Runway closure due to construction reroutes F-16 flights over Des Moines neighborhoods

Posted by IronPlanet on Sep 13, 2012 12:33:00 AM

 

Typically, the only way to get a good look at military fighter jets is to attend an air show, but residents living near the Des Moines International Airport are being treated to regular displays of these aircraft. A construction project currently taking place at the airport resulted in the closure of the runway used by the Iowa Air National Guard's 132nd Fighter Wing, according to the Des Moines Register. The National Guard cannot simply stop training for the project, so flights have been redirected to another runway.

"Until completion of the construction, Iowa Air National Guard F-16 fighter aircraft may be visible at lower altitudes and more audible than usual during flight operations throughout the Des Moines metropolitan area, particularly between Fleur Drive and SW 9th Street, and between Park Avenue and McKinley Avenue," Col. Gregory Hapgood Jr., the Iowa National Guard's public affairs officer, told the Register. "Most training flights occur during daylight hours, but it is possible some night missions may also be executed during the construction project."

As a result of the construction, these loud, fast machines are roaring over residential neighborhoods, and KCCI-TV reports that locals are far from upset. Many residents said they were not too bothered by the deafening sounds as these fighter jets streak through the sky, but they are excited to see them in action.

"We kind of enjoy it. We're used to it," one resident told KCCI. "It's like living next to a train track."

Construction crews are replacing the taxiway that is used by the National Guard, and The Associated Press reports they hope to complete the project and remove the construction equipment by the end of October. Once the workers are gone, the fighter jets will return to their original runway.

Topics: Construction, Industry Headlines