Locals Await Cannon Low-Altitude Flight Study

Air Force officials anticipate releasing by early September the draft study assessing the environmental impact of conducting low-altitude training flights over southern Colorado and northern New Mexico for MC-130 and CV-22 aircrews from Cannon AFB, N.M. Colorado’s Pueblo Chieftain reported that a public comment period will follow the study’s release and that the final version of the study could be completed by around year’s end. The Air Force is proposing utilizing these flights so that Cannon’s special operators could practice low-level tactical navigation. Service officials envision up to three training flights per day. Cannon’s existing training areas are limited to narrow corridors over flat terrain; the LATN area would include mountainous areas for more realistic training, according to the Chieftain.