Vermont Air Guard replacing F-16s with newer aircraft
Published: Monday, April 14, 2008
By Sara Buscher
Free Press Staff Writer
SOUTH BURLINGTON -- They won't necessarily be any quieter, but the Vermont Air National Guard's new F-16C jets might sound less annoying to some people -- at least while they're on the ground.
The Air Guard is replacing its 25-year-old jets with aircraft that are two years newer, with fewer flight hours. The older planes will be retired to the "boneyard," the Air Force aviation graveyard in Arizona.
Lt. Col. Dave Smith, commander of the 134th Fighter Squadron for the Air Guard's 158th Fighter Wing, said the newer planes are similar to the old ones but have a different engine. He calls the noise they make a "little more soothing."
They hum rather than whistle on the runway.
As for takeoff, "Once you push the power up, it's basically the same," Smith said.
The fact of the matter is, airplanes are loud.
The Air Guard follows a number of noise-reduction measures, including scheduling takeoffs after 8:30 a.m. weekdays and noon Sundays -- with the exception of required night and 24-hour alert missions -- and reserving its loudest operations for the winter months, when people's doors and windows are closed. After takeoff, pilots climb quickly to gain altitude before accelerating, and delay turns to avoid making excess noise over the city, Smith said.
Some takeoffs are louder than others. Planes carrying external fuel tanks require the high-powered afterburner setting to get off the ground. In the summer months, Smith said the Air Guard operates its planes without the extra tanks so the afterburner isn't needed.
"We build our training plan with that in mind," he said, gesturing to the scheduling board that covers an entire wall in the Air Guard headquarters, with the names of the more than 30 pilots who fly the F-16s written in its columns.
Dubbed "The Green Mountain Boys" after the militia led by Ethan Allen during the 1770s, the Vermont Air National Guard was organized in July 1946 and federally recognized as the 134th Fighter Squadron in August of the same year. It has been flying the F-16 since 1986.
The Vermont Air National Guard was in the news recently when an unnamed F-16 pilot made an improper maneuver during a flyover of Fenway Park at the Red Sox opening ceremonies last week to catch up with the rest of the formation after a delayed start. The pilot has been grounded to take remedial training to prevent future problems, not as punishment.
The runway's neighbors take the noise in stride, and even express gratitude for what the planes do. "There's a certain amount of rumbling" that comes along with takeoff, says James Kirk, who lives on Picard Circle near the runway. His wife's teacup collection vibrates on its shelf, and if Kirk's in the yard -- or if the screen door is open -- when a jet leaves the runway, conversation stalls. "I just get kind of quiet at that point, because I appreciate what they do," he explains.
Following Sept. 11, 2001, Kirk says he welcomed the sound of the jets flying overhead.
"Whenever you saw the jets go over -- you kind of cheered them on. At a time like that, if a jet took off from my yard, I'd be okay with that," he said.
"The noise level is pretty high but you get used to it," says State Rep. Sonny Audette, who with his wife has lived 1,000 feet from the runway for 50 years. Audette said his wife gets upset sometimes, because she's at home most days to hear the jets take off over the woods behind their house; Audette said residents posted hand-lettered signs in their front yards the week after Sept. 11, thanking the Air Guard for keeping them safe.
"It's a good feeling when you see them, knowing what they're doing for our protection," Audette said.
Smith, who has served three tours in Iraq, said the Air Guard receives up to 200 applications for an available fighter pilot opening. Selected candidates train for 2 1/2 years with the Air Force.
As a member of the Air Guard, each pilot must log a minimum number of flights each month -- about six for an experienced pilot and eight for a novice. A typical daily flight schedule includes four pilots flying a 1 1/2-hour training mission in the morning, and another four flying in the afternoon.
Pilots fly within defined military training airspaces over the Adirondacks, most of Maine, and the White Mountains in New Hampshire. All three areas are within 150 miles of Burlington -- a 10- to 20-minute trip in an F-16 -- and most missions are executed above 10,000-feet. A portion of the airspace over the Adirondacks, and certain mapped routes, are used for low-level training below 5,000 feet.
"We can't fly the F-16 at low altitude outside of the approved airspace training areas, except for takeoff and landing," Smith said. "We're not going to be doing low-level altitude training in the Champlain Valley."
State public affairs officer Lt. Col. Lloyd Goodrow, who's been with the Air Guard for 29 years, said there's still a perception that pilots just hop in their jets and take off.
"We have very specific guidelines and regulations," Goodrow said, pointing out that pilots and their families are also sensitive to the noise the jets make. "Every single one of us live here."
Required training objectives include the "low approach," a practice landing during which pilots come within inches above the runway before taking off again. When flying low-level routes, pilots detour over and around mapped noise-avoidance areas in the region -- including cities, seasonal vacation areas, and a llama breeding farm. Smith said the Air Guard responds to every noise complaint it receives.
"At the same time, we've got a mission to execute," he adds. "Our mission is to fly airplanes."
Contact Sara Buscher at 651-4811 or
sbuscher@bfp.burlingtonfreepress.com Air Guard
The Vermont Air National Guard has over 1,000 members; one-third are employed full time.
The 158th Operations Group is comprised of the 134th Fighter Squadron and the 158th Operations Support Flight; and includes command, intelligence, life support, and weapons and tactics training and administrative support personnel.
The first new jet, part of the third block of F-16s the Air Guard has received since they started flying the planes 20 years ago, arrived on the base March 3.
Source:
http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/apps ... /804140314
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