What's Happening in Colorado Springs, CO…

The U.S. Air Force Academy, located in Colorado Springs, is making some changes to its training schedule.

According to a May 31, 2015 news item, it plans to start training flights earlier in the day than in the past. The Academy is making the change to try and avoid the extremely hot temperatures that can build up in an airplane's cockpit during the afternoon. According to Academy sources, such temperatures can top 130°F during hot summer weather.

Until now, training flights have begun at 7:00 am. This year, for the first time, the missions will begin at 6:00 am.

Cognizant of the fact that the early flights could bother residents near the airfield, the Academy is using noise-abatement procedures to reduce the potential annoyance of these missions. Flights that take off earlier than 7:00 am will proceed down the I-25 interstate corridor and climb to cruising altitude before they fly to the training area.

Training will begin during the first week in June and continue through the first week in August. The program is run by the 306th Flying Training Group, which anticipates that more than 1,000 cadets will undergo the training this summer.

Academy officials might want to consider working with a postcard printing company to create a postcard to mail to residents throughout the area, informing them of the change to the schedule, and the noise-abatement effort.