DATES AND PLACES FOR THE F-35 PUBLIC HEARINGS FOR TUCSON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
All hearings include an open house information session from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m., followed by a presentation and formal public comment session from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Representatives from the Air Force will be available during the open house session to provide information and to answer questions related to the Draft EIS
Date: Feb. 22, 2012
Location: Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites Tucson Airport North Ballroom
4550 S. Palo Verde Road
Tucson, AZ 85714
Date: Feb. 23, 2012
Location: Tucson Jewish Community Center Auditorium
3800 E. River Road
Tucson, AZ 85718
THE DRAFT F-35 EIS FOR TUCSON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT IS EXPECTED TO BE MADE PUBLIC IN OCTOBER OR NOVEMBER OF 2011. WE WILL POST THE DATES, TIMES, AND PLACES WHEN THEY ARE AVAILABLE.
Here are some facts to think about..
BASING OF F-35s AT TUCSON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
The Air Force is inviting the public’s input on a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for a proposed Pilot Training Center of F-35 aircraft at Tucson International Airport (TIA). The EIS covers potential training centers at four locations, with Luke Air Force Base being the preferred location. There are three other proposed training locations with smaller numbers of aircraft: Tucson Air Guard Station at TIA; Boise Air Guard Station; and Holloman AFB. Actual aircraft assignments will be decided in the future depending on the requirements of the Air Force.
The EIS proposes 3 alternatives of increasing numbers of F-35s for TIA – increments of 24,48, and 72 planes. There is a “baseline” of no F-35s against which the 3 alternatives are compared. The EIS is deceptive in that it carefully avoids providing the obvious alternative of no F-35s at TIA for public review and comment. Thus, the apparent only choice is the F-35, in 3 increments.
According to the EIS, there will be significantly higher noise levels than existing air traffic. It notes that the F-35 in traffic pattern flight and in landing will be twice (9 dB) as loud as the F-16. This would be 4 times louder than the A-10. The AF has already issued an errata sheet changing the original noise levels found in the EIS. Since the noise levels have all been projected from a computer model, rather than actual fly-overs, modeling errors can easily arise. Actual fly-overs of the F-35 are required given the impact of the noise levels on residents living under the flight paths.
Even the smallest increment of the 3 proposed alternatives for TIA will require an expansion of the noise contours around TIA beyond the existing commercial noise contour of today. The commercial noise contour had been shrinking in recent years as newer commercial aircraft with less noisy engines replace older equipment.
Safety risk analysis in the EIS is not based on facts. The F-35 is a totally new aircraft, incorporating new technologies, with no historical safety data records. It should be noted that this aircraft is currently undergoing operational readiness testing and evaluation. Major issues have been found in its engines, software systems, landing gear, etc., which have caused an unexpected three year delay in operational readiness and production. The EIS simply anticipates that operational readiness will be achieved and makes the statement that history shows that mishap rates of all types will decrease the longer the aircraft is operational as flight crews and maintenance personnel learn more about the aircraft’s capabilities and limitations. It then somehow concludes: “there would be no anticipated increase in safety risks associated with aircraft mishaps.”
The EIS notes that live and heavy inert ordnance is not stored at TIA. Therefore, the F-35 must transit to D-M AFB for weapons loading and takeoff. There is no discussion of the number of sorties or flight paths to and from D-M over the City of Tucson.
In addition, the F-35 scoping literature specify that facilities at DM may be required to meet training objectives and would be utilized as necessary. There is no discussion of flight paths over Tucson in the EIS other than a general statement that the F-35 will use the same flight paths as current F-16s.
There is no discussion of the F-35 inclusion in future Snowbird Programs, although it is noted that the F-35 will replace the F-16s, F-18s and Harriers from the existing Snowbird Program that fly into DM today. The EIS does note that the F-35B, slated for the Marine Corps Air Station at Yuma, proposes to use air space in the vicinity of Tucson AGS without specifying where and how often.
It is clear that neighborhoods surrounding TIA under approach/departure and other flight paths will suffer significant noise impacts. The EIS does point out that some 1,511 to 8,127 residents not now affected will fall under the new 65 dB noise contours generated by the 3 alternatives of F-35s proposed. Although the EIS does not so state, both DOD and FAA guidance identify areas within the 65 dB or higher contour as incompatible with residential use.
Noise associated with training activities in the vicinity of Tucson Air Guard Station will also impact adversely and disproportionately on minority and low income populations. The noise analysis itself is replete with technical jargon and fails to note general DOD and FAA guidelines, making it impossible for an ordinary citizen to decipher the overall effect on his neighborhood and quality of life.
It is also clear that these neighborhoods will suffer degradation over time. While aircraft degradation in neighborhoods is difficult to quantify since it is a long-term process (which sellers are reluctant to discuss), it is clear in hindsight when one drives through neighborhoods immediate to DM under its approach paths or Phoenix neighborhoods under the approaches of Sky Harbor.
The F-35 will shape Tucson’s future. The key Hospitality Industry brings in $2.4 billion annually to Tucson and provides 25,000 direct jobs and some 40,000 indirect jobs. Visitors are drawn by the area’s unique natural beauty, with 5 mountain chains, the desert and the outdoor climate combined with a rich heritage and culture. Building on this, Tucson has engaged in a major effort to expand its tourism appeal with a major rehabilitation of its City Center. Will winter visitors sitting poolside at higher-end hotels be willing to pay top dollar to listen to overhead air traffic? Would you?
Tucson is developing a second major economic driver – the promotion of high tech, bioscience, optic, medical treatment, and solar businesses linked to UofA research and development. The Bio5 Institute, Critical Path Institute, the Tech Park and new BioPark are all elements in that effort. These are the high-skilled, higher-wage jobs of the future. Will companies and their technical and professional employees be attracted by the amenities of the Tucson area, including the air traffic and degraded urban neighborhoods?
The fundamental question for Tucson residents is: does it make common sense to base the Air Force’s most powerful, loudest, and yet unproven fighter plane at a commercial airport in the center of a large metropolitan area in order to train foreign pilots?
Tucson is being considered as a F35 site. Also referred to as the Joint Strike Fighter or JSF, the F-35 is a next generation fighter aircraft that will replace the F-16.
According to AF sponsored documents, the F-35 is louder than any aircraft flown out of TIA
Listen to this recording of 6 seperate flyovers recorded on Eglin Runway 12, April 22, 2009. Which one do you think is the loudest? The F-15, F-35 or the F-16? (mp3 format) (wav format)
- Clip #1 – 33rd TWF F-15 landing
- Clip #2 – 33rd TWF F-15 landing
- Clip #3 – 33rd TWF F-15 landing
- Clip #4 – F-35 doing a Gear-Up Touch and Go pass on the runway
- Clip #5 – F35 landing
- Clip #6 – F-16 chase aircraft landing
- Note: All aircraft recorded with professional equipment by an audio professional within a 20 minute span of time and in one continuous file. No enhancements to audio level, only cutting out the “dead air” time between landings.
According to AF sponsored documents, if the new F-35 fighter comes to Tucson International Airport (TIA), the Air National Guard flights will sound three times as loud and the noise will spread over more than 4 times the area. In other words, a family 9 miles from the airport will experience daily noise like that of a family currently 3 miles from the airport. Again, according the AF sponsored documents, the F-35 will be 15 decibles lounder. For more on noise levels if the F-35 comes to TIA, click here.
Here are some Noise measurements of the F-35 by Bob Webb. Here is a recent article about “Consideration of Operational Noise Impacts on Land use as a Part of the Weapons Systems Engineering Process by Wayne R. Lundberg, Ph.D., Aerospace Engineer
F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JFS) Lightning Specification
The costs to our community are great
There are, of course, costs associated with the presence of the F-35. These costs will be carried by the citizens and property owners in the flight-path; This will negatively impact the tax revenues used to support schools, police, and other vital services. The hotels and restaurants in the flight path will suffer. The economic claims fail to consider these costs.
The economic benefit of bringing the F-35 here are unsubstantiated
None of the claims are substantiated. And the economic benefits calculations are overstated as they fail to consider property tax subsidies given to the military, the cost of sound mitigation, and the fact that military personnel shop duty free .
The AF has better choices than Tucson
The AF bases in Idaho, New Mexico, and Florida are also being considered. Unlike Tucson, the bases do not fly over dense urban areas and as a result, they enjoy strong community support.
Idaho Website Supporting Basing the F-35
Luke Website Supporting Basing the F-35
Hand-outs from February 10, 2010 F-35 Informational Meeting
Thanks to the Democracy for America for hosting an information forum. Provided here are some handouts.
F-35 EIS Scoping Proposals Ver 2
F-35 Group Letter 02-07-10
El Mirage Website
F-35 JSF Hit by Serious Design Problems
03-Dec-2007 20:55 EST Defense Industry Daily
by Johan Boeder in The Netherlands. Earlier versions of this article have been published in the Dutch press and Defense-Aerospace. DID has worked with the author to create an edited, updated version with full documentation of sources.
On May 3, 2007, during the 19th test flight of the prototype of the F-35A Joint Strike Fighter (JSF), a serious electrical malfunction occurred in the control of the plane. After an emergency landing the malfunction could be identified as a crucial problem, and it became clear that redesign of critical electronic components was necessary. Producer Lockheed Martin and program officials first announced there was a minor problem, and later on they avoided any further publicity about the problems…