©
CAMDEN, N.C.
The Navy has begun an environmental assessment of a site in northeastern North Carolina that's a possible location for a jet practice landing field.
The study in the Hales Lake area of Camden County will look at historical sites and wildlife. The Daily Advance of Elizabeth City reported that the studies began about three weeks ago.
The Navy is studying five sites in North Carolina and Virginia. Navy spokesman Ted Brown said the environmental study should be released this summer.
Camden County officials commissioned a study of the site in their county that suggested the peat-based soil in the area wasn't suitable because it is flammable. The study said it would cost more than $14 million to excavate the soil and replace it.
Delicious
Digg
Reddit
Facebook
Twitter
Google
Yahoo
VA'S DEVELOPMENT
is a problem for the USN, even a civilian like me can see that. Knowing how greedy politicians and developers are, I see no chance of the existing development being rolled back. Therefore, I think the training of the pilots must be priority ONE and secure more space.
I had the occasion to be driving past Oceana NAS tonight and the jets were flying one behind another. Since the claim has been made that both runways are not used to their potential I decided to take the more secluded route home (to Camden) and pass Fentress. It was continuous flights looping on that runway too.
When I consider this subject I just can't seem to get the man/woman who crawls in that cockpit and is most likely headed to the Mid East out of my mind.
NCguy
Yes, the Navy has convinced me they need a dark place with error margin for first timers, requalifiers, etc to practice night carrier landings. The error margin shoots down the off shore platform idea unless it is as big as a land based runway. A little short, you get the back of the platform. Short land based, you get runway.
Oceana/Fentress no longer have the dark atmosphere because of development. So I see 2 choices. Roll back development at Oceana/Fentress (not likely) or move night practice to another location.
What convinced me??? Landing on a carrier a number of times, not as a pilot, but sometimes in a position to see out front observing what happens. Couple of those were at night in rough seas. One taking 3 trys. I'm glad the pilot had spent time at an OLF at night.
I understand folks not wanting it in their backyard. I would not either and have no clue as to which site, if any, might be best. My point with Easley was that the Navy is not the only "bad guy" in this.
But the need is there based on darkness and error margin.
Yes mickey did offer up our sites and I despise him for that
however, the first 10 minutes of the presentation from Sec Ross, DENR states the information for these 6 North Carolina sites is preliminary. The Navy took that data, put final over the top, sent it to SECNAV and now these 5 new sites are around. The 3 sites in VA, at least you guys had the Navy visit you because ur gov was upfront. Did the Navy convince you that they had a genuine need? Did the Navy present a compelling arguement that made you think, "dang, I hope my site is not selected, the pilots do need this, Oceana/Fentress cannot do the job because of capacity concerns and I really do not want to leave." Or did you get nothing of substance with a lot of operational flexibility, noise mitigation and we hope to be done by 10pm nonsense? Did the Navy focus more on how well your site would function as an OLF with incentive packages, or did they focus on an inability SCENARIO w/DATA for the Fentress/Oceana facilities not having the capacity. They say no can do, but have they proved it?
Please don't ruin NC too!!!!
How about moving it all to Staton or Long Island, NY. ???
Keep in mind
Keep in mind that some guy named Easley offered up the sites the Navy is now looking at.
Seems he would warrant some credit as well.
David
Another OLF is not the answer to those pressing problems plaguing Oceana and Fentress. The Navy can construct twenty OLFs yet it still would not make Oceana any safer to fly into or out of. Another OLF is NOT the answer.
Get a clue people
. . They (Navy) are looking for an OLF because both Oceana and Fentress are in areas too dangerous (Oceana more so) and too populated to train around. Too many lights for night training and a host of other factors are ruining their training tactics. Fort Beaufort's Marine Base in NC is a perfect place for Oceana's jets. Hopefully, the coming BRAC will finally do away with Oceana as a MJB, as it's outgrown Virginia Beach. We have far too many bases along the east coast.
Do not think too hard, Navy
Why is this subject still dragging everyone down? Why does the Navy think the best answer is to pave over huge areas of NC? USE THE FACILITIES that already exist!! Fentress, Oceana, NAS Norfolk, NAS Pax River, Langley AFB, MCAS Cherry Point, MCAS New River, MCAS Quantico Richmond International, Pope AFB adjacent to Fort Bragg, Fort Pickett (Nottoway County, VA), Fort A.P. Hill (Caroline County, VA). All are relatively close, the areas would welcome the activity and business, and EVERYONE in Eastern VA and Eastern NC would get to enjoy the Sound of Freedom. Just not every day. Use some high priced military leadership and management skills. Work it out according to time of year, other training and civilian traffic, weather considerations, and mission requirements. Do not move it to a rural area in NC that won't be rural in 40 years from a site in VB that was rural 40 years ago.
NO OLF ANYWHERE
The Navy has not provided a single document to prove their need for an additional OLF, the only facts we have is their problem of encroachment. It is totally unfair and unjust to shift the negative impacts to NE NC to appease the rich citizens that moved into properties at a master jet base. The city and the Navy did NOT stop encroachment years ago, and now they think they can fix it by exporting their negative impacts to NC. It is time for the Navy to realize they need to stay near the base and clean up their own back yard if they truly can't provide quality training.I would hate for any rural community to be forced into an OLF knowing this whole mess is totally political see-sawing. As much as I hate to point fingers, the people of Virginia must be prepared to accept change and provide the proper training,Virginia receives billions in federal monies to support the base, as well as providing jobs and tremendous economy for the state. What are they offering NC? A handful of jobs like grass cutting and security, compensation for CONDEMNATION, that's it. Nothing for the people or the state except to devalue our land, loss of farms and income, and displacing hundreds of families, wild
You Got That Right
A single jet mishap at that location in Camden County and the fires we experienced this past summer will seem like campfires. That is a terrible location for a jet landing field. Not only is it a terrible location but the Navy shouldn't be looking for an outlying landing field anywhere. It is a waste of millions in taxpayer dollars. The Navy already has an outlying landing field...it is called Fentress and it is grossly underutilized. They can use both Fentress and Oceana for training...there is absolutely no need for another outlying landing field and the Navy has yet to prove that they need one. They have been trying for 10 years to find another outlying landing field and have yet to provide a single compelling argument for why existing landing field assets are not enough.