CHESAPEAKE Naval Auxiliary Landing Field Fentress is about to shut down for nine months in order to get a makeover.
It will be the first upgrade to the runway at Fentress in more than 20 years. The project is expected to cost $20 million and will start December 5.
Those living near the landing field will enjoy more peace and quiet, but the F/A Hornet and Super Hornet practice usually done at Fentress will have to be done elsewhere. So those
living near Naval Air Station Oceana are about to hear even more noise than usual.
'Sometimes you might be outside and have time to talk to people and you can't even hear because of the loud jet noise. I don't like that. I don't think it's good,' said Demetria Jones who works in Virginia Beach.
The Navy says the plan is to continue to limit night landings practice to a 10 p.m. end time but says there will be occasional periods in the coming months when practice may extend to midnight.
Oceana's captain asks for understanding.
'We really do appeal to the community, that the Navy is going to be doing its part in sending a lot of these operations elsewhere. But the operations are going to increase at Oceana. We just ask for patience so we can get these upgrades done. It's really, really needed,' said Captain Jim Webb.
Oceana neighbor Jerome Olson seems to be understanding of the situation.
'I have no problem with it, if it's going to better our military and our fighting forces overseas to protect our well-being here in America. I have no problem whatsoever with it at all,' concluded Olson.
