JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas –
An update to the Air Installations Compatible Use Zones
Study at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph and Auxiliary Field Seguin is
currently underway, and will provide the most recent information to the
community regarding the 12th Flying Training Wing flying mission.
Updates are routinely scheduled according to Air Force
policy, providing accurate information to communities around both airfields.
AICUZ studies are managed by the Air Force Civil Engineering
Center to assist local governments with land use planning. Studies give up to
date information on Air Force operations to local authorities so they can make
informed decisions about city planning and land use guidance, said Fred
Pierson, Air Force Civil Engineering Center AICUZ and Noise program manager.
Using flight patterns, interviews with maintenance
personnel, and aircraft performance measurements, the AICUZ study will provide
land use recommendations that are compatible with flying operations, Pierson
said.
The AICUZ update will also have information on flight
safety, providing maps that show flight operations in the three safety zones
located off the runways. These safety zones, known as the Clear Zone and
Accident Potential Zones I and II, extend out from the ends of the runways and
signify areas where aircraft mishaps may occur, if they occur at all.
Along with safety data, the update will include revised maps
of aircraft noise levels in the local area. New noise contour maps will display
the reach and intensity of aircraft noise as it extends out from the runways
and into the communities around both locations.
The Air Force recommends that certain buildings, such as
schools and churches, be located outside of safety zones due to their proximity
to the runways and the likelihood that noise levels will impact quality of life
in that area, Pierson said.
Local residents can expect the new AICUZ study to be
published in 2017. Until then, the Air Force Civil Engineering Center will be
working with government contractors and the 12th Flying Training Wing to
collect information about flying missions at JBSA-Randolph and Seguin.
“AICUZ studies
provide Air Force recommendations to local governments for development
compatible with our flying mission. Our job is to assist them in their planning
so bases and local communities can achieve their development goals together,”
Pierson said.