The Navy plans low jet flights over five sites, two in North Carolina and three in Virginia, to demonstrate noise levels at outlying landing fields.
Test runs would occur within the next year and will be advertised, said Navy spokesman Ted Brown.
Jets would fly about 600 feet above ground in a race-track-shape pattern typical of "touch and go" carrier landing drills without touching down, Brown said.
The test flights are intended to demonstrate that practice landings would not be as intrusive as some say.
Camden and Gates counties in North Carolina and Sussex, Southampton and Prince George counties in Virginia were selected in January as proposed sites for an outlying landing field.
Residents and officials at each site have overwhelmingly opposed a Navy airfield near their homes, largely because of concerns about noise.
The Navy held meetings at each of the sites in the past two weeks to explain flight patterns, location and frequency of flights, among other things.
Moyock neighborhoods lie within a mile of the high noise zones of the Camden site.
Camden resident and former Navy carrier pilot Roger Lambertson is skeptical of the value of the planned test flights.
"It's not going to be very realistic unless you go to ground level and take back off," he said.
Cruising at the 600-foot landing pattern will not re-create the noise level of jets touching down then taking off again at full thrust, Lambertson said.
"When they hit full power, then it's really deafening."
The Navy is conducting environmental impact statements on each of the five sites and plans to eventually name a new preferred site.
The studies are expected to take about two years.
In 2005, the Navy conducted a test flight for the public at its previous preferred site in Washington County - where observers said a jet pilot narrowly missed a flock of geese.
The Navy disputed the claim.
A test scheduled the same week for Hyde County was scrapped after flocks of birds were seen flying in the testing area and it was deemed too dangerous.
The flight tests became a rallying point for those opposed to the outlying landing field.
Residents, elected officials and environmental groups fought successfully to have the Washington County site removed from consideration, mainly for the potential harm to the Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge and the thousands of migrating geese that winter there.
Jeff Hampton, (252) 338-0159, jeff.hampton@pilotonline.com
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Carolyn
I just confronted Carolyn about her financial connection to the base on a board at the Daily Advance, a NC publication, and she denied it was a factor. Now she touts it here. I would rather sell fruit at interstate off ramps than live under the jet noise again. Folks (Carolyn included), the Navy is lying to you. The aforementioned poster also has blasted people for complaining in Va stating they should not have bought near and airbase. What do you think like minded people will be saying about you if you do not fight it? As for another posters suggestion that we should movee becasue we complain and would then reduce traffic, I smile at the reduction closing Ocean would create if it were to be closed.
You couldn't be more on target
about the economic benefits of the USN to VA and North Carolina. It seems as though my fellow North Carolinians are completely overlooking this fact.
Outlying Landing Field
Our constitution gives citizens the right to petition our government because wise men knew our government is not always right. Our wonderful Navy is not always right. The courts found they were wrong when they selected Washington County, NC for an OLF site. It is not unpatriotic to petition your government when health and property are in question. I believe oppositian often helps in the decison making process. Playing the patriotic card only builds resentment. There are good reasons for selecting one site over another or not building a new OLF at all. With that said, it is hard to see any logic in basing the locaton of the OLF on which area is receiving economic benefits from NAS Oceana or Fentress. My guess is that both states receive economic benefits. If the economic benefit arguement had any merit, to be fair, you would have to locate part of the olf in NC and part in VA proportional to the economic benefits. More importantly, our military protects all citizens of this country.
Move?
Move? Some of us have already moved, I moved to NC to get away from Virginia Beach and the noise. I don't want it to follow me here! Keep your own mess in VA!
misguided
living in freedom aren't you john? for the rest of you anti military....move, less traffic!!! it will be win win for everyone.
Good move Navy.
You can see the nay sayers don't want the flights. Don't let the truth get out whatever you do. Geez.
monitor the test
Those test only show the noise level at 600 feet not when they power up and down adjusting on "final". These test are are designed to show the noise is "not as bad" and not how loud a "fclp" really is. they Navy designed the data to prove their point at Virginia Beach then again at Washington County. Now it appears they are trying to do it again. The Navy should not be allowed to get away with it.
I am all for it too.....
The Navy can do all the low level flights they want to up there at Ft. Pickett or in Oceana where Va. Beach and its greedy council members encroached on the air station's "encroachment zone". I won't beat the dead horse about how the Beach did it to themselves. We do not want the OLF in Western Tidewater. It ain't un-patriotic either. If you think we out there are un-patriotic, come on out west and see how well you are recieved when you acuse the residents of Western Tidewater of being un-patriotic.
Re: Nature Nazis
The Navy continues to use "training Excuses" and terms like "Supporting Our Troops" to destroy what little nature we have left. On the land and in the sea the Navy continues to destroy "Mammals, Fish, Birds" all for the sake of "Big Business" corporations producing weapons!!! Same old excuses. At least the "Old Government" had enough sense to test and train with these weapons in areas least populated by "humans and Gods Little Critters". Soon we and our children will be left with a burned out patch of dirt with no life. To the "Navy" and the "Government War Machines" and Corporations in search of "Oil" for profits and "Weapons" for profit "Shame on You"!!!!!
olf
i am for it. there are too many geese any way so a few get "sucked up" won't hurt anyone. supporting the troops is more important than supporting the nature nazis.