MONROE COUNTY (WWJ) - Southeast Michigan residents say F-16 fighter jets with the Ohio National Guard's 180th Fighter Wing caused quite a scare as nighttime training for the unit continues this week.
Michiganders living in Allen Park, Monroe, Riverview, Newport and more all reported hearing the signature boom of the unit's fighter jets Monday night, which came as a shock for some.
"I thought we were getting blown up!!" one commenter said on social media. "I live super close to Fermi and when I tell you I was shook... I was literally shaking."
Another resident said she could hear them all the way in Allen Park.
"It sounded so cool, but I had no idea what it was so I was a little nervous, but it was pretty cool," she wrote.
"I was wondering wtf woke me up here in Monroe, MI," another person posted.
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"Apparently just flew over SE Michigan and scared the heck out of people here," a comment on the 180th Fighter Wing's page said.
The unit's Facebook page advises followers on nighttime training events, which they say is required of pilots and maintenance personnel as part of their overall readiness training.
WWJ reported on the unit's night flights last week, but two other days were added for Mon, April 11 and Thurs, April 14.
"Area residents may see or hear F-16 fighter jets taking off and landing until about 11:30 p.m.," a press release from the Ohio Air National Guard explained.
The unit said they try to push their schedules through on social media and through local news outlets but, "not everyone gets the message." A spokesperson said following the unit's social media pages will keep residents current on the most flight schedules.
"We periodically fly at night to make sure our pilots and crews stay ready for any world-wide contingency," the unit said.
They warned residents that certain weather conditions can amplify the sound of the aircraft's engines.
"F-16s are pretty loud, but if it's cloudy, the sound can bounce around more and seem even louder than it actually is," representatives for the unit said.
Some of the residents, such as one military veteran, welcomed the noise.
"Loved hearing you last night in Riverview, MI. Not as loud as on the ship, but definitely brought back memories," he wrote.
"Always ready for the Sound of Freedom, day or night," one poster wrote.
The unit's next nighttime flight is scheduled for April 14, weather permitting.
Residents and airplane enthusiasts can expect to see and hear the powerful F-16 jets landing and taking off from the unit's station at Eugene F. Kranz Toledo Express Airport in Ohio, located 10 miles south of the Michigan border.
If it is a clear night, residents is southeast Michigan can glimpse the jets as they pass over.
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