Luke Air Force Base (LUF, KLUF)

[Chris Kennedy]

I was down on Alsup for a couple of hours this morning and hardly recognized the place. When did they cut down the big tree? I hadn't been there for quite a while.

[Scott Youmans]

I haven't been there in years.  Too bad about the tree.  It was probably older than most if not all of us.  A friend of mine owns the land at that end of the runway but I think it's the area on the west side of the Alsup.  They had an F-100 crash near their house back in the sixties I believe.  Some of the parts ended up in their yard if I'm not mistaken.

[Joe Copalman]

Funny how small the world is.  If I recall, Jeff's uncle owned some of the land at the north end of the runways.  He even let us park there to catch arrivals at the last air show.

[Tower Guy]

Chris, that very large tree was cut down about a month ago. I went to work one afternoon and looked out on final on runway 3 and thought something looked different. When a formation on a straight-in was about a mile final I realized what was missing. We used that tree as a visual reference point for many many years.  Luke was trying to have the land owner cut it down for several years.  It grew so tall that it was encroaching on the clear zone for instrument approaches, so it had to go.  I would guess that it was about 70' tall and the stump is about 4 to 5' across.  Another land mark gone.

[Chris Kennedy]

It sure does look different when you're out there on that road.

Now if you could get that big bush or tree or whatever it is that is right at the end of the road cut down it would be good. It shows up in a lot of my pictures. I believe that particular piece of land is owned by the US Government. 

[Scott Youmans]

I think there was a house near where the tree was many years ago.  The government has probably been buying up what they can.  Probably wise considering the people inclined to complain about noise when they knowingly buy a home near an air base!

[Jeff D. Welker]

Funny how small the world is.  If I recall, Jeff's uncle owned some of the land at the north end of the runways.  He even let us park there to catch arrivals at the last air show.

The State bought his land last year to make way for the 303 work and to clear that end of the runway.

[cpasley]

F-16C Fighting Falcon 310th FS 90-0768 & 89-0164 by Chris Pasley, on Flickr

[Tower Guy]

Very nice shot Chris, I like the framing.

[Tower Guy]

In a hurry to get to get to "KGXF"

YC5A9067 by Tower Guy, on Flickr

[Bjorn van der Flier]

Another nice one Harvey..

[Tower Guy]

Thank you Bjorn, hope things are well with you.

[Jeff D. Welker]

In a hurry to get to get to "KGXF"

YC5A9067 by Tower Guy, on Flickr

WOW Harvey - this is great. I will be including you in my Master of Panning group that I try to emulate 

[Bjorn van der Flier]

Yes I'm doing pretty fine, will be doing some luke shots soon... Do miss that great viewing spot..  .

Hopefully I am able to return for an airplane holiday this year...

[Tower Guy]

Thank you Jeff, I'm honored.