Large Scale Central

Noise complaint from Luke AFB, AZ

General Discussion
#1

Luke AFB is west of Phoenix and is rapidly being surrounded by civilization that complains about the noise from the base and its planes, forgetting that it was there long before they were.

A certain lieutenant colonel at Luke AFB deserves a big pat on the back.

Apparently, an individual who lives somewhere near Luke AFB wrote the local paper complaining about a group of F-16s that disturbed his/her day at the mall. When that individual read the response from a Luke AFB officer, it
must have stung quite a bit.

The Complaint:

“Question of the day for Luke Air Force Base: Whom do we thank for the morning air show? Last Wednesday, at precisely 9:11 a.m., a tight formation of four F-16 jets made a low pass over Arrowhead Mall, continuing west over Bell Road at approximately 500 feet. Imagine our good fortune! Do the Tom Cruise-wannabes feel we need this wake-up call, or were they trying to impress the cashiers at Mervyns early bird special? Any response would be appreciated.”

The Response:

Regarding “A wake-up call from Luke’s jets” (Letters, Thursday):

On June 15, 2005at precisely 9:12 a.m., a perfectly timed four-ship flyby of F-16s from the 63rd Fighter Squadron at Luke Air Force Base flew over the grave of Capt. Jeremy Fresques. Capt. Fresques was an Air Force officer who was previously stationed at Luke Air Force Base and was killed in Iraq on May 30, Memorial Day.

At 9 a.m. on June 15, his family and friends gathered at Sunland Memorial Park in Sun City to mourn the loss of a husband, son and friend. Based on the letter writer’s recount of the flyby, and because of the jet noise, I’m
sure you didn’t hear the 21-gun salute, the playing of taps, or my words to the widow and parents of Capt. Fresques as I gave them their son’s flag on behalf of the President of the United States and all those veterans and servicemen and women who understand the sacrifices they have endured.

A four-ship flyby is a display of respect the Air Force pays to those who give their lives in defense of freedom. We are professional aviators and take our jobs seriously, and on June 15 what the letter writer witnessed was
four officers lining up to pay their ultimate respects.

The letter writer asks, “Whom do we thank for the morning air show?”

The 56th Fighter Wing will make the call for you, and forward your thanks to the widow and parents of Capt. Fresques, and thank them for you, for it was in their honor that my pilots flew the most honorable formation of their lives.

#2

The problem is the complainer probably still doesn’t get it…:frowning:

#3

I’ve been visiting Sun City off-and-on for 35 years. (In-laws).
There was nothing out there but Lukes back then. I enjoyed every take off and landing!
I’d go park by the end of the runway (Out side the fence) and watch the activity for hours.
Both my In-laws are now buried at Sunland Memorial Park.
To the person who wrote that letter to the AF-----%$&# $%#!!!
TOG

#4

Although I’m a good 10 miles from the end of the runway at Fairchild AFB, my house is in the landing path. I do enjoy watching the KC135 tankers fly over…and sometimes there are other strange craft that I’m not familiar with. Always a pleasure to watch. I do miss the B52’s though…:frowning:

As Spokane International is next door to Fairchild, I also get a lot of their flights…:frowning: It’s always just another UPS plane. :confused: I also catch the end of the runway at Felts Field too. And that is a real treat when the old warbirds come visiting. Had a couple WWII bombers flying over the house just a couple weeks ago (a B24 and a B25 if I recall correctly).

#5

We are members and volunteers at the Western Railway Museum. It’s located about 135 miles away on CA State Hwy. 12 between Fairfield and Rio Vista, CA. Fairfield is home to Travis Air Force Base where the 60th Air Mobility Wing is based. This is the Air Force’s west coast heavy lift center, operating C-5s, C-17s and KC-10s. There are also lots of contractor airplanes, usually 747s, DC10s and similar ‘heavy’ passenger and cargo planes. The Travis main runway departure corridor crosses Hwy. 12 about 4 miles west of the museum and the pattern extends over the WRM.

As we were arriving at the WRM last weekend, a C5 was departing very low right over the highway. Great sight! Later a KC10 was in the pattern for well over an hour. It’s a treat to see these various aircraft arriving, departing or practicing touch and goes while we’re visiting the museum. It really makes us remember the folks protecting our freedom to pursue our hobbies!!

I don’t think that gets through to many folks these days. Here at home, we have a local resident who regularly complains about military aircraft operating (at high altitudes) in the MOA above her property. Ignore the fact that the MOA existed long before she moved there. I finally told her that she could opt-out of military protection in the event of war. She actually started to ask how to do that. Great American neighbors here in N. CA!!

Happy RRing,

Jerry Bowers

#6

Jet noise = the Sound of Freedom.

When our nearby USAF base closed to flying operation back in 1995 it took me at least two years to get used to not hearing the weather ship taking off at 7am every day, and even more to ‘forget’ the sounds of the morning ‘Dragon Lady’ taking off.

I was lucky enough, as a recce specialist, to spend a large amount of my service time with jets, from the ordinary to the very extra-ordinary, and loved every minute of it.

My ‘birthday present’ from my Dutch squadron leader was to fly me inverted down the runway at ****** Air Base at 200 feet at midnight in a two-seat F-16…

No names…[wink]

Like the man said, if you don’t like jets, don’t relocate to live under the flight path - OTOH, maybe these folks do it just so’s they CAN bitch about it.

Screw 'em.

tac

#7

Shoulda redirected the take off pattern over Mr Idiots house, only at night of course :wink:

This happened here in El Toro and at Miramar also, idiots look at the homes during the hour they are in the tract, buy homes and then when the first fighter takes off there like “Where the hell did that come from? What? That base has planes? they take off from there? Holy Carp! We didnt think they actuall used the base!”

Yeah Sherlock, thats what those aircraft displays at the entry gates represent, what part of “Naval Air Station” or “Marine Corp Air Station” did you NOT understand driving by it house hunting, El Toro got surrounded by Morons…and they eventually shut down and moved to China Lake.

PS my captions up there are based on actual conversiations with residents when I worked down there, some were a severe bunch of idiots with no clue whatsoever.

#8

Denver International Airport has arguably one of the largest footprints of any airport in the world. (Something like 100 square miles. What the hell else you gonna do with that wasted space between the Rockies and Kansas, eh?) The houses being built around that airport are still a few miles away from the edge of the property, let alone the flight paths. People still bitch about the noise. Er, what do you think that big white tent is? Ringling Brothers? Every now and then they get a spot of news coverage, but typically not in a sympathetic light.

When we were originally house hunting out here, we looked at a new development south of town. Looking at the aerial photo on the developer’s office, it was VERY obvious that the development was being built right at the end of the east/west runway of Centennial airport (one of the busiest municipal airports in the country). The developer’s response… “Well, they don’t use that runway that often.” He couldn’t understand why we said “no thanks.”

Peoples is just “plane” dumb.

Me? I grew up 1 mile east of Andrews AFB. I learned to just stop conver…

…sations until the planes went by. You name it, it flew overhead, often low enough to read the fine print on the warnings. Weekends were the busiest (and loudest) with all the reservists getting their hours in. Wouldn’t trade it for anything. A kid growing up with all those planes flying overhead? Couldn’t beat it. (Hey, steam was long gone by then… I could hear Conrail on a still night.)

I still get plenty of air traffic where I am now, with Buckley AFB 4 miles north, Centennial Airport 4 miles southwest, and DIA 15 miles north. I’m actually under the approach path for 34L, R at DIA, but this far out, they’re still at least 3000+ up. Low enough to tell what and whose they are, but not low enough to care. I miss the air force’s heavy lifters. They’re like bumblebees. Too big to fly, but no one ever told them that so they just keep doin’ it.

Later,

K

#9

I spent my entire career working at an airport surrounded by arriving/departing aircraft. The highlights were always the warbirds and occasional mystery aircraft that would appear out of the mist. I still get a moist eye whenever I see an aircraft land or fly overhead. It is something which non-aircraft persons do not understand. To them an aircraft is a bus for a holiday or simply a noisy nuisance. Without aircraft the world would still be a very distant place. The Atlantic is a few scant hours flying time as opposed to the days taken by the luxury liners and the months taken by the sailing ships.

#10

My hat is off to that certain lieutenant colonel at Luke AFB. Good reply!!