That Flying Thing

The military presence here in NW Fla is HUGE. We have Eglin AFB, Duke Field, Hurlburt Field, Wright Field, Tyndall AFB and Pensacola Naval Air Station. I don't have many neighbors that don't work for the Air Force in one way or another.

That influence spills into every facet of our live, including the kids schools. Ashley is deeply involved with AFJROTC and Taylor..........well, Taylor just loves airplanes. She is in a special program at her school that is Math/Science intensive. Their Focus..........YUP, you guessed it......Aeronautics.

Taylor in one of the Blue Angels

She has visited every aviation museum within 200 miles, and lives to see our glorious fighters in the sky.

We have a new dilemma, and of course, Ms Taylor is following the news like never before.

Have you ever seen one of these?

This is an F-35 and a whole multi-national training wing is coming to Eglin AFB this year.

It would be a huge boost to our flailing economy here on the coast.

Maybe.

Right at the end of the North Runway, there is a sleepy little town called Valparaiso. And they are SUING (yes you heard me right) the Air Force because they are afraid this plane will make too much noise. You can read about it here, and here. And now.............The County is suing the City of Valparaiso because the City of Val-P is suing the Airforce!

What a mess! And Taylor is not happy at all. Her fear? They won't come and she won't get to be able to watch them fly, see them in person on the ground, and maybe even some day be part of their training force.

OH THE HORROR!

The economic boon to our area just is not all that interesting to her. Her comment: "Tell Val-P to sit down and shut up".

She wants to get her little grubby hands on that plane!

Lucky for her, they will be here next week and her class has been invited to see them, up close and personal! And maybe, just maybe, we can convince the City of Valparaiso that they are not any noisier than the F-16's and F-18's that fly in our beautiful blue skies already. They built their homes at the end of an Air Force runaway, what did they expect, no airplanes?

Maybe.

Have a great day everyone!