Fentress reopens for practice landings

CHESAPEAKE, Va. (WAVY) - Naval Auxiliary Landing Field Fentress in Chesapeake reopened Tuesday morning, to the delight of many Beach residents living close to Oceana.

Virginia Beach residents who live around Naval Air Station Oceana have dealt with even more jet noise than usual over the past year because pilots have been using that facility to practice landings as Fentress was being repaired.

“From the time I get off work about [8 p.m.], this is what you hear,” Tarry White told WAVY.com as a jet flew over his home Monday.

“Sometimes you can’t even hear the TV or if you’re outside talking, you can’t hear the people talking to you,” Leslie Ward echoed.

Virginia Beach Mayor Will Sessoms said on Tuesday residents of Oceana were warned about the noise.

"When we explained it would just be temporary, people were very accepting of it," Sessoms said. "I really did not get that many complaints because they understood what was going on."

Fentress will be home to 46,000 touch and go landings annually.

"You've got to remember the economic impact of the Navy on our city and the region, and the Commonwealth for that matter," Sessoms said.

Fentress has been under construction since December 2011 as a part of a $19 million project to replace the pavement and lighting systems on the landing field.