The F-15 Eagle jets, based at Barnes Regional Airport, will conduct night training flights through Friday.
Crews secure a F-15 Eagle at Barnes Air National Guard Base in Westfield.WESTFIELD - A protracted rumbling noise, heard by residents as far away as Easthampton and Westhampton early Tuesday night, was most likely caused by F-15 Eagle Fighter jets warming up for night training flights at the Air National Guard 104th Fighter Wing at Barnes Regional Airport.
“Most likely, those jets were getting ready to launch,” Major Matthew Mutti, spokesman for the 104th, said Wednesday. “Last night we launched five aircraft.”
Several posts on Twitter referred to the noise, reported in the time-range of 6 to 6:30 p.m.
Mutti said the heavy cloud cover most likely allowed the noise of the fighters, warming up on the tarmac, to carry farther than usual. The F-15s typically warm-up on ground for about 30 minutes before taking off, he said.
The night training, which will conclude Friday, is required for pilots to maintain proficiency in the aircraft in all environments, Mutti said. The flights are scheduled to land around 8 p.m.
Night training operations are typically conducted in the fall and winter when dusk occurs earlier in the evening, in an effort to decrease the impact on the community, Mutti said. In order to train effectively, training missions must occur after sunset so pilots may fully use their night-vision equipment, he said.
Easthampton police reported Wednesday that they weren’t aware of any complaints generated by the noise.