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Show Aug. 27, 1992 Hilltop Times m ruis inl by Frances Kosakowsky Aircraft fly 500 feet higher than is usually flown at other bases to niinimize noise. The looping pattern allows fighters to turn over the Weber River which avoids more densely populated areas and allows for a steeper angle of descent than is possible using a straight-i- n approach. The looping pattern allows fighter aircraft to cross Ogden Airport 1,600 feet higher than a straight-i- n approach, significantly reducing the potential for a collision with other small aircraft. Great effort is made to bring in the maximum number of aircraft in the rninimum amount of time. Hilltop Times staff Editor's Note: There have been a few Action Lines recently regarding HillAFB flight procedures and policies. The following article is intended to address the concerns and questions being voiced in those inquiries. Now that the fighter squadrons from Hill are home from the Persian Gulf and things are back to normal, local residents are contacting base officials about coexisting with the noise created by base aircraft. And, base officials are doing their level best to minimize the noise made by their aircraft and be as good a neighbor as possible. Aircraft noise is an problem wherever there is air traffic. The noise is a hazard for those who work in close proximity to aircraft engines and is an annoyance to residents living close to airports HU1 and the communities surrounding it are no exception. A recent letter from a local resident asked what Aircraft takeoff from Hill, Ogden Airport and Salt is being done for the surrounding communities to cut down the noise of aircraft. The answer is com- Lake International Airport all within a plex, but everything possible is being done to reduce radius. This, coupled with the mountains to the east, noise pollution while balancing the need to maintain all combine to create a narrow air corridor that all air traffic in the area must use. Unfortunately, it also fighter pilot competence. Hill base operations officer, Maj. Kenneth Olin, creates a corridor of overhead noise. said'We are continuously searching for ways to "We try to minimize the impact of our operations reduce noise not only from our flying operations, all of the surrounding communities by consideron but from ground operations as well but, training ing every, aspect of our flight operations," he said. requirements dictate that our pilots maintain flying proficiency in several different types of landing Hill on-goin- g flight procedures and policies patterns." "People living around the base are safer because our training ensures that our pilots are experienced and proficient," Olin said. "But, we also know it can make a lot of noise in the process." "Our traffic patterns are dictated by safety considerations and FAA restrictions, but, whenever possible, we try to minimize the noise we make," he said. To alleviate aircraft noise pollution near the base, Hill official policy dictates that flight operations adhere wherever possible to the following procedures. Overhead flight patterns: A looping pattern is used, which allows Hill fighter aircraft to approach the field at higher altitudes than a straight-i- n approach. Departures: Most Hill flights go west over the lake following a ground track that avoids as many business and school areas as possible, but which still gets the aircraft to the lake and away from the population. El Hill climb profiles are usually steeper than the average airliner noise abatement profile to try to contain as much noise on the base as possible. If residents compare the cargo aircraft takeoffs with fighter takeoff s, they will see that the fighters climb more quickly. B The ability to climb quickly can vary due to aircraft weight, configuration, temperature and wind. If it's hot and an airplane is carrying a heavy load, more thrust is required to get the airplane off the ground, and more noise is created. II The use of afterburners for takeoffs is rninimized whenever possible. The afterburner is used only when additional thrust is needed for safety, and then every effort is made to keep the noise within airfield boundaries safety permitting. S Takeoffs in formation are used whenever possible to reduce the number of flights over residential areas. ' 30-mil- e ; Arrivals Whenever possible, multiple aircraft are landed to get the maximum number of aircraft on the ground as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, only two aircraft are allowed to land at a time. 6T West of Wal Mart 1150 W. Riverdale Rd. 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