HILL AIR FORCE BASE — Residents living near Hill Air Force Base will be hearing F-16 jets as late as midnight next month, as the 388th Fighter Wing qualifies its pilots in flying with night-vision goggles.
"We have to own the night; therefore, we have to train at night," said Maj. Jeff Lovelace, 388th chief of weapons and tactics.
The planes will be in the air each weeknight through April.
Half of the fighter wing's pilots have yet to be qualified in using the night-vision goggles, which requires flying at least six training missions.
"We lost quite a few opportunities during the winter because of the weather, and during the summer months there are even fewer nighttime hours, so we're trying to do as much as we possibly can during the spring," said Capt. Erin Shuler, chief of public affairs.
Nighttime training missions must take place a least an hour after dark. Training missions typically last over an hour.
Ordinarily, the fighter wing conducts night training one week a month.
"We try to minimize the impact on the local community. We limit our operations right here around the air field where there are built-up areas and do most of our training out on the Utah Test and Training Grounds where nobody is. We take off, we try to get high quickly and fly our departure route, and when we come back here we limit our time in the pattern so that we minimize the noise," said Col. Johnny Wieda.
Officials said they hope the neighboring residents will be understanding and patient during April.