An exercise involving military aircraft is taking place at the Santa Maria airport this week from Monday through Friday.
Noise advisories have been issued as part of this large training, and locals say this is what happens when you live next to the airport — one previously owned by the U.S. military.
“I think it's a wonderful deal," Orcutt resident Curley Lowrey said. "It is noisy. That's life. That's part of the deal.”
“The windows will rattle and the walls will shake a little bit," Santa Maria resident Josh Laurel said. "But it's a quick minute or two, and then it's fine. “
One hundred and twenty aircraft are scheduled twice a day to take flight for up to five hours at a time in Southern California.
“I like noise," Lowrey said. "I've been around heavy equipment, and jets, and cars, and motorcycles all my life. I like the noise. To me, it's the sound of freedom."
For Laurel who lives just a mile away, he says while he hears both sides of the noise complaints on Facebook groups he's part of, people should be used to it by now.
“I think they should be," Laurel said. "But you have the people that aren't, they have pets. And then you have the people that are used to it. “
For the majority of Monday, locals said they've only seen the Osprey — the double-bladed helicopter — flying around. Once evening hit, the roar of additional military aircraft engines could be heard, although not seen through the clouds. It was a sound that vibrated the ground for a few moments.
"People complain," Lowrey said. "They moved next to an airport. It’s been there since 1942 and you moved next to it 30 years later. And they start complaining about the noise living next to an airport. So the airport was here first. If you don't like it, you can move."
The exercise meant to enhance warfighting capabilities lasts through Friday this week and can last into the night.
“Bamboo Eagle provides a combat-representative environment,” Maj. Gen. Christopher Niemi, U.S. Air Force Warfare Center commander, told 1st Lt. Jimmy Cummings in an article published by the Air Force. “By honing our capabilities in dynamic and challenging environments, we strengthen our ability to deter aggression and safeguard our nation's interests.”
The airport does not have the authority to regulate or control military aircraft operations but can log noise complaints for data and future military use.
