Luke AFB meeting draws 250 people

More than 250 people received an earful Tuesday night during a meeting in Sun City where El Mirage officials and other experts discussed the future of Luke Air Force Base and the need to study the noise factor of the F-35 Lightning II or Joint Strike Fighter.

Those in attendance at the Mountain View Recreation Center listened to recordings of the sounds generated by F-15s, F-16s and F-35s, and many of them covered their ears when the F-35 recording blasted from the speakers.

But Joe Seibert, an El Mirage resident, said the noise level was "unrealistic."

"I felt like that was a scare tactic because they put it over a sound system and of course it’s going to be loud," he said. "What’s the point of listening to it, you’re not in the right place, because they’re going to be flying overhead and not in speakers."

Luke is in contention to be one of the key training sites for the F-35, the next-generation fighter aircraft that will be used by the Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps, as well as eight foreign governments as the replacement for the F-16.

If awarded the F-35 training mission, officials said Luke can anticipate seeing an infusion of $125-$150 million in construction-related projects, generating employment and construction jobs.

Almost all community and state leaders have come out in favor of Luke landing the F-35. El Mirage city officials, however, have come under fire for not embracing the new mission until appropriate environmental impact tests take place.

On Tuesday, El Mirage Mayor Michele Kern made it clear that her city does not want to block the F-35 jets from Luke, "but what we do want is a noise impact study done to determine whether or not the F-35 is appropriate for a metropolitan area."

Many residents have come out in support of the base and F-35s since El Mirage has voiced their concerns over the jets and noise.

More than 11,000 people have registered on www.lukeforward.com for the F-35 training mission.

Former Congressman Matt Salmon, who moderated the panel discussion at Mountain View, said it’s important people ask the right questions so "we can do it right the first time."

Panelists were Rusty Mitchell, director of Luke’s Community Initiatives; Dr. Jack Rutherford, an Arizona State University professor; Thomas S. Kamman, senior vice president of operations for Williams Aviation in Gilbert and Scott Chesney, El Mirage economic development director.

Kamman showed noise impact studies from Edwards Air Force Base in California and Eglin Air Force Base in Texas.

He said it’s important to have similar studies that include the lowest and maximum intensity of the noise for the area.

Mitchell said the environmental impact process will begin early next year.

"Regardless of how you feel, you have to get involved in the environmental impact study in order for it to be real successful," he said.

Depending on the study, Chesney said there could be possible solutions including realignment of noise contours and changing of flight patterns.

The Glendale base, the largest fighter wing and only active-duty F-16 training base in the world, is competing with other bases as the future training site for pilots of F-35s, the next generation of fighter jets designed to replace the F-16.

El Mirage has withheld support of the new jet at Luke, which is approximately four miles away from the city, until the environmental study has been completed.

Five community meetings across the Valley are planned so residents can voice their opinions. An independent contractor is expected to publish those comments, and then a series of public hearings will take place over several months.

"I can’t emphasize enough how important it is to participate in this entire process," Mitchell said.

As for the noise, Rutherford said: "The bottom line is that if you don’t like the F-16s, then you’re not going to like the F-35s but if that’s not the case then you’re fine."

Mitchell Vantrease can be reached 876-2526 or mvantrease@yourwestvalley.com.