Close Moffett Field !

I'm not usually the type to cry "N.I.M.B.Y., and I'm not keen on the big Hercules prop transports or whatever those massive gas-guzzlers are, doing take-offs and landings, but I understand they are part of a local rescue team, so I can live with that.

But can someone please tell me why "they" (Navy? Air Force?) needs to land fighter jets at Moffett field? They are so @#$% loud and unnecessary for them to be flying over densely populated areas. Close that damn airbase, please!

Bastards just buzzed my house and woke up my 1-year old!#$%%

Folks, that is the "roar of freedom" -- sure it might be loud, but without that noise, you would be a lot less safe.

david wrote:

Folks, that is the "roar of freedom" -- sure it might be loud, but without that noise, you would be a lot less safe.

Yeah, if these guys were standard military pilots on patrol I would understand, but they are just training and flying over sports stadiums for show. There's no reason for them to be flying over densely populated areas on a regular basis, and after 10pm on weeknights. Doesn't make any sense. There are miles and miles of open space North, South, and East of here... use that instead

You guys whine too much...I agree with David, it's the sound of freedom. If they need to buzz my house 40 times day and night to train and it means they are even 1% safer in battle, I'm all for it.

If you don't like it, move to Canada...

Um yeah, but they're not military -- they're search and rescue, and there's no reason they need to be flying over downtown Sunnyvale for practice.

So, um, how many of you brain surgeons failed to notice you were moving into a neighborhood with an active airfield? Because, unless you've lived in that home since prior to the creation of Moffet Field (this would be pre-World War II, for those keeping track), you have no leg to stand on. The field was already there, it's a little late to be complaining about being inconvenienced. You should have picked someplace like Campbell or Menlo Park.

STFU to all who say close it. I say, bring back the Navy. The Red Chinese will soon launch 5 new ICBM subs. We've stupidly drawn down our ASW capabilities and need to restore them ASAP. I say, bring back the 24X7X365 P3 sorties! And more!

I am one of those 'air pirates' and we make a concerted effort to avoid populated areas on EVERY flight. Unfortunately, science forces us to land into the prevailing winds and so sometimes we have to fly over part of Sunnyvale to set up a safe approach, thus preventing a crash and saving the aircraft that 'the people' own. We are trying to take care of 'your' equipment and protect your freedom by doing this. If you fail to see the connection, if one of those 'boots on the ground' that are fighting our enemy (who recently was caught planning to attack JFK in NY) happened to get hurt...we go and bring them back to medical facilities and remove them from harms way so they can continue to fight for you and yours.(Even if you disagree with the politics, the fact that they are out there in harms way is the main point here). Eye in the Sky, we ARE military. We are a reserve component of the Air Force...and when someone, anyone (military or civilian) is in need, we go and help them out. To be safe when we rescue someone, we need to practice...sorry?! Hodad, we participate in local events on occasion, but we do not train to "fly over stadiums" "for show." We fly late because sometimes people get hurt and lost at night...so we need to be ready for that... I am sorry that we affect your life with our noise. The sound that bothers you on occasion is frequently the sweetest sound in the world to someone who is hurt and/or dying, stranded or isolated...so all I can offer is put yourself in THEIR shoes for the few moments we are flying over and forgive us if you can.

Blue Skies

from moffett wrote:

I am one of those 'air pirates' and we make a concerted effort to avoid populated areas on EVERY flight. Unfortunately, science forces us to land into the prevailing winds and so sometimes we have to fly over part of Sunnyvale to set up a safe approach, thus preventing a crash and saving the aircraft that 'the people' own. We are trying to take care of 'your' equipment and protect your freedom by doing this. If you fail to see the connection, if one of those 'boots on the ground' that are fighting our enemy (who recently was caught planning to attack JFK in NY) happened to get hurt...we go and bring them back to medical facilities and remove them from harms way so they can continue to fight for you and yours.(Even if you disagree with the politics, the fact that they are out there in harms way is the main point here). Eye in the Sky, we ARE military. We are a reserve component of the Air Force...and when someone, anyone (military or civilian) is in need, we go and help them out. To be safe when we rescue someone, we need to practice...sorry?! Hodad, we participate in local events on occasion, but we do not train to "fly over stadiums" "for show." We fly late because sometimes people get hurt and lost at night...so we need to be ready for that... I am sorry that we affect your life with our noise. The sound that bothers you on occasion is frequently the sweetest sound in the world to someone who is hurt and/or dying, stranded or isolated...so all I can offer is put yourself in THEIR shoes for the few moments we are flying over and forgive us if you can.
Blue Skies

Wow - that's a really cogent and heartfelt defense. It's good to hear more from someone that is actually involved with the Air Field - Keep up the great work!

(PS. Interesting that your ISP is located in Hong Kong?)

I live in Sunnyvale near Moffet field. For the record, I enjoy the occasional F-18, C-5, C-130, Helicopter, and vintage B-17, B-25 flights pass over our house. My wife and kids enjoy them as well. I don't recall ever hearing them between the hours of 10 pm and 6 am, but it probably does happen. It's like your own private airshow. The volume of the noise is not that loud. I can still carry on a phone converstion outside during the fly over. I second the statement that Moffet has been there a very long time and in fact is the foundation that made Silicon Valley what it is today.

More of a nuisance is the early morning traffic copter that patrols highway 85.

I am deployed and the closest hub is Hong Kong I guess...my google comes up in HK as well...I'm not smart with all the computer black arts so I just smile and know it goes through when I send mail home!:)

I think it is funny when people who have no clue regarding aviation make uninformed comments regarding air operations. I half suspect that Hodad is a developer that wants to get his grubby fat hand on some acreage to make a profit at the expense of safety.
CLUE: When an aircraft lands it will get close to the ground just before landing (otherwise they would be helicopters)
CLUE: Training keeps the aircraft, pilots and ground personnel safe from untrained pilots (big conclusion there eh?)
CLUE: Move if you don't like it. I'll buy your house and burn it down to prevent any more morons from inhabiting it..Oh sorry, that was a bit crude...hmmm..NOT!

OK, Hodad is likely too young to remember when it was a naval airbase. There was a C130 in the left runway pattern all the time, or that they bring these aircraft in these days to upgrade electronics and do research etc.

Most good for the most people..I guess Hodad loses. Hope to see you home for sale soon

hodad wrote:

I'm not usually the type to cry "N.I.M.B.Y., and I'm not keen on the big Hercules prop transports or whatever those massive gas-guzzlers are, doing take-offs and landings, but I understand they are part of a local rescue team, so I can live with that.
But can someone please tell me why "they" (Navy? Air Force?) needs to land fighter jets at Moffett field? They are so @#$% loud and unnecessary for them to be flying over densely populated areas. Close that damn airbase, please!

Everyone needs to vent now-and-then... Feel better now?

I appreciate all the "SACRAFICES" made for my freedom,(we are a NAVY/ARMY/MARINE FAMILY) but when I last checked MNVAS was CLOSED - decomissioned or whatever you call it - when they made all of the families move out so "BigBusiness" could develop the land you lost the right to DISTURB MY PEACE!!!!!
Last night we were buzzed by an F-18 6 times... and no-one at the base's communications dept knew why....hmnn....
It never landed just flew over rattling nerves and windows so who was being rescued then?

TU but DANG wrote:

... but when I last checked MNVAS was CLOSED - decomissioned or whatever you call it - when they made all of the families move out so "BigBusiness" could develop the land you lost the right to DISTURB MY PEACE!!!!!

...tell that to the remaining military personnel and/or the families that still live on the base bro. Tell that to the 129th....and most of all, please check your facts. The base wasn't decommissioned to allow "BigBusiness" (as you call it) to develop the land. It's still a Federal Airfield which means there are still military personnel stationed there, as well as Ames Research Center....which, coincidentally, was there prior to the base closure.

I really miss the hey day, back when there were 24 X 7 X 365 ops. In addition to the ASW ops (P3s, Seakings and until the late 70s, even a few P2s) there were all sorts of other interesting things going on. Even the odd EC-121! The sounds of freedom, the protection of the US against anti Western fiendishness. Oh, sorry, that's so non politically correct .....

Oh, let me call the waaahhhmbulance for you!

Give me a break - Moffet/Ames brings a lot of money into this area, and employs thousands.

If you decided to move in along the flight path, you really don't have a leg to stand on nor a reason to complain - the airfield is a big asset in this area, and closing it to cut down on noise is a little much to ask.

I used to live at Olive and Murphy in Sunnyvale in the early/mid 90s when air traffic was much higher. C-5s (before 10a on Saturdays!), Air Force One (has Bush even visited the Bay Area? Clinton was in town often), the occasional fighter and lots of C-120s flew over our house. We got used to it. I suggest you do the same.

I'm curious to know how is it an asset? Please rectify the fact that it bring "who" money? But I do to live in Sunnyvale and they are out late at night flying jets. Use to be U2's back in the 80's early 90's.

Ames still operates out of this active Federal Airfield, even though the navy has departed. It is used by the SAR team (search and rescue) and will see aircraft arriving for upgrades and retrofits.

It used to have nukes stockpiled there too (these are now removed) that were used in ASW operations. I am happy the nukes are gone, and am happy to have this large resource here in Sunnyvale. If the sound is too much then moving elsewhere will restore the sanity of those set a-twitching by the sound of technology.(Best move to Nevada....way out in Nevada, I mean way way out)