Air Traffic

[Mystified]

Due to the Air Force base there, do you have alot of air traffic? Our local airport has expanded over the years, adding 2 major airlines. There is also a National Guard, US Marshalls, flight schools, private planes & helicopters. Then theres local gov't; Police, town, sheriff all have helicopters. It has gone crazy!! I've lived her eall my life and the last couple years have escalated to the point I'm thinking of moving.

It sounds shallow to some but everyday there are sooooo many helicopters flying so low that my dishes shake in the cabinet. And LOUD!!! Theres a new hotline to complain about private helicopters but ummm, unless your outside looking directly at it, how would we know hwo's who? They made a new law that helicopters are supposed to fly over the water. It would be great if they'd even fly higher!

Can anyone there relate?

 

[Smiling JOe]

You weren't clear on where you live. Most air traffic around here is distant, though some military and coast guard traffic ride the beach. Planes don't shake the dishes, but the bombs in NoWal do.

 

[beachmouse]

Not bad in SoWal, though sometimes you'll see Pave Lows go up and down the beach, or a Coast Guard aircraft doing a low sweep. The only place it's regularly bad is over toward Valparaiso and the west side of Niceville because you're right the runway approaches there. Everyone else, the population's spread out far enough that you don't hear so much of it, and the AF is actually pretty good about only bombing during normal business hours.

Except when they're doing hurricane evacuations, and Eglin decides to fly an entire wing of fighter jets low over my house at 3:00am.

 

[Mystified]

I live in Islip, on the south shore of Long Island, 30 mi s/e of NYC. Where there are international airports (JFK& LaGuardia). I'm far enough where we don't get air traffic from those major airports. I'm a few miles from our local expanding airport but in the past few years the flight paths have changed so that the planes & helicopters cross over our area daily.

I flew in to Eglin years ago when my parents lived in DeFuniak Springs. It was cool cause the troops/airmen stood in 2 rows as we exited the aircraft. I assumed some big shot was on the plane, they sure as heck were't doing it for me!!!

While we're on the subject. Is VPS the only airport to fly into these days? is there one closer to ya'll in FWB or Panama City? There are less exp flights 3x's a week from here but they only fly into VPS. It seems like a hike and $$$ to get transportation to Destin, Rosemary Bch etc. any tips greatly appreciated.

 

[Uncle Timmy]

My understanding is that the airspace over SoWal is restricted and can only be flown in/out with permission from Air Traffic/Eglin(?)

The noise has never been a problem but the military jets do roar overhead from time to time but to be honest I?m a plane buff and I think that?s kinda cool!

More relevant to your question- air traffic not really much of an issue here now and even with the new airport most flights are and will continue to be diverted around us. The air corridor into and out of the new West Bay airport site runs north and south, not to the west where Sowal is.

 

[Mystified]

Thanks Uncle Timmy!!! We have air shows during summer over the ocean beaches, Flying Angels, etc. It's really cool but low flying helicopters where we need to turn the volume on TV up & down accordingly or can't talk on the phone. Well dammit after awhile it gets annoying!


I guess I'm turning into an old sourpuss! I miss our hippie like, laid back, blue collar, fisherman... quaint little village. Which has turned into a snobby, rude yuppy coastal villages.

So I'll check out and see what airlines fly in & out of West Bay airport.

P.S. your pic is awesome!

 

[Will B]

My understanding is that the airspace over SoWal is restricted and can only be flown in/out with permission from Air Traffic/Eglin

The airspace over Sowal in in what's called a MOA or military operating area. Technically, it is not closed, but it is controlled by Eglin's ATC so they know what's out there so that there are no conflicts. On the weekends Pensacola's ATC handles it. 99% of the time they say "have fun". It's when you get north of the bay that things get intersting, but even then I've had no issues.

So I'll check out and see what airlines fly in & out of West Bay airport.

P.S. your pic is awesome!

Just look for Panama City (make sure you don't choose Panama City, Panama). The new airport on West Bay is not slated to open until 2010, but will probably carry the same airport identifier since the old one is closing down.

 

[rdelong43065]

I like aircraft as well. I love to watch the military planes and helicopters flying around. Getting used to the bombs and shaking from them does take a bit getting used to though.

 

[scooterbug44]

I'm actually pretty tolerant of plane & helicopter noice because my grandparents lived in the flight path for O'Hare. Planes flew over so frequently that we adapted our conversation patterns to it. Even with all of the military planes etc. I probably hear as many planes in a year as they used to in a week.

Low flying yuppie 'copters would probably annoy me though! Can you invest in some long range bottle rockets?

 

[Mystified]

Yuppy copter is right on!

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/suffolk/ny-licopt155686270may15,0,5553432.story

Hotlines to take off for rogue choppers

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/transportation/ny-liheli285666261apr28,0,7797797.story