RALEIGH, NC
The Navy is conducting another bird study at a proposed North Carolina site for an outlying landing field for jet fighters.
Surveys will be conducted through February to track migratory patterns at Hale Lake in Camden County. The Navy wants to build a landing field where F/A-18 Super Hornet pilots can practice carrier takeoffs and landings before deployments.
Three sites in southeastern Virginia and two in northeastern North Carolina are being considered.
Opponents of the outlying landing field are questioning the need for an additional study, saying the Navy has at least two winters' worth of data.
U.S. Fleet Forces Command spokesman Ted Brown said the study will provide a more complete picture of the site's environmental impact.
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All a waste. . .
Oceana will have it's jets relocated soon as the F35 (JSF) is on line. Why waste all this money for the inevitable? Oceana is, and should be, on BRAC's shortlist.
OLF
The only reason they have to look at the places where birds feed is because the places they could be placing the field no one wants around...so they have to look at alternative sites....the Navy can't please everyone.
again, Ms. K, are you infering the locations no one wants
the pilots to train is Fentress, Oceana and Chambers Field? Because if the Navy simply trained as they needed at these fields, the Navy has demonstrated they have the capacity. So why wont they train? Could it be to many complaints have curbed, or chocked the Navy to the point of abandoning flying FCLP missions at Oceana? That is NOT a valid reason to build another runway someplace else.
The Navy stated they do not have the capacity at their existing fields, but they can only validate that statement by NOT using 4 of their existing runways. These sites should not be involved in this process.
As you stated, the Navy cannot please everyone. With that in mind, the Navy should simply fly as they need, in the profile required to be flow for proper training at Oceana and Fentress. Stop making our pilots figure out how to please everyone, and train as they fight. Oceana is the MJB for the future, the Navy should treat Oceana as the MJB it is. Fly baby fly.
Birds and jets don't mix
Another long winded legal fight in the naval attempt to put a OLF near bird feeding grounds. You would think the navy proponents would have learned from the fiasco near Lake Mattamusket. Really, is the risk to pilots, aircraft and resultant crash damage worth it? Give it up admiral and move on.
OLF
So nobody wants the OLF anywhere...just where are the pilots supposed to practice??? They don't get enough real practice now and depend too much on playing on a simulator instead of the real deal because people don't want to hear the noise...let's see saving lives or savings birds...these people make me sick!
the pilots can use their existing fields Fentress and Oceana
If the facilities do not meet the Navy's needs, then fix the fields, or abandon the fields. It will cost about $2 billion to fix the problem just around Oceana or about $2 billion to build a new MJB from scratch. Add the single OLF if needed, and the price is up to $2.3 billion. I think these numbers where bantered about during the recent BRAC process. so Ms. K, the real question is does the Navy fly 24/7 and disturb the communities around Oceana but save our pilots lives, or does the Navy stop flying at 11pm so you or your neighbors can get some sleep, but our pilots are not trained?
You see, our pilots do have the capacity at Oceana, Fentress and Chambers Field to train our pilots. What they do not have is one single runway that can properly train them. Norfolk, Virginia Beach and Chesapeake local governments are zero for 6 in protecting the Navy's runways for our pilots. Your statement, "these people make me sick!" I hope is addressed at the true people that are harming our pilots, those who, thanks to the poor management of 3 LG have failed to protect the mission, life around those existing runways.