Economy
Air Force Answers Guardian F-35 Challenge
September 7, 2017 
Soon after the United States Air Force announced that Gowen Field was a “finalist” in the air war to attract a squadron of F-35 fighter jets, the GUARDIAN offered A CHALLENGE to let us see and hear the deadly fighter in action.
A spokesman at the Idaho Air Guard confirmed Thursday that it appears a pair of F-35s will be on hand for the October 14-15 “Gowen Thunder” air show. While it was acknowledged the GUARDIAN was the first to offer the challenge to bring the aircraft to Boise we were told not to expect to see any official press releases crediting the GUARDIAN.
It will be interesting to see (and hear) if they use afterburners or high powered maneuvers which tend to be loud. Opponents of siting the F-35 here have been concerned mostly with the issue of noise.
Crowds of nearly 80,000 are expected. Details on shuttle buses, parking, and access will be announced soon in the legacy media.
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Comments & Discussion
Comments are closed for this post.
Sep 8, 2017, 5:50 am
Thanks for issuing the challenge to demonstrate this aircraft in Boise! I have seen this challenge /request/demand/plea in dozens of emails, comments and articles but apparently only you were able to format and present it in a manner recognizable to the USAF. Congratulation!
EDITOR NOTE–We did it as BREAKING NEWS!, then a TEAM REPORT, a DEVELOPING STORY, NEW AT 5 PM, as a READER OPINION, and from our EDITORIAL BOARD. Glad you recognized our influence.
Sep 8, 2017, 2:13 pm
You forgot to use the ‘send us your photo’ approach. 🙂
Sep 8, 2017, 3:44 pm
BYOEarplugs. I just discovered there’s a decibel-reading phone app, which could be useful for the Thunder….
Sep 8, 2017, 5:21 pm
Humm… They are bring the F 35 during the Gowen Thunder? A time when every patriotic person for all over the valley will be sitting in attendance? Going Ohhhh and Ahhh as every high power jet goes by? And the Thunderbirds zipping by as fast as they can is the highlight of the show?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjJl02byaJs
If I remember in the past when the Thunderbirds were in town they gave many free rides to the top dignitaries that supported them
And you think this is going to help your cause? I think have been set up for a big disappointment Guardian.
JMHO
Sep 8, 2017, 8:50 pm
I bet you a donut they will NOT fly in any manner that can or will make the noise they could possibly make with a full load and at maximum thrust.
Sep 9, 2017, 3:54 pm
Silly Editor, F35’s don’t fly. They are hanger queens. They’ll probably need to truck them in and out. If, somehow, they do get one of those flying turds started, I’m guessing you’ll never hear the afterburner. They’ll probably coast in for a landing, then flatbed it out. The Evil Gubbermint won’t want to alarm the Sheeple.
Sep 9, 2017, 7:01 pm
Buying more F-35’s is the apparent solution to half of them not being able to power up a year ago in Mountain Home.
The new USAF Sec is a lobbyist for Lockheed Martin, and already said that USAF needs to buy more F-35’s, to modernize. Their chief advantage is invisibility!
With a little bit more PR they hope to sell more F-35’s to all the allied countries.
Sep 10, 2017, 12:00 pm
I don’t think the daytime flights would be all that bad but night flights is another matter. I can remember not too long ago mayor Bieter was trying to turn Boise Airport into a inland freight hub with 747’s landing and taking off all night long. A really bad idea that has not come to fruition.
One group who might find this unacceptable would be day sleepers who work night shifts. These folks are constant slaves to lack of sleep. I can’t see these planes making their lives for the better.
Sep 12, 2017, 10:10 am
Each and everyone who owns a decible meter needs to take a measurement on that day. Media included.