Sedona, AZ News — For those wondering where the extremely loud jet noise came from yesterday, they were caused by two F35 fighter jets flying over Sedona Airport.
Apparently, the jets came from Yuma Arizona and were practicing approaching landings on a short runway, like an aircraft carrier’s.
According to Wikipedia, the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is an American family of single-seat, single-engine, all-weather stealth multirole combat aircraft that is intended to perform both air superiority and strikemissions. It is also able to provide electronic warfare and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities. Lockheed Martin is the prime F-35 contractor, with principal partners Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems. The aircraft has three main variants: the conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) F-35A, the short take-off and vertical-landing (STOVL) F-35B, and the carrier-based (CV/CATOBAR) F-35C.
The aircraft descends from the Lockheed Martin X-35, which in 2001 beat the Boeing X-32 to win the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program. Its development is principally funded by the United States, with additional funding from program partner countries from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and close U.S. allies, including the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Italy, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, and formerly Turkey.[5][6][7] Several other countries have also ordered, or are considering ordering, the aircraft. The program has drawn much scrutiny and criticism for its unprecedented size, complexity, ballooning costs, and much-delayed deliveries.[8][N 1] The acquisition strategy of concurrent production of the aircraft while it was still in development and testing led to expensive design changes and retrofits.[10][11]
The F-35 first flew in 2006 and entered service with the U.S. Marine Corps F-35B in July 2015, followed by the U.S. Air Force F-35A in August 2016 and the U.S. Navy F-35C in February 2019.[1][2][3] The aircraft was first used in combat in 2018 by the Israeli Air Force.[12] The U.S. plans to buy 2,456 F-35s through 2044, which will represent the bulk of the crewed tactical aviation of the U.S. Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps for several decades; the aircraft is planned to be a cornerstone of NATO and U.S.-allied air power and to operate until 2070.[13][14]
Yesterday morning was the second time this week the pair of jets buzzed Sedona.
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20 Comments
Even military aircraft have to file flight plans and the airport manager who claims he didn’t know they were coming and says he had no authority to deny them access to the airports airspace is BS! What would have happened if a civilian plane or aircraft was taking off or landing when these fighters allegedly just burst onto the scene and began their approach?
The noise is double even triple of what the tourist helicopters that were forced out for NOISE created over Sedona and ancient sites in the surrounding area.
Though these particular aircraft didn’t happen to land here and supposedly like to attempt landings in Sedona because of the carrier like challenge-they could have flown due west and landed on a real carrier in Coronado.
Though the city is proud of the money made selling fuel, food and lodging to the dozens of Osprey and attack helicopter squadrons that use the airport, they already have multiple military bases in flight range that have fuel that we taxpayers have already paid for.
I’m sure that since Yavapai County is buying out the airport that this trend will get worse and worse and Sedona residents will have zero say in the matter!
This is a mostly senior community surrounded by state and national parks with a military installation growing inside of it not a military community that grew around a military installation.
I don’t recall any referendums on the sale of the airport nor the militarization of it.
Wow JB… apparently you’re an expert on everything NOT
Wow Linda,
I was in the military 15 years so I do know a few things! How bout you?
No, they don’t have to file a flight plan. At least not one any NIMBY civilian can look up. They file flight plans with the US military. If you want access to their flight plans, join the US Air Force. Start here
https://www.airforce.com/how-to-join
Wake up America, The Republic is failing. You have successfully given more and more power to the central Government over the years. Socrates , warned of this, even Plato wrote of this. You the voters knowingly and willingly gave your powers away, when you asked the central Government to save me from ourselves. We used to take care of ourselves. Now in the state of AZ. 1 in 3 are milking the system. So sad. Even the rest of the world is changing currencies. The dollar is just an IOU NOTE being passed around.
IT was not fair… some horrible noise… NO MORE fighter jets in our small town….
Does freak you out like we are getting ready for war.
No Stephen, its always about complaining about everything Sedona, and city council sucks! Why they dont move and complain about a new city? who knows….But gotta bitch, moan and complain….Its called consistency! (Negative and pessimistic)
Dave,
if you like the noise why don’t you move next to an airbase with say B-1’s and B-52’s ? Complaining about excessive noise that shouldn’t be is just not whining!
Dave it is actually constructive and optimistic to not want the Sedona airport becoming a military base like it is. I moved here to get away from the noise and chaos not to cheer it on as it creeps into Sedona. But you probably like noisy cars, noisy neighbors, noisy everything huh?
you’re the only neighbor causing a stink, “JB”. guess we know what the “B” stands for in your name 🙂
Seriously, “Whiners International” or “Grumpy Old Men”?1? As an “old man” I cherish the “sound of freedom” which young men who never got the chance to grow old have provided us. Go F-35 practice sessions!
There a reason military air shows no longer permit aircraft over the crowds! Because they tend to crash and flying 100’ over housing should not be allowed either!
I’m making a stink about this because it’s wrong and there is zero need for it to be occurring over Sedona.
I get that those of you who never served and think it is cool but you have NO idea what the dangers are should they go down in Sedona and one eventually will. Also I happen to like our wildlife and serenity here as Ted apparently does from his photos which is why I cannot phantom why he too thinks the “ yuge” (as you insurrectionist types like to say) disruption of the entire area is something spectacular? An eagle or pronghorn are spectacular to see and you won’t be seeing any of them should this continue!
I’m not the only person peeved about this either!
Hey Vance,
I served for 15 years then did an additional 3 on a government counterterrorism team. Do you think I qualify as one who deserves peace and quiet now?
These extremely loud and low flying military jets have no place in Sedona, especially flying so low over our residential areas.
FYI Jim-
AFMAN11-213 27 APRIL 2018
Chapter 3
MILITARY TRAINING ROUTES
3.1. Military Training Routes Policy. Flight plans involving Military Training Routes require special handling. Lead times and flight plan submission time to the Air Route Traffic Control Center shall be addressed to ensure compliance with Military Training Route requirements. (T-2) Consult Federal Aviation Administration Order 7110.10, Chapter 6, and Flight Information Publication Area Planning /1B for guidance on Military Training Routes and messaging.
3.2. Scheduling Requirements. Military Training Routes shall be scheduled in advance. (T- 2) Instruments Routes and Visual Routes cannot be used before obtaining permission from the scheduling organization. Unit scheduling organizations “owning” these routes provide the flight plan filing facility (with Service B capability) or the tie-in Flight Service Station with a daily schedule of route usage. The flight plan filing facility does not normally schedule these routes but will issue the scheduled usage to all Flight Service Stations, Air Route Traffic Control Centers, and other flight plan filing agencies within 100 nautical miles of the training route (see Flight Information Publication Area Planning document for specifics of each route). (T-2) Messages will include route identifier, aircraft type and number, proposed entry and exit time, and altitude. (T-2) Federal Aviation Administration Flight Service Stations and Air Route Traffic Control Centers typically do not acknowledge Military Training Route schedules. While scheduling flexibility is necessary, local procedures shall ensure that changes occurring 2 hours before scheduled departure are held to a minimum. (T-2) Changes within the 2 hour time limit may require revalidation with the scheduling organization and affected Air Route Traffic Control Center or Flight Service Station.
Many residents feel exactly as JB. Silence is not consent in this case. We just don’t want to be harassed for caring. The military plane and helicopter noise is horrific. The noise and fumes pollution are bad for wildlife and the environment that never seem to be considered. It is bad for stucco and windows rattling like crazy when these jets and helicopters fly so low over our homes. The exhaust and fumes and toxins spewed are bad for health if you don’t care about the animals, birds or ecosystem. Don’t care about that either? What about the big fire risk? Want an airshow? Go to an airshow. Why do these figher pilots have to cut across to the airport directly over all the homes? It is not only when they are practicing taking off and landing. Why can’t they follow the same air route as other pilots? Why do they have to approach and take off and so low? Lower than all other planes and helicopters. Even the aircraft legitimately and rightly using the mesa to fight local wildfires are not that bad and show more courtesy and consideration. Military bases have departments to minimize nuisances to the communities where they are located. They try to be good neighbors. Maybe nothing can be done officially but the airport manager can talk to the pilots informally not to approach that way or not fly so low or call their home base requesting courtesy and consideration of the community. There is an airport board but it is biased. There is no actual oversight or management. The board is part of the problem. The fox is guarding the hen house. Is there a group organized to shut down complaints when anyone says anything negative about the airport? Seems like it. People couldn’t even ask what the noise was without others jumping in questioning their patriotism. A lot seem to have pilot or airport ties. You can be patriotic and speak up about concerns. It is more unpatriotic to shut complaints down and make people feel bad for wanting a little peace and quiet in a town everybody moves to or visits for peace and quiet. If people don’t care about the damage being done to homes and eardrums, does anybody care about the negative impact on wildlife and our environment or health? It is also bad for tourism. Thank you JB for speaking up.
Thank you Sedona Schnebly! Here are the Army’s stats on aviation accidents. Keep in mind that we have all 6 branches of Service flying in and out of Sedona.
Unfortunately those who claim this is an all about Patriotism or Anti Patriotism don’t understand the first thing about true Patriotism.
It’s about safety and overall environmental health not some one’s right to photograph them as they fly into Sedona for brunch or $20,000+ fuel for their attack helicopter squadrons or fighter jets each time they come to town en route to and from the training areas and bases they should be eating at and refueling in!
Apologies here is that link-
https://safety.army.mil/MEDIA/Preliminary-Loss-Reports/PID/7437/ev/1/CategoryID/198/CategoryName/Aviation
Dutch-
I’d rather have world governance over Q Anon and complete Anarchy any day. Problem is when that governance becomes Fascist or Fascist Leaning.
With one of if not the largest homeless communities in the country right here in AZ I seriously doubt that “1 in 3” people are milking anything.
It’s more a case of the haves and have nots with the haves wanting everything while providing the have nots with nothing. Eventually the have nots get fed up and take what is theirs! Just like the Days of Old under Monarch’s and Czar’s!