Airforce at it again: C-17 Stirs fear and loathing in American hearts!

[FN FAL]

There used to be a day when people would look up and see a US Military aircraft or spot a US Naval vessel returning from see and think, "Dam, that's pretty neat...What a great country we live in!"

Now they call up and complain.

The Airforce goes right over my mom's boathouse on Lake Gaston on the deck at full bore. Must be a military training route. When we hear the first Eagle go by, we all run out and see if we can wave to the pilot of the second one. We know he/she can't see us...but we can see them. Maybe not close enough to see what style the sunglasses are...but it's fun to try and spot the second one before it's gone!!!!! BOOOOOOOOOM! There it goes! Noise? What noise! Call them mugs up at the base and tell them to try again...the dishes didn't even rattle on that pass!

By my dads house, they must live under a training route used for helicopters, because the navy and coasties fly the same route all the time. I always look to see what type it is.

Down by Beaufort SC, where I used to CFI, the B-52's were always an awesome sight to see when they would practice low level, high speed bomb runs on the marine base and of course, whenever a four engine airliner makes an appearance, I can't help but take a look.

Have we become a nation of whimps or have people's egos become so shallow, that when something bigger than them appears in the sky, they become compelled to react?

News
Relax, it's one of ours

Meg Godlewski
5/20/2005

The sight of a C-17 doing low approaches at a civilian airport in the San Francisco Bay area generated a flood of panicked phone calls to authorities and the news media on Tuesday, April 26.

The large transport, out of McGuire AFB in New Jersey, had come to Buchanan Field Airport (CCR) in Contra Costa County so that the crew could get experience flying into a non-military airport.

According to Keith Freitas, director of airports for Contra Costa County, the sight and noise of the C-17 alarmed the community because it was something out of the ordinary.

"Normally people see these planes flying at 8,000 feet, so when one comes over at 2,000 feet, that changes things for them," he said.

The C-17, named the "Spirit of Berlin," flew over the area for approximately 15 minutes.

Freitas said he received a phone call from the crew of the C-17 before they arrived to let him know the big airplane was coming. Freitas, realizing that the non-aviation public might become alarmed at the sight of such a large airplane at low altitude, suggested that the crew divert to nearby Travis Air Force Base instead.

"But they came here so the crew could get the experience," he said, adding that he doesn't have the authority to deny any aircraft — including a C-17 — access to federal airspace. He tried to explain that to the many people who telephoned to complain.

"There were a lot of calls," he noted. "In a single year we get at most 400 noise complaints. In a four-hour period we got 110."

The day after the visit, the local newspaper, the Contra Costa Times, carried a story about the visit. Sandra Ahart, one of the residents interviewed for the story, stated that the C-17 was "doing dips and drops" and that the pilot "had no business doing what he was doing." She said that the appearance of the C-17 left her shaken because she feared a Sept. 11th-type attack. The visit also alarmed children at a nearby elementary school. They were brought in from the playground and school officials called police.

An Air Force spokesperson countered the airplane was doing normal approaches on a routine training mission. The C-17 did not land at Buchanan.

However, there were some people who enjoyed the unusual visitor. Freitas notes among the hundreds of complaints he received, he also got messages from people who were pleased to see the C-17 close up.

General Aviation News - 800.426.8538
P.O. Box 39099
Lakewood, WA 98439

 

[irapilot]

I would be willing to bet that most of the people complaining had no idea it was a military a/c. I know I love to see planes flying around, but I am sure that if it is bigger, louder or different than most people are used to they will panic. The media attention to aircraft and the fact we are fostering a culture of fear in our society doesn't help.

 

[SWAnnabee]

Mind you, we are talking about San Franciscans here. Not the most stable populace in the country.

 

[FN FAL]

I would be willing to bet that most of the people complaining had no idea it was a military a/c. I know I love to see planes flying around, but I am sure that if it is bigger, louder or different than most people are used to they will panic. The media attention to aircraft and the fact we are fostering a culture of fear in our society doesn't help.

They should have a FEAR TAX. Maybe that would help alieviate the problem?

 

[CaravanMan]

Military aircraft = The Sound of Freedom.

 

[cforst513]

Military aircraft = The Sound of Freedom.

amen to that. we have an air nat'l guard wing here with 8 or 9 C-130's, and i LOVE to see them fly over. they're not very high up and usually 2-3 planes fly in a line. a great thing to see! these losers need to stop their b!tching.

 

[slacker]

People Complain All the Time

We get noise complaints nearly every low level route we do. You should hear some of them, in one case we made a lady's power go out. Another complained that she lives in a 2 story house with no lights on top and we might hit her house. We even had a complaint from a Maj living in base housing. I mean, come on, you are in the Air Force. The Maj probably could not name 3 planes in the Air Force inventory if she tried. I used to laugh at them all, but now we have to be "sensitive." Total wussification of America and the Armed Forces.

 

[MGlobemaster]

...must....killl.......pansies....

 

[Cardinal]

Beat them with rods.

 

[Pugh]

amen to that. we have an air nat'l guard wing here with 8 or 9 C-130's, and i LOVE to see them fly over. they're not very high up and usually 2-3 planes fly in a line. a great thing to see! these losers need to stop their b!tching.

At CNW we sometimes see C-5s doing touch and goes, really a sight to behold. Dubya also parks Air Force One here whenever he goes to Crawford, and that's a pretty cool sight as well.

 

[Sniper Bob]

Come on California! Fall off into the Pacific already!



/from that whack job of a state

 

[Iceman07]

I hate to state the obvious, but...

It's all about greed.

First step: Buy a house for cheap near an airport.

Second Step: Complain bitterly that the airplane noise is ruining your life, bringing down the value of your home, making your dog lame, etc.

Third Step: Get a local developer with his hands in the local politicians pockets to see how profitable it is to build on ex-airport land.

Fourth Step: Get the airport closed.

Fifth step: Sell your house for a huge profit.

Sixth step: Move to Phoenix with all of the rest of the Yuppie Scum.

 

[Wanna Fly!!]

"Sandra Ahart, one of the residents interviewed for the story, stated that the C-17 was "doing dips and drops" and that the pilot "had no business doing what he was doing." She said that the appearance of the C-17 left her shaken because she feared a Sept. 11th-type attack. The visit also alarmed children at a nearby elementary school. They were brought in from the playground and school officials called police."

 

[Wanna Fly!!]

"Sandra Ahart, one of the residents interviewed for the story, stated that the C-17 was "doing dips and drops" and that the pilot "had no business doing what he was doing." She said that the appearance of the C-17 left her shaken because she feared a Sept. 11th-type attack. The visit also alarmed children at a nearby elementary school. They were brought in from the playground and school officials called police."

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!

 

[FN FAL]

Beat them with rods.

What if we sent pretty little school girls dressed in plaid skirts, training bras and pony tails? Don't forget the knickers...knickers with attitude!