Otis Air National Guard - Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating

Flaptail · 05-13-2005, 10:00 AM

Otis Air National Guard Air base is on the base closing list issued by the Dept of Defense. It would seem really strange not hearing those jets over the house. I know the base really screwed up the graound water aquifer but I always felt kind of safer with those guys nearby. Lots of people I know will be losing there jobs. It's tough enough trying to make a living on Cape as it is. Too bad but I guess it had to happen.

ProfessorM · 05-13-2005, 11:05 AM

As you know I work right across the street basicly and it would feel strange not hearing those machines every day. I have seen some incredible flying machines go in and out of there over the years. The best was when they would have the Blue Angles for the weekend and they would practice on friday's. We would go out into the parking lot for an hour and get a free live show. Talk about low altitude and high speed. Pretty amazing stuff. Paul

Karl F · 05-13-2005, 11:31 AM

So... when they finish the Flyover, they can get down there and get busy with the South Cape Connector... no excuses now.

fishsmith · 05-13-2005, 12:05 PM

Ct. is losing 2.5B from their economy with Groton on the list, I haven't heard a figure of what Portsmouth NH is going to lose.

Not a rosey forcast for the NE economy.

JohnR · 05-13-2005, 01:57 PM

Some of this on the surface does not make sense.

Otis - the primary intercept strip alert base for the northern half of the east coast. What's the nearest? 15s or 16s out of VA? The flight radius of those aircraft is roughly 800 miles or so with the 15s and the 16s much less. So in our fine hour of defending against the potential of airliners as weapons, we are now going to lose the pointy end of that spear to defend that - makes no sense

Brunswick - they are moving the P3s to Florida. The P3s hunt subs. The P3s can interdict shipping and both the shipping and commercial air routes from Eruope path closest to Maine. What possible reason would you have the nearest base to stage these aircraft from down in Florida? You've killed 60% of the fuel of these aircraft just flying from Fl to Maine.

So your two primary air defense roles - air and ships (including subs) are going to be moving 400 - 1500 miles away? In today's environment? Sure, you don't need 4 squadrons of P3s on the east coast to hunt Soviet subs like the old days but do you really want the closest P3 base five hours away? Do you really want to have no scramble aircraft available today? This is plain stupid....

I won't get into closing Groton

Mike P · 05-13-2005, 05:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnR

Some of this on the surface does not make sense.

Otis - the primary intercept strip alert base for the northern half of the east coast. What's the nearest? 15s or 16s out of VA? The flight radius of those aircraft is roughly 800 miles or so with the 15s and the 16s much less. So in our fine hour of defending against the potential of airliners as weapons, we are now going to lose the pointy end of that spear to defend that - makes no sense

Nearest would be F-16s out of McGuire AFB in Jersey, assuming that's not on the list, too.

On 9/11, the F-15s from Otis damn near beat McGuire's to NYC.

I'm sure these base closings have nothing to do with "blue" vs "red" states---sure I am

UserRemoved1 · 05-13-2005, 07:37 PM

Hey John I thought someone up at the Maine tower job I been doing for the last few years told me that Brunswick was only training now? Most of what I see these guys doing up there is circular flight and touch n go's on the runway?

Some of this stuff is stupid. No way they will close Otis you watch.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnR

Some of this on the surface does not make sense.

Otis - the primary intercept strip alert base for the northern half of the east coast. What's the nearest? 15s or 16s out of VA? The flight radius of those aircraft is roughly 800 miles or so with the 15s and the 16s much less. So in our fine hour of defending against the potential of airliners as weapons, we are now going to lose the pointy end of that spear to defend that - makes no sense

Brunswick - they are moving the P3s to Florida. The P3s hunt subs. The P3s can interdict shipping and both the shipping and commercial air routes from Eruope path closest to Maine. What possible reason would you have the nearest base to stage these aircraft from down in Florida? You've killed 60% of the fuel of these aircraft just flying from Fl to Maine.

So your two primary air defense roles - air and ships (including subs) are going to be moving 400 - 1500 miles away? In today's environment? Sure, you don't need 4 squadrons of P3s on the east coast to hunt Soviet subs like the old days but do you really want the closest P3 base five hours away? Do you really want to have no scramble aircraft available today? This is plain stupid....

I won't get into closing Groton

JohnR · 05-13-2005, 09:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike P

Nearest would be F-16s out of McGuire AFB in Jersey, assuming that's not on the list, too.

On 9/11, the F-15s from Otis damn near beat McGuire's to NYC.

I'm sure these base closings have nothing to do with "blue" vs "red" states---sure I am

Do the 16s at McGuire pull strip alert? I thought it was not an alert base like Burlington's F16s are no longer an alert base. PLus the Eagles have 35-40% more range.

Quote:

Originally Posted by #^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&

Hey John I thought someone up at the Maine tower job I been doing for the last few years told me that Brunswick was only training now? Most of what I see these guys doing up there is circular flight and touch n go's on the runway?

Some of this stuff is stupid. No way they will close Otis you watch.

That's what a lot of it is, guard units getting their monthly flight hours in. But with all the former Orion facilities gone, just in New England was Weymouth NAS and I think Quonset had P3s too, having the nearest P3 base in FLA is poor...

UserRemoved1 · 05-14-2005, 04:23 AM

dollars to donuts that Brunswick doesn't close either.....that is a VERY busy strip. Where I been working is one of the areas that these guys fly and I can tell you I see a place every 10-15 minutes over me. Cool planes to watch too.

Fishpart · 05-14-2005, 10:20 AM

Just keep voting Democrat.....We are barely holding onto what we had in NE before they stripped the area after voting solidly for McGovern back in the 60's????.... Imagine if the Seabees still trained at Quonset instead of in CA and wouldn't it be nice if ships still pulled in here.....

Mike P · 05-14-2005, 02:49 PM

What really tickles my funny bone is that the same politicians who will scream to cut military spending in favor of social programs---and we know who they are----will scream 10x as loud as when the inevitable results of their votes hit a base in their state or district

Karl F · 05-14-2005, 02:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike P

What really tickles my funny bone is that the same politicians who will scream to cut military spending in favor of social programs---and we know who they are----will scream 10x as loud as when the inevitable results of their votes hit a base in their state or district

Yep... Delahunt (slightly to the left of Kennedy and Kerry) is whining real loud about Otis ANG closure.

NaCl H2O · 05-14-2005, 03:13 PM

shhhhh.... loose lips sink ships..