The Air Force’s proposed low-altitude tactical navigation range through mountainous parts of Colorado and northern New Mexico came under fire in the Colorado State House. State Rep. Wes McKinley (D-Dist. 64) and Rep. Edward Vigil (D-Dist. 62) introduced a bill, HB 11-1066, seeking to define airspace below 500 feet above-ground-level as private property. The draft bill, initiated last month, expands “property owner’s right to procedural due process” in eminent domain cases to include airspace, barring military aircraft from uncompensated use. Residents near Telluride worry that aircraft may disturb “visitors and residents who come here to enjoy our tranquil mountain environment,” reports Telluride’s Daily Planet. Under USAF flight regulations, aircraft are already required to avoid protected wilderness areas, population centers, and civil air traffic during low-altitude training. The planned LATN area would primarily serve special operations C-130s and CV-22 crews.
An F-16 Fighting Falcon assigned to the Texas Air National Guard’s 149th Fighter Wing crashed during a training mission in Michigan on Sept. 17. The fighter's sole pilot ejected and is in stable condition at a local hospital.
