By: Las Vegas Now Staff
If you heard the loud booms of afterburners Tuesday, it's because Nellis Air Force Base have once again kicked off their famous Red Flag exercises.
It's several weeks of jets from around the world in the Las Vegas area practicing dog-fighting and air-to-ground combat and it's drawn jet enthusiasts from around the nation to see the action.
These jet plane fanatics have been waiting months for Red Flag to get a glimpse of some of their favorite military jets. While they're enjoying the air show, some people who live in the area don't share that same enthusiasm.
Lee Rickmers calls himself a fighter plane fanatic. For 25 years he has claimed a spot on Las Vegas Boulevard across from Nellis AFB as his hot spot to catch the iron eagles landing and taking off during Nellis' Red Flag maneuvers.
Rickmers said, “I just wanted to come and see some jets, so I brought my book and today I've seen the Mirage 2000 and the German Jaguar.”
The Red Flag exercises at Nellis involve all allied forces from the Royal Air Force all the way to the German Luftwaffe. They are practicing dogfighting maneuvers across the valley's skies.
But not everyone holds Rickmers' fascination.
James Phillips is annoyed by the sounds of jets. “You hear the loud boom and you look into the sky and you don't see the plane because it's way over there. But the noise is still there,” he said.
Phillips lives a few blocks away from Nellis and dreads the Red Flag exercises. He says trying to sleep with sonic sounds of jets is almost unbearable.
Rickmers also lives nearby, but he believes the noise has another meaning. He calls it the sound of liberty and freedom.
Red Flag exercises have been going on at Nellis AFB since the '70s.
During the next two weeks, all branches of the U.S. military and allied countries will take part, as well.
E-mail your comments to Reporter Tedd Florendo.
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