Around 2010, I noticed a significant increase in air traffic flying over Queen Valley. Like me, a few neighbors — some ranchers — were concerned that the low-flying planes were frightening our livestock, causing them to stampede in fear.
I discovered these aircraft came from four training schools based at Falcon Field and Gateway airports. I contacted the training managers and held meetings with the heads of these agencies. Based on their desire to be “good neighbors,” I saw some positive results initially.
I then purchased the FlightRadar24 system, which records flights over a specific area, identifies flight patterns and provides information about aircraft types. Since 2010, I’ve found that more than 30 training schools from Phoenix and beyond have been flying in the Gold Canyon area.
Recently, the APS school at Gateway added jets to their fleet. This is a lucrative business and more schools are expected to open in the coming years as these companies train people from all over the world, using the airspace over Gold Canyon as their preferred training area.
The Federal Aviation Administration has designated our airspace as “open space,” meaning that, by law, the schools can operate in the Gold Canyon area. While they have other options to fly north or south, away from our populated area, the schools have chosen to use the airspace over Gold Canyon.
Adding to the issue is the Air Force’s planned takeover of the airspace over Gold Canyon and areas east into New Mexico, starting in July 2025. This will be used for low-flying jet training, including dogfights, breaking the sound barrier, and dropping burning flares that could reach the dry tinderbox desert below. Environmental and citizen groups in Arizona and New Mexico vehemently oppose this plan and we can only hope Washington, D.C., will intervene to stop it.
So, what can we do about it? As a member of ADOBE, I know that ADOBE has been raising these issues with the residents of Gold Canyon for years. They have met with local and federal politicians, but nothing has happened there. It seems no one — except for a small group of citizens in Gold Canyon) — is listening, or perhaps they just don’t care. I know ADOBE is ready to fight to keep these flights at an acceptable level, but they need to know that this is what the residents want.
We understand that many people enjoy the sound of airplanes overhead and we respect that. ADOBE believes these ever-increasing training flights will eventually reduce housing values, become an extreme annoyance, create safety issues (plane crashes) and ruin the quaint, quiet culture we now enjoy. If enough people get involved, ADOBE is prepared to organize a citizen action group to try to bring this issue under control. If you want to join this effort, please call me at 602-999-6853. I plead with you, if this issue concerns you, to please take action now before it is too late.
Reader reactions, pro or con, are welcomed at AzOpinions@iniusa.org.
