Posted on 08/17/2005 6:06:15 PM PDT by SandRat
Davis-Monthan Air Force Base is bracing for a spike in noise complaints when a squadron of British warplanes arrives in Tucson next week.
Eight Royal Air Force GR4 Tornado jets will touch down Aug. 27 for a month of training that will put them in the skies seven days a week.
The British attack jets are notably louder than the A-10s and C-130s typically flown at D-M, and their arrival tends to generate extra complaints to the base's public affairs office, a D-M official said Tuesday.
Exact noise comparisons were not readily available, but a 2001 Air Force environmental impact study that looked at decibel levels of several military aircraft said a Tornado jet traveling 2,000 feet above the ground sounds about the same as a motorcycle 25 feet away.
D-M issued a news release Tuesday to let the public know ahead of time about the impending arrival of the British jets.
"They do create a lot more noise," D-M spokesman Capt. DeJon Redd said of the Tornado jets, which come to town for training on a regular basis, sometimes once or twice a year.
"We're trying to be good neighbors and inform the Tucson community," he said. "We take great pride in being able to host them and hope the city of Tucson feels the same way."
Not everyone wants to roll out the welcome mat.
Daniel Patterson of the citizens group Tucsonans for Quality of Life, which is concerned about military jet noise and safety, said: "Tucsonans are going to pay the price in more lost quality of life," when the Tornados arrive.
"Bringing more aircraft and foreign aircraft to Tucson is not a good idea," he said.
The Tornados will be flying in and out of D-M on their way to training exercises at the Barry M. Goldwater Range, west of the city. They are part of Operation Snowbird, a program run by the Arizona Air National Guard's 162nd Fighter Wing in Tucson.
About 85 percent of the extra flights will use D-M's southeasterly flight corridor, near the Rita Ranch area. The rest will use the northeast corridor, over the city center.
All flights will take place between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. The British jets are due to leave Sept. 30, Redd said.
He said the training is crucial because British forces are key U.S. allies overseas and they need to train alongside American pilots to prepare for war.
"The training we do applies directly to current combat situations in Iraq and Afghanistan," Redd said.
I thought this was neat news and I got increasingly dismayed as I read the article to realize the focus of the article was about what a bother it all is.
Well, I hope they enjoy it here. I think it's great.
The sound of freedom - at least that's what we call it at Dobbins in Marietta.
My son-in-law was deployed to Saudi Arabia during Gulf War I and spent a part of that time at one of the big air bases there.
He said that during briefings, they could hear over the noise of the outbound aircraft except for the Tornadoes. Everybody knew when they were climbing out on afterburners, and all conversation stopped until they cleared the local airspace.
I wonder if Mr. Patterson would like to see the base close and effectively cut off his meal ticket? I bet not.
I love that thunder noise, its the sound of freedom!
The sound of freedom. What's not to love?
I think it's great, too. Welcome to our British allies. May they buzz the maverick John McCain's house a few dozen times. :o)
I love the sound of jets in the morning,,,,sounds like freedom!
Dang right!!
Bring back the F-4 Phantoms!! ;>)
My family still lives under the approach to Luke AFB. Jet noise? It's a beautiful thing! Like my mom's kiss good night, it helps me sleep all the more soundly. God bless America and all of those brave souls who protect us and have mercy on those who earn our wrath.
Ask the "locals", how loud a noise a jet makes when it hit a building in New York?
Bring back the lead sleds...F100's : )
Our current home, NAS Brunswick base housing, only has P-3s and the oddball jet or Cessna. It's too damned quiet here. *whines* I miss my loud jets.
IMO they name some of their stuff neater. (Not all of it, like the RAF Nimrod, that's their answer to our P-3 Orion) They got stuff like the HMS Invincible (aircraft carrier) or the Trafalgar class submarines HMS Tireless and HMS Vengeance. Why can't WE name our stuff like that? no we got the USS Jimmy Carter. *headdesks*
Only prob I have is I wish they were going to Dyess AFB
Would truly love to hear the sounds of British Government Aircraft Engines doing a few turns over Coleman, Texas.
Bring it on Brits, and enjoy your stay.
Wish I could buy a few rounds
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