Today, around 4:30, There was this big reverberating boom. I live a few km south of Bern in a valley, so I don't know if there were echos or what. It didn't seem like thunder - was wondering if anyone else heard it. I also heard some aircraft noises - was wondering if someone was up there exceeding the sound barrier.

Anyone else hear it, or should I add auditory hallucinations to my list of attributes?

Didn't hear it, but we do get a sonic boom from time to time, infrequent though. If you are down Belp way, the reverberation down the valley would likely amplify it.

Yep, that's exactly where we are...and it does reverberate a lot here. Thanks!

Funily enough. I heard such a big plane nosie today from Muri that I came out on my balcony to look up in the sky but I didn't hear anything.. but it was after 5.00pm..

And I thought that you were going to tell us about loads of new businesses opening up in the area

I'm in Thun and heard exactly the same thing....made the windows shake.

No idea what it was but it didn't sound much like a plane....

Very strange

The Swiss Air Force aren't up at that time of the morning. Operating hours are 08:30 to 12:00 and 13:30 to 17:00 with night flying Monday or Tuesday evenings up to 22:00 (local).

So all you need to do is invade at lunchtime at you'll have a free ride

Was 4.30pm.......

There is a rare phenomena in the alps called "Bergschlag" not to be confused with the Schlagwetter in mining.
Under certain conditions when the weather changes there can be a low frequency boom, almost like thunder without the lightning.
I have heard it once or twice when I lived in Obertauern, very eerie indeed.

Oops, should have read properly, I was thinking am. Yup, afternoon gets you into the sonic boom theory then. Very likely. There is no reason to hit the sound barrier during training, but there's very little you can do when you're flying at high speed just below Mach 1.0 and then you descend a little and "bang"! Just a note for plane fans, next week is the Air Force's mountain airshow up at Axalp:

http://www.lw.admin.ch/internet/luft..._ebenfluh.html

This gives you a chance to catch some of the hardware that your taxes buy.

__________________
Crash your karma into little bits of happiness

Yowser, just checked the dates, wednesday and thursday.
May be able to get some holls.
Anybody going?

If the plane is traveling at Mach 1 (1,225 kmh), it is pretty much long gone before the boom lands, especially if they are flying pretty high, so you usually never hear the plane's engine.

It was a sonic boom: a military jet crossed the sound barrier in Valais. Wish I had heard it!

Here's the release from Le Matin:

http://www.lematin.ch/actu/mur-fait-...-valais-331276

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oooh. cool. In the Valais though...huh. I guess I'm not that far from the valais as the plane flies.

Yep, I'll be at Axalp on 13th, weather permitting, great show, if a little short :-)

Chris

Great - thanks - heard it half a dozen times since moving in a year ago

I knew the theory of the whole thing, but I find it astonishing that something the size of a large car flying on the other side of the Alps can put his foot down and literally make my house shake!! Thats pretty cool!

had it in zurich a few months back. almost like a bomb

Just had a window shaking boom south of Bern. Must have been 10AM. Anyone else hear it?

Yep, office shook a little bit, along with the noise.

Edit: in Wankdorf, so north-ish Bern.