Six F/A-18s to Pierce Long Beach Skies for Five Days

Six F/A-18s will be conducting operations at the Long Beach Airport (LGB) starting Friday, November 7 and continuing through Tuesday, November 11. Over the long Veterans Day Holiday weekend, the Long Beach Airport advises Long Beach residents that there will be intermittently higher noise levels due to these operations.

The combat jets are owned by the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps and will be flown from Long Beach to designated flight training areas throughout the day, according to Stephanie Montoya-Morisky, spokeswoman for the LGB. The jets will return to Long Beach from these training areas intermittently.

The McDonnel Douglas (now Boeing) F/A-18 Hornet is a twin-engine supersonic, all-weather carrier, capable of performing as a multirole combat jet. It is designed, according to the LGB, as both a fighter and attack aircraft (F/A designates Fighter/Attack). The F/A-18 was designed specifically for use by the United States Navy and Marine Corps and is used by the air forces of several other nations. The U.S. Navy’s Flight Demonstration Squadron, the Blue Angels, has used the Hornet since 1986.

“As a public use commercial airport, Long Beach Airport has the equipment and runway length needed for the safe operation of these aircraft,” said Montoya-Morisky. “As part of our nation's transportation system, we accept federal funding to keep the airport as safe and operationally efficient as possible. LGB does not operate with any local tax revenue. Since the Airport is a Federal Aviation Administration funding recipient, we are obligated, per federal regulations, to be open to government aircraft 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. These aircraft include Air Force One, The Coast Guard, The Postal Service and all branches of the military. This is standard for most of the airports in the United States.”

The LGB, in regards to this upcoming Veterans Day on November 11, would like to thank veterans and current soldiers alike for their service and dedication to this country.

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