One More Week of Dutch F-16 Training

The US military used to do this kind of training, but it's been farmed out: AeroGroup Inc. is training Dutch F-16 combat pilots, to bring them up to US spec, so that, if the USAF can't do the job, pilots and machines from the Netherlands will be able to fill in.

The training, though, is riling up the NIMBYs on Florida's Space Coast, where they regularly complain about the fighters' noise, especially when the Royal Netherlands Air Force jets take off.

The Melbourne (FL) Airport Authority, the Federal Aviation Administration, and AeroGroup are working on making the operations less-offensive, to the small but noisy group of complainers. Nevertheless, some of the 'offended' have told Florida Today that they won't let up on their barrage of whining; they may even start a lawsuit, based on... something or other. One resident, identified in press reports as Indialantic (FL) resident Rick Simoni, said people may soon start circulating petitions to stop the noise.

For the moment, the NIMBYs are holding onto their trump card, according to Florida Today; they haven't yet brought up "safety issues" -- like the possibility of a jet's immolating their living rooms. Nor have they brought up the "safety issues" on the other side: the possible use of such machines, to keep GA airplanes from immolating their living rooms. The "safety issues," for now, aren't bothering anybody; it's the noise.

AeroGroup and the airport folks are said to be working on routes and afterburner protocols, to the extent that emergency-combat deployment training can be modified to not disturb the people whose protection is the underlying reason for the exercise, in the first place.

Though the F-16s are based in Melbourne, the training itself is done at the Avon Park Air Force Range. The preliminary exercises are set to wind up next week; AeroGroup hopes to land an extended training contract with the RNAF.

AeroGroup's literature says that, "AeroGroup was designed to capitalize on the aviation support needs of the U.S. Military and other allied nations. AeroGroup has assembled a staff of top aviation professionals and an available inventory of subsonic and supersonic tactical fighter aircraft that are performing such tasks as:

• Combat Training
• Electronic Warfare Training
• In-Flight Refueling Training
• RDT (Research, Development, Training, and Evaluation)

"Utilizing these assets, the Company is working hard to become the premiere organization in providing tactical aircraft pilot training programs."

FMI: www.aerogroupinc.com