The sound of rockets

[JR8]

Ok, strange question.

A few times a day I hear what sounds like a rocket-ship taking off. For perhaps 30 seconds there is a huge rumbling. It does not feel at all nearby, it has 'that greater sense of scale to it'.

It happened at 8.10am this morning, it's just happened again at 8.50am.


It is not traffic or anything similar, it is way way bigger, but apparently distant.

Has anyone else encountered this?

[Saint]

It's the A380 taking off

[Fortan]

It is a sign of spicy curry if you were sitting on the porcelain throne

[Max Headroom]

Ah, the penny just dropped. What's happened is this. It's not a plane taking off, it's actually a plane landing.

Because the winds have shifted to NE, planes now land whilst flying north. This means the back of their engine are pointing pretty much at us. The rumbling you hear is the din of the reverse thrusters kicking in, the same sound you hear when you're on the plane just after touching down, except now it's carried further on the NE and seems more, well, rumbly.

Planes always employ their reverse thrusters of course. It's just that most of the year they land whilst the back of their engines are facing away from us, i.e. they're flying into the SW breeze, our other monsoon season. So most of the year you won't hear the rumbling.

[JR8]

Nope, we live maybe 10 miles from Changi, so it's not planes landing (or even flying overhead, which they don't).

It is however a very distinctive sound, hence my original question.

[bgd]

Thunder?

[sundaymorningstaple]

Digestive troubles in the deep tunnel sewage system, perhaps?

[Max Headroom]

My money remains firmly on the reverse-thrusters. By the by, we hear it too.

Any fly-boys here that can shed some light on Rocketman's querie (read: confirm my answer ) ?

[ScoobyDoes]

Nope, we live maybe 10 miles from Changi, so it's not planes landing (or even flying overhead, which they don't).

It is however a very distinctive sound, hence my original question.

10-Miles isn't that far if the wind is in the right direction.

But there are loads of other airports around SG so it could be from any of them.

[JR8]

Are there B52s here?

[durain]

rocket?

maybe http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-china-blog-25181876

[JR8]

Dunno, but I doubt the Apollo style rockets.


The noise was going on again this p.m. Anyway, who knows....

[Saint]

Dunno, but I doubt the Apollo style rockets.


The noise was going on again this p.m. Anyway, who knows....

As I said before, it the A380 taking off or landing. If it's 30 seconds or more then it's taking off, around 10 seconds then landing with reverse thrusters.

I'm about 8 miles away and hear it loud and clear when wind in certain direction which it is now.

[JR8]

As I said before, it the A380 taking off or landing. If it's 30 seconds or more then it's taking off, around 10 seconds then landing with reverse thrusters.

I'm about 8 miles away and hear it loud and clear when wind in certain direction which it is now.

That's incredible, that it creates so much more noise that say a '747'. Seems a bit contrary to the supposed evolution of quiet/green aircraft.

I wouldn't have imagined being able to hear any aeroplane from 10 miles away, especially across an urban environment .

I wonder if A380s disturb the denizens of Kensington (10 miles from HRW).

[ScoobyDoes]

That's incredible, that it creates so much more noise that say a '747'. Seems a bit contrary to the supposed evolution of quiet/green aircraft.

There aren't a huge number of 747s coming into Changi anymore. SQ's are all gone whilst most of the rest are also using 777 and A330.