which I happen to know is 24" thick of reinforced concrete, is shaking under our feet. The turkeyfeathers of the burners start to spread out, and the afterburners kick in, and it starts to get REALLY loud. Finally, the pilot trips the breaks and the thing takes off on burner.
Folks, when the airshow announcer tells you that a plane will be loud, BELIEVE HIM.
-Troy