LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. –
Every day, the 1st Fighter Wing launches its fleet of F-22 Raptors into the skies over Hampton Roads, streaking through the air with grace, precision and the roar of their Pratt and Whitney F119-PW-100 engines.
For Hampton resident Connie Johnson, jet noise equates to freedom and security.
Mrs. Johnson, who owns and operates a local contracting firm with her husband, David, built a home in 2007 along the northwest branch of the Back River, directly across the water from Langley. She said proximity to the base was among the foremost requirements in selecting a suitable location.
"It's breathtaking to see the Raptors pass over the house," she said, smiling and motioning to their typical approach over her property. "Sometimes, I imagine they chose my house as a vector on their way back to base."
The sight of F-22s in the sky is enough to pull her attention away from chores, Mrs. Johnson said. She recalled nearly driving her lawn mower into the nearby river while distracted by an air show practice demonstration in 2008.
"I've been so caught up watching the planes perform that I've come pretty close to being submerged," she said with a laugh.
Over time, Mrs. Johnson built a collection of fighter memorabilia. Among her novelties is an U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds pilot action figure, a series of photography books featuring Air Force aircraft and a die-cast model of an F-22, complete with the 1 FW's "FF" tail markings and insignia.
Growing up in the late 1960s, she fondly remembered her parents adjusting picture frames on the walls at home after a C-130 Hercules, the aircraft then assigned to Langley, passed over their home. Her love for Langley's aircraft blossomed as a girl, when her father would take her to watch takeoffs and landings from nearby Armistead Avenue.
Living nearby awarded many opportunities to visit the base, particularly during the installation's signature air show, AirPower over Hampton Roads.
"I've been to nearly 20 air shows and was even invited out by the F-22 Raptor Demo Team to get an up-close performance on the flightline," she said. "We feel so privileged to see the Raptor every day because so many enthusiasts come from far and wide just to get a glimpse of it."
More important than the aerial displays and token sound of the jets is the feeling of comfort and security knowing "America's finest are up there," Mrs. Johnson said, her eyes welling with tears.
"It's a reminder of what people are doing for us, and we need that reminder," she continued. "It's just like being a child hearing your parents outside your bedroom after you've gone to bed. It's the comfort of knowing there's someone watching over us, protecting us."
Not everyone shares her affection for the fighter's distinctive roar. Some neighbors have complained about the noise the jets leave in their wake, calling it "irritating" and "an inconvenience," said Mrs. Johnson. She calls it "a privilege."
"I hear people say that if I lived close by a base I might not be so appreciative of the noise. You don't live much closer than I do unless you've pitched a tent on the tarmac," she said. "I think everyone should embrace the sound of those fighters and the freedom they ensure.
Others can share in Mrs. Johnson's firsthand encounters with the fifth-generation aircraft when the F-22 Raptor Demo Team performs at the 2011 AirPower over Hampton Roads, May 13-15. During the demonstration, Pilot Maj. Henry Schantz will illustrate its stealth, supercruise, maneuverability and integrated avionics before a crowd of approximately 180,000 people.
Never one to miss the F-22 Demo Team perform, Mrs. Johnson said she anticipates the portion of the performance where the aircraft ascends to a high altitude before somersaulting downward end over end, only to stop "on a dime," level out and accelerate into a high-speed, low-altitude pass.
"That is just amazing," she exclaimed. "It's almost as though the Raptor takes on a life of its own. I tend to forget that there's even someone in there flying it."
Mrs. Johnson said she plans to "go all out" for the upcoming air show, convening fellow fighter fanatics at her home to enjoy the sights and sounds of the aerial expo.
"I'll be out at the air show on one day, and am planning a big backyard party for the other day," she said. "I'm expecting nearly 150 guests for it. It's going to be an awesome time."