Eglin AFB wants to kick out VPS airport from Ft Walton

[beachmouse]

The absolute coolest thing that Eglin does aviation-wise, IMO, happens every few years when they use the base as a refueling stop when they bring the space shuttle back from California to Kennedy SC. It's one of a handful of places along the route with a runway long enough that they can safely land a 747 with the shuttle on top.

 

[ASH]

I'd drive all the way to VPS to watch that!

 

[Smiling JOe]

Was just told there is ABSOLUTELY ZERO truth to the rumor!

That word, "rumor," has been thrown around often in this thread, so I have no idea which "rumor" you are referring to. The thread is about a news story that stated that Eglin is now in a sticky situation since they have the new jets moving into Eglin as their home base (year 2010), which proposed potential conflict with VPS. Are you suggesting that the news story is a rumor?

 

[ShallowsNole]

I'm still trying to figure out where the wonderful new road between VPS and the new West Bay airport would be. Hwy 20 is bordered by the bay to the south and the Eglin Reservation to the north...

 

[beachmouse]

There's been talk of moving 20 inland at some point so they could make it four lanes without wiping out Choctaw Beach. But that's a really really long term plan that's somewhere behind the Niceville bypass toll road and new span of the Mid-Bay Bridge (and probably behind the Okaloosa/Santa Rosa US 98 bypass that's currenrly dead because of endangered species concerns) that will probably only get moved up if the commuter traffic from Freeport really picked up.

It's 15-20 years out at a minimum if it happens at all.

 

[Will B]

Thanks for posting that article link, 30ashopper.
...Arnold (Valparaiso Mayor) said he opposed the use of Eglin's north-south runway by the new F-35 jets. He suggested a new runway be built if Eglin insisted on the need for the runway. He equated the cost of a new runway to the cost of a new F-35.

I find it odd that people are already screaming about noise when the jet isn't even in service, yet. I saw a demo of the jet at the Joint Services Open House airshow I did with the pink plane at Andrews AFB back in May. They aren't any louder than any other jet in normal flight. They are louder in hover mode, but that's not something the AF will do over neighborhoods and populated areas...