Air Force making its case for bomber training

The Air Force will release a report next month outlining the impacts of its plan to train bomber pilots over massive stretches of Montana and neighboring states. Meantime, Ellsworth Air Force Base brass is selectively making its case to critics of the proposed Powder River Training Complex, which would set aside 20.3 million acres of airspace across Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming for military exercises. The training area, stretching roughly 300 miles between Billings and Bismarck, N.D., would be used by B-1B and B-52 pilots occupying the skies for several hours at a time on weekdays and flying within 500 feet off the ground. With miles of ranches and 66 small airports in or around the flight zone, opponents aren’t in short supply. “We were kind of a practice run for the B-52s and others years ago, and it really disturbs cattle a lot,” said Pat Goggins, owner of the Vermillion Ranch, which has properties throughout the area. “It’s a rough deal trying to get good (weight) gain on them.”...more