Colorado Springs Residents Complain About US Army Helicopter Noise

Here is a classic not in my backyard issue that is making headlines in Colorado Springs:

Within six months, Fort Carson hopes to have its new Combat Aviation Brigade on base and in full swing, with about 117 helicopters executing landings and takeoffs in the Pike and San Isabel national forests. But while the community has largely embraced the new unit’s arrival, a few wonder if allowing approximately 350 pilots to fly hundreds of missions in tinder-dry forests is a good idea.

The U.S. Forest Service says no wildland fires have been ignited by sparks from a helicopter crash. But tell that to Lance Williams, who lives just south of Manitou Springs in Crystal Park, a hamlet at 9,000 feet. Williams considers the “more or less constant” whop-whop-whop of helicopters overhead a warning of impending catastrophe.

“The fire threat makes training in this area very questionable,” he says. Conditions have changed dramatically in the 36 years since the Army obtained its permit to land helicopters amid the forests: The population has nearly tripled, more homes lie close to the forests, and the forests themselves have been desiccated by drought.

In addition to the fire threat, the Forest Service also is worried about the impact of expanded helicopter training on wildlife and other forest users, and has taken steps to discourage Fort Carson from relying too heavily on the forests.  [Colorado Springs Independent]

I recommend reading the whole article because I thought the Colorado Springs Independent did a good job reporting on this issue.  The Army needs places to conduct these high altitude helicopter flights and Ft. Carson makes the most sense because it is located adjacent to high altitude terrain.

A picture I took of a helicopter landing in Frosty Park after my hike up Almagre Mountain.

Additionally I also find the concerns about fire and noise to have little merit when walking through Frosty Park which is one of the helicopter landing sites feels like a war zone when there are not even helicopters flying there.  On weekends it is common to hear people shooting guns everywhere along side the road and even setting off explosives. Where are the complaints about this activity and why isn’t the Forest Service trying to stop it?  The facts are that the next fire just like the last two major fires we had here in the Springs will probably be human caused.  Should humans be banned from the forests then?

Finally I find it interesting when no one was complaining about helicopter noise when these helicopters were being used to fight forest fires as well as rescue people from the floods last year.