Residents in Middle Franconia are calling for a ban on night flights against the US Army!

Residents in Middle Franconia are calling for a ban on night flights against the US Army!

In Ansbach-Katterbach and Illesheim, Franconia, the sky currently seems to be full of helicopters. The citizens' initiative “Etz langt's” is loudly raising its voice against the US Army's night training flights. Residents are particularly annoyed by the noise that occurs during military exercises. Loud Mercury Those affected report health problems caused by the constant noise. The alarm bells have been ringing here for years, because the US military's new summer night flight list for 2025 is based on plans that call for flights until two o'clock on 18 nights and until midnight on another 30 nights.

The waves of discontent are clearly noticeable in the region. With almost 300 members, the citizens' initiative campaigns against noise and calls for a strict ban on night flights. Board spokesman Wolfgang Schmidt emphasizes that the noise and exhaust emissions from US helicopters exceed all cars registered in Ansbach. This also reduces the health impact caused by noise and exhaust fumes Northern Bavaria made clear.

The pressure is growing

The entire matter is not without a certain amount of drama: in 2009, the city council of Ansbach called for a ban on overflights within a 600 meter radius of residential and mixed areas, as well as a ban on night flights from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. But little has happened since then. A request to the federal government in 2011 revealed that the city council cannot enforce a binding effect - such a ban on night flights is currently not in sight. Press spokesman Boris-André Meyer also criticizes the lax flight regulations, which do not take sufficient account of noise pollution.

The situation is reminiscent of earlier years, when flight operations over Rhineland-Palatinate were a hot topic: Although the number of military aircraft movements has reduced significantly since the late 1980s, the remaining airfields in Ramstein, Spangdahlem and Büchel continue to shape the region. How mdi.rlp.de reported, noise protection commissions were set up to discuss aircraft noise issues with local communities and citizens' initiatives. There is therefore direct contact between the Ministry of the Interior and Sport, the US Armed Forces and the Federal Ministry of Defense in order to find a solution.

A way forward?

It remains to be seen whether the efforts will lead to a ban on night flights or improved noise protection measures. The residents hope that decision-makers will listen more and treat their living spaces with respect. The need for rest often conflicts with the necessary military exercises, but it is important to find a balance that ultimately benefits everyone involved.

The pressure is growing in Ansbach to change the situation and to conduct a fair dialogue about flight operating conditions. The well-being of citizens must not be left behind while the machines whiz over their heads.