At this point, Cannon Air Force Base proposes to fly gargantuan C-130 cargo planes and CV-22 Ospreys low to the ground over Taos County. The Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft itself has a controversial history of crashes and fatalities.
But, according to local realtor Albino Martinez, those propeller-driven war machines are just the tip of the spear aimed at Northern New Mexico and Southern Colorado.
“Bino” is a retired Air Force Senior Master Sergeant with more than 20 years of service. He says this Low Altitude Tactical Navigation training is likely a Special Ops program. Sound-barrier-breaking jets may not be far behind.

Your Northern New Mexico Newsroom reported yesterday about Cannon Air Force Base plans to practice low-altitude, high-speed flying over this part of Northern New Mexico. Folks have until October 4th to comment on the proposed Low Altitude Training. But, if you want to know what it’s like, just ask Pat Leahan of Las Vegas, New Mexico.

She is co-director of the Las Vegas Peace and Justice center, and they are right now doing some deep research, preparing talking points, reports, and more. She and many others around Northern New Mexico want it stopped; or at least extended beyond the October 4th comment deadline.

But Leahan says: first, make your comments to the Air Force now at their website. Read and download the material they provide, and make your opinions known now, while you can. Your Northern New Mexico Newsroom has the Cannon Air Force link for you.

Get all the Air Force information about the proposed Low Altitude Tactical Navigation:

Pat Leahan, who is against LATN (Low Altitude Tactical Navigation), says go to the Cannon AFB website  and look at the right-hand column on their home page. There, you will see all the information to download, including where they are in the process of developing the draft Environmental Assessment.

That Environmental Assessment is much less demanding than an Environmental Impact Statement, which Leahan and others say is a must.

The information is in plain language and they even have an FAQ page to download that might answer some of your questions.

Then, if you want to have a say in military aircraft flown low over and between Northern New Mexico mountains, you should fill out the comment form before time runs out on October 4th.

Everything you need to know right now about LATN is on the right-hand side of the homepage of the Cannon AFB website:

http://www.cannon.af.mil/

You can reach Pat Leahan at the Las Vegas Peace and Justice Center by phone at (505) 425-3840. Or, email her at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

The website fighting against the Air Force plans can be found at

http://lvpeacecenter.org/

Maybe you heard a military jet blast through Taos last month. If you missed it, you may have an opportunity to experience that blast over and over again. If the U.S. Air Force gets its way, some of Taos’ sacred places will become official Low Altitude Tactical Navigation areas. Training flights from Cannon Air Force Base are being planned to come roaring through the Sangre de Christo Mountains and throughout Northern New Mexico and Southern Colorado. The plan is to train pilots to operate at high speeds and very low altitudes an average of three times a day.

The Air Force posted a relatively obscure notice on page B10 of last week’s Taos News indicating the comment period on the program will close October 4th.

Calls made to Cannon Air Force Base were not answered or they went to indefinite hold. Your Northern New Mexico Newsroom will continue to follow-up. Meanwhile, peace and quiet reigns over this part of Northern New Mexico -- for almost another month, anyway.