By Mary Alice Murphy
[Editor's Note: This author stayed only for the informational part of the meeting.]
Lt. Jonathan Robinson from public affairs at Holloman Air Force Base made announcements. He requested that audience members not applaud or make comments when speakers were talking, plus other items of information for attendees.
The session opened with a video. The sound was not very loud and audience members complained they couldn't hear, but the volume was as high as it would go.
The video described the reasoning for the proposal to expand training airspace for the pilots. Holloman has more than 13,000 personnel, including civilians and contractors on the base that support 25 squadrons and 24 (inaudible) units. The base is one of the premier training facilities for F-16 pilots and trained 165 pilots in 2018. "The 49th Wing Unit is responsible for training the best pilots for the world's best Air Force."
"Welcome to the public hearing for the process of optimizing the airspace for training F-16 pilots at Holloman Air Force Base," a voice on the video said.
The female voice proceeded to point out that the draft environmental impact statement public is a public document to lay out the details for a proposed action and to determine the cultural, socio-economic and environmental impacts of such an action.
"It describes the potential alternative actions and the impacts of each action," the video continued. "This draft is to help us modify our special use airspace, which is required to provide the training needed for our pilots. The airspace has a lateral dimension, as well as an altitude dimension. The air traffic control airspace overlies the MOAs (military operations area). Much of our current airspace was developed 30 years ago for legacy aircraft."
A MOA is designated to contain non-hazardous military activities, occur below 18,000 feet, only approved activities can occur and non-participating aircraft are allowed to transit the MOAs using visual flight rules.
Throughout the video and the hearing, the URL where one can make comments or find out more information was said out loud and projected on the screen. It is www.HollomanAFBAirspaceEIS.com. Public comment has been extended to January 31, 2020.
The video voice explained that special use airspace is three-dimensional, with a lateral dimension and two altitude dimensions limiting the lowest and highest altitudes where the training can occur.
The commercial air traffic controlled assigned airspace (ATCAA) overlies the MOAs. These areas can contain a designated volume of airspace above a MOA; can be requested from FAA to extend training airspace when not needed for civilian use; are not depicted on aeronautical charts; and only approved activities can occur in them.
"Much of the current airspace was developed 30 years ago for legacy aircraft and does not have the attributes required for modern aircraft. The Holloman proposal would not change the use of or configuration of any restricted areas. There will be no live fire training and it would not require any change of personnel at Holloman. If the proposed expansion is not approved, there will be a delay in required training, reducing the number of pilots qualified to conduct combat operations."
Several criteria for the F-16 MOAs include being US Air Force scheduled; be within 120 nautical miles of Holloman Air Force Base to maximize training times and minimize transit times; they must be configured to allow the maximum training of tactics and must allow for defensive maneuvers, as well as supersonic flights. In addition, it must have minimal impact to civil aviation.
Several MOAs exist near Holloman, but Pecos and Beak do not meet size requirements. Expansion would impact civil aviation. The Bronco and Valentine MOAs exceed the 120 nautical miles distance from Holloman.
The three alternatives that are under consideration can be visited with summary details at www.HollomanAFBAirspaceEIS.com click on documents and references and choose under Public Hearing Materials: Public Hearing Poster: The Alternatives.
The video voice noted that the Federal Aviation Administration can at any time recall MOAs. She also said that emergency medical aviation can use the airspace at any time.
The voice also went into the details of noise impacts, which can be read at the same URL, document and references other public hearing posters.
Noise impacts can include subsonic and supersonic, which was explained as transits that are faster than the speed of sound.
Also described in detail were the noise results of tests, stating that below 55 DNL (Day/night noise levels) created no impacts to public health, and below 65 DNL levels were compatible with all uses.
[Editor's Note: As these details were given, outcries, laughs and groans from those attending the event continued to make it more difficult to hear and understand.]
The voice stated that flights at 500 feet could create noise up to 120 decibels for a few seconds. Natural resource impacts were expected to be minimal, with animals becoming habituated over time. The voice said the consultation with the US Forest Service and Wildlife Services was ongoing. Air quality impacts would increase a slight increase in certain pollutants in all three alternatives, with no concern of chaff to impact air quality. Flares would burn out at least by 1,600 feet and would never be used during fire danger conditions. The components of the chaff are not toxic, according to the video. In socio-economics, there is expected to be no impact to recreational uses.
The type of pilot training would be the same as it is currently, with no increased safety risks.
The voice gave mostly details that can be found at the URL and by reading the draft EIS.
The public hearing took place after the finish of the about half an hour video.