[CPEO-MEF] Air Force seeking new runway for C-17 jets

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Hawaii
HONOLULU ADVERTISER
Air Force seeking new runway for C-17 jets
By William Cole
June 4, 2003

As part of a plan to base eight C-17 jet transports in Hawai'i, the Air
Force wants to build a new runway at either Barking Sands on Kaua'i or
the Marine Corps base at Kane'ohe Bay.

There would be 60 takeoffs and landings on the new runway each month as
part of practice for landing in combat areas.

Some Kaua'i residents worry that if the runway is built at Barking
Sands, aircraft noise could become a problem, access to surfing beaches
could be cut and the military jets will detract from the island's
beauty.

But if Kane'ohe Bay is used for the runway, the additional 60 takeoffs
and landings would amount to less than 1 percent of the total air
traffic at the base, according to an environmental assessment done as
part of the plan to base the C-17s at Hickam Air Force Base.

The environmental review also notes two other alternatives: conducting
the training landings on the Mainland, or not basing the C-17s in
Hawai'i.

Tour company operator Mitch Skaggerberg said at a public meeting that
Kaua'i's visitors come "because it's one of the last ... unspoiled
places in the island(s)" and that the training flights would disturb
many of the visitors to Koke'e and Waimea.

But Col. Raymond Torres, commander of the 15th Airlift Wing, said at the
meeting that the C-17s would have engines quieter than those on Aloha
and Hawaiian airlines jets that fly into Lihu'e in far greater numbers
every day.

This article can be viewed at:
http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2003/Jun/04/ln/ln03a.html

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