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Back in the 60's this would never have been an issue. Sonic booms were common place and happened all the time. Now, when a sonic boom occurs (post 911) people get all nervous.

Chickenlegs

If I could only count the number of times I "Boomed" Mosul....

Cylon

Related news from today:

Quote:

ROSWELL, N.M. - Ranchers are raising concerns about a plan by Cannon Air Force Base to expand the southern New Mexico airspace to train its pilots.

They say they're especially concerned about sonic booms.One rancher told a public hearing in Roswell that the noise will disrupt his family's way of life.The meeting (Monday) was the first of four public hearings set for the area affected by the expansion.The Clovis base proposes to expand military airspace from the current 26-hundred square miles to 33-hundred square miles in southern New Mexico.The plan also would let F-16 fighter jet plane pilots fly lower and faster.That would mean a threefold increase in sonic booms.

Source: Associated Press.

Elite 3K Joined: May 10, 2004 Posts: 3021 Status: Offline

Quote:

ROSWELL, N.M. - Ranchers are raising concerns about a plan by Cannon Air Force Base to expand the southern New Mexico airspace to train its pilots.

They say they're especially concerned about sonic booms.One rancher told a public hearing in Roswell that the noise will disrupt his family's way of life.The meeting (Monday) was the first of four public hearings set for the area affected by the expansion.The Clovis base proposes to expand military airspace from the current 26-hundred square miles to 33-hundred square miles in southern New Mexico.The plan also would let F-16 fighter jet plane pilots fly lower and faster.That would mean a threefold increase in sonic booms.

Source: Associated Press.

Ya know, this kind of thing really ticks me off Mad

! I'm too young to remember all the sonic booms, but my dad sure as hell ain't Wink

! My dad grew up on a cattle ranch outside of Prescott, AZ back in the late forties and fifties. Guess what? Thay's where the USAF pilots did a whole lot of thier training! Sonic booms were common, as were VERY low level passes over my dad on his horse Very Happy

. Wish I could have been there!

Anyway, back on topic, how under God's blue sky is this going to disrupt his family's way of life? Also, if we can't do this type of training out in the middle of frickin' nowhere, where else are we supposed to do it??? The next thing you know we'll have some whacko saying we can't do supersonic training out in the desert because it might affect the mating habits of some endangered lizard Evil or Very Mad

!

DOWN WITH PRONGHORN SHEEP!

(too bad they've all been killed by environmentalists!)

Cylon

Parrothead,

Believe it or not, it's not a lizard it's the desert tortoise. There are altitude limits over Death Valley on the east side of the Edwards Complex due to the tortoise. I wonder who will protect us from ourselves...

Some stupid flying resulted in a number of changes in where fighters can and cannot go. Yes, for most folks, getting buzzed by a fast mover would be a kick in the pants.............after you get your ticker going again. But on a number of occasions these fast movers created unfortunate incidents and in most cases, no one took responsibility for their actions.
I'm all for MOA's for operations and getting the needed training accomplished. Just as we need to get our MOA's extended for the F-22 and future aircraft. Had we been smarter in the beginning we wouldn't be going through all these gyrations.
One of the operating area's in southern Colorado was changed when the legal fight was financed by the owner of Aussie Hair Products. Sorry I can't remember his name. And he and his group were successful (unfortunately) in limiting how low the aircraft could operate within the MOA. He did however, manage to make sure that he could land his Cessna Citation on a landing strip on his 60,000 plus acres of land in the same area.
Regards.......

Elite 3K Joined: May 10, 2004 Posts: 3021 Status: Offline

Gus, I should've realized that. I know that the desert tortoise is an endangered species, but I thought National Security would've overridden that :rolleyes: .

chickenlegs, I was just trying to point out that the ranchers did ok back then and should be just fine now Wink

. Thanks for the info on Aussie hair products - I'll be sure to change my buying habits accordingly Very Happy

!

Parrothead,
No worries mate (lol)! Very Happy

Many of them (ranchers and farmers) still appreciate what our folks in the military do and support it as well. Again, we've got to work smarter not harder. There's a heck of a lot more money out there fighting our training needs and we must keep all operations monitored to follow the rules without torqueing people off.
The MOA here in Colorado was used by all and many a time, boy's in their flying machines, just didn't use very good judgement. All I know was that an incredible amount of money was spent fighting the government............. The end result was a greater loss of training capabilities.
Have a great day!
Chickenlegs

Elite 3K Joined: May 10, 2004 Posts: 3021 Status: Offline

I just wish there was some way to get all that money working the other way Smile

. Is there anywhere our pilots can still really cut loose and play by wartime rules? I mean supersonic down on the deck if the mission calls for it? It makes me wonder who will save us from ourselves...

Parrothead,
Some MOA's (Kit Carson in Colorado) allow supersonic flight. But is usually limited when an aircraft is performing a functional check flight (FCF). The pilot can go full bore but not at low level. That's why our pilots like to go to the coast sometimes because (correct me if I'm wrong) limitations are less stringent over water. I'm sure others may be able to provide places that aircraft can perform as you suggest.
Chickenlegs

UTTR, Some places in the Nellis Northern Range complex, many places when we were flying at Incerlik. Oh, and much of Iraq

Cylon

My Bro's were completely legal, the VERY cold day allowed the sonic boom to reach the shore. Doesn't happen alot, but his day it did.

What about Alaska's Ranges? Do they have any restrictions?

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Two F-16s cause supersonic boom over S.C.