Fla. town on the defensive against noisy F-35

[unhappycamper]

Fla. town on the defensive against noisy F-35
By Bruce Rolfsen - Staff writer
Posted : Friday Oct 10, 2008 11:24:50 EDT

The noise of the Joint Strike Fighter’s engines could be turning into a roaring problem in Florida.

At issue is the Defense Department’s plan to open the joint F-35 pilot and maintenance school at Eglin Air Force Base in 2010. Plans call for the school to be home to 2,326 military and civilian personnel.

But civic leaders in the town of Valparaiso, about a mile from Eglin’s runways, became concerned when they learned the F-35 Lightning II is predicted to be twice as loud as the F-15 Eagles and F-16s Fighting Falcons that now fly in and out of Eglin. More than 120 F-35 takeoffs are likely each day, and noise levels will reach 65 to 75 decibels as the jets pass over Valparaiso.

City officials want the Air Force to look at alternatives, such as restricting flights over the town and using different runways.

Air Force officials insist those options are still on the table as a final environmental impact statement for the new school is drafted.


Rest of article about this $239,000,000 fighter at: http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/10/airforce_f35_eglin_101008/%2e