The Navy proposes to construct an additional OLF to support FCLP operations of carrier-based fixed-wing aircraft squadrons stationed at and transient to NAS Oceana, Virginia Beach, Virginia (F/A-18C Hornet and F/A-18E/F Super Hornet squadrons and Fleet Replacement Squadrons (FRS)), and NS Norfolk Chambers Field, Norfolk, Virginia (E-2C Hawkeye, C-2A Greyhound, and E-2C/C-2A FRS). Figure (A) provides a depiction of the proposed airfield (not to scale). The runway is 8,000 linear feet long and 200 linear feet wide with 10 foot paved shoulders on either side. The taxiway is 75 feet wide with 10 foot paved shoulders, and parallels the runway with five evenly spaced access points, all of which are 75 feet wide with 10 foot paved shoulders. There is 500 feet between the runway centerline and taxiway centerline. The radius of the pavement intersections is 150 feet. The aircraft parking apron edge is 150 feet from the centerline of the taxiway. The parking apron, tower, fueling area, emergency vehicle area and POV parking area cover approximately 21 acres.

While NALF Fentress will continue to support FCLP and other training requirements, this landing field alone cannot fully support training requirements of aircraft home-based and transient to NAS Oceana and NS Norfolk Chambers Field. Training capacity at Naval Auxiliary Landing Field (NALF) Fentress is, at times, exceeded when the Fleet Replacement Squadron and one Carrier Air Wing (CVW), or when more than two CVWs, are required to conduct FCLP training concurrently. The capacity shortage occurs up to 63% of the time during the summer when hours of darkness are limited. Additionally, due to development around NALF Fentress, the landing pattern has been modified and the landing pattern altitude has been raised to avoid direct overflight of residential neighborhoods and to provide some mitigation to noise impacts. Further, man-made lighting provides visual landing clues not present at sea. As such, a new OLF is required to provide year-round capacity to support FCLP training requirements under the Fleet Response Plan, provide operational flexibility needed to respond to emergent national defense requirements, and to provide FCLP training consistent with at-sea operating conditions.

The Navy proposes to acquire property interests in approximately 30,000 acres for the OLF through a combination of fee simple purchase and the purchase of restrictive use or conservation easements. Approximately 2,000 acres would be used for the core area, which includes an 8,000-foot runway, aircraft traffic control tower/operations support center, aircraft and vehicle refueling stations, airport rescue and firefighting facility, firefighting training area, and rotating beacon tower. Beyond the airfield, the remaining acreage would be used as a buffer area to ensure land use compatible with an OLF. The Navy also proposes to establish Class D airspace around the OLF. The EIS will address environmental consequences associated with construction of the airfield, associated infrastructure and support facilities, and aircraft operations. In addition, the EIS will assess socioeconomic consequences associated with acquisition of property and property interests for the OLF and any relocation of residences within the proposed airfield safety and projected high-noise zones.

Construction of the OLF is predicted to occur over a 2-year period and would require an estimated 506 to 631 construction personnel. No aircraft squadrons or squadron personnel would be stationed at the OLF. Operation of the OLF would create an estimated 62 full-time civilian jobs, primarily operations and public safety personnel (see Table A). In addition, annual service contracts would be issued for facility maintenance and support (see Table B).

Table A Summary of OLF Civilian Employment
Job-Type
Number of Employees
Air Operations
Airfield Administration
1
Air Traffic Control
5
Airfield Facilities
5
Aviation Fuel Support
10
Ground Electronics
5
Subtotal
26
Public Safety
Fire and Emergency
18
Law Enforcement
6
Physical Security
1
Security Operations
9
Navy Occupational Safety and Health
1
Subtotal
35
Information Technology
Information Technology Services
1
Subtotal
1
Total
62


Table B Summary of OLF Service Contract Employment
Job Category-Types
Facilities Services
Grounds Maintenance (i.e., mowers)
Janitorial
Airfield Sweeping
Facilities Support
Utilities Maintenance

Note:
These jobs would be filled through service contracts, and the specific number of jobs would be determined by the service provider.

The Navy has worked with the leadership in the State of North Carolina and Commonwealth of Virginia to identify a range of reasonable site location alternatives for the OLF. For purposes of analysis, an estimated 25,000 to 30,000-acre area is being considered for each site location alternative. The five site location alternatives proposed by the Navy to date are: (1) Cabin Point, located in Surry, Prince George, and Sussex counties, Virginia; (2) Dory, located in Southampton and Sussex counties, Virginia; (3) Mason, located in Sussex and Southampton counties, Virginia; (4) Sandbanks, located in Gates and Hertford counties, North Carolina; and (5) Hale's Lake, located in Camden and Currituck counties, North Carolina. Any additional alternative site locations brought forward by the public during the scoping/public comment period will be evaluated in accordance with previously determined criteria and will be included in the EIS as appropriate. Please visit the Site Alternatives page to view updated maps and read descriptions of these sites.

The Navy continues to work with the leadership from the State of North Carolina and the Commonwealth of Virginia as well as local communities to explore compatible development opportunities near each proposed OLF site that could bring additional economic benefits to the local community to offset potential impacts from the OLF. During the scoping process, the Navy encouraged and solicited input from the public on potential development proposals. These proposals will be considered in the EIS as appropriate.

The Navy intends to analyze potential environmental consequences of the construction and operation of the OLF on the natural environment, including, but not limited to, air quality, plant and animal habitats, and water resources such as streams and wetlands. It will also evaluate potential consequences to the built environment, including land use patterns, transportation, housing, and regional economy. Further, the Navy will prepare analyses of projected operations on existing airspace and of aircraft noise exposure levels on the ambient noise environment.

ABOUT NALF FENTRESS

NALF Fentress currently supports Field Carrier Landing Practice (FCLP) training for carrier- based aircraft squadrons stationed at Naval Air Station (NAS) Oceana, Virginia and Naval Station (NS) Norfolk Chambers Field, Virginia, including the C-2A Greyhound, E-2C Hawkeye, F/A-18C Hornet, and F/A-18E/F Super Hornet.

View Map

NALF Fentress is located on approximately 2,500 acres in the City of Chesapeake, Virginia, approximately 11 miles south of NAS Oceana, 30 miles east of Suffolk, Virginia and 15 miles north of Moyock, North Carolina. To view a map of NALF Fentress and the surrounding area, please click the button to the left.

Inquiries into NALF Fentress scheduling should be directed to the NAS Oceana Air Operations Duty Officer (AODO) at (757) 433-2162. The schedule is available up to 7-days in advance, but is subject to change without notice based on operational and training requirements, or weather. Call the day prior to or the day of a planned visit to the area for the most up-to date information on the schedule or the active runway in use.

NIGHT CARRIER LANDING

The following video shows the final approach to an aircraft carrier with the view from inside the cockpit of an A-6 Intruder. To view this video, the computer must be equipped with Windows Media Player or video software that supports Windows Media Codecs. MAC users can download the Flip4Mac plugin (download here) in order to view Windows Media files in QuickTime

Play the video

Additional videos that depict at sea flight operations on an aircraft carrier can be viewed in the PBS documentary "Carrier", which can be accessed at http://www.pbs.org/weta/carrier/full_episodes.htm. The carrier operations are shown in Episode 7: "Rights of Passage", during Chapter 4: "Swells" and Chapter 5: "Bolter Bolter Bolter".

For more information on the US Navy please visit the following websites:
http://www.navy.mil
http://www.navy.mil/maritime/
http://www.navy.mil/maritime/display.asp?page=seapower_video.html
http://www.cffc.navy.mil/