The night training exercises are typically flown in the fall and spring.
Crews secure a F-15 Eagle at Barnes Air National Guard Base in Westfield.WESTFIELD The Air National Guard's 104th Fighter Wing will be conducting night training operations this week from its base at Barnes Regional Airport.
The night flights, which will run through Friday, are required for pilots to maintain proficiency in the unit's F-15 Eagle fighter jets in all
environments, said Major Matthew Mutti, executive officer. Night flight training is a critical requirement for alert operations, providing realistic training; preparing the pilots to respond to
any airborne threat around the clock.
The flights are scheduled to land around 8 p.m. The night training is typically conducted in the fall and winter when dusk occurs
earlier in the evening, thus decreasing the noise impact on the community. In
order to train effectively, training missions must occur after sunset,
allowing full utilization of night-vision equipment, Mutti said.