Migration News
Navy planes wrap up night landing practice at Iwo Jima, Atsugi
January 26, 2005
Petty Officer 2nd Class Joseph Dominguez salutes as the American and Japanese flags are lowered Saturday at Iwo Jima Air Base. Members of U.S. Naval Air Facility Atsugi’s Security Department provided support to Carrier Air Wing 5 during the night-landing training on the island. (Matthew R. Schwarz / U.S. Navy)
Petty Officer 2nd Class Joseph Dominguez salutes as the American and Japanese flags are lowered Saturday at Iwo Jima Air Base. Members of U.S. Naval Air Facility Atsugi’s Security Department provided support to Carrier Air Wing 5 during the night-landing training on the island. (Matthew R. Schwarz / U.S. Navy)
Petty Officer 2nd Class Dale Doyle watches the movements of aircraft on the radar as USS Kitty Hawk pilots make their carrier-landing qualifications. (Joshua C. Millage / U.S. Navy)
A night landing is observed by landing safety officers from Strike Force Squadron 27. (Joshua C. Millage / U.S. Navy)
Petty Officer 1st Class Cameron Bloom reports conditions in front of an F/A 18E Super Hornet. (Matthew R. Schwarz / U.S. Navy)
Navy planes completed night landing practice at Iwo Jima and Atsugi Naval Air Facility this weekend, Navy officials said.
Atsugi NAF spokesman Brian Naranjo said the jets were due back from Iwo Jima on Monday afternoon. The practice started Jan. 18.
“The training went off without a hitch and we’re glad it was once again a successful evolution,” he said.
The pilots did not use the alternate landing sites of Yokota and Misawa air bases and Iwakuni Marine Corps Air Station. Those bases can be utilized in the event of bad weather.
Though Atsugi receives the quieter propeller jets during the training, such as the E-2 Hawkeye, at least a handful of Atsugi city residents submitted noise complaints.
“On one day there were 18,” said Commander Naval Forces Japan spokesman Jon Nylander.
He said he did not know the number of complaints for the other days.
Navy pilots practice night landings to become qualified for carrier landings at sea.
Nylander said there’s been no word whether the Kitty Hawk will be needed to assist with tsunami relief.
Chief Petty Officer Rick Chernitzer, a 7th Fleet spokesman, said the Kitty Hawk, which recently completed sea trials after a refurbishment period, has “not received any tasking to do it at this time.”