WVEC TV 13, Virginia Beach, VA
Former Oceana CO: Fentress may satisfy OLF needs
September 25th, 2007Captain Skip Zobel says he understands the Navy's desire to construct a new outlying field somewhere, but until that day comes, if ever, Zobel says Fentress could certainly do the job.
According to the video news video, the Navy would have to move some training flights to a different field and fix the flight path altitudes at Fentress and the problem is solved.
Capt Zobel was in charge at some time of Oceana and knows the requirements of Oceana, Fentress and the fleet. His statements hold water and are smart.
What he is saying is for the Navy to use the assets at their disposal now. Fix the problems that is causing the Navy's desire to explore an OLF elsewhere.
Dam, I wish I would have said that hope the Navy and NC politicians heard this.
Comments
Ooops
Guess the Navy will now have to discredit Zobel as nothing but a commie sympathizer peace-nik who doesn't really understand that 9-11 changed EVERYTHING.
They gonna recall him
and bust him down to Ensign!
How dare he think outside the box. With his one statement, he just saved $300million, a community, potentially a pilot or two, a bunch of birds, a habitat, the list just goes on.
and a whole heap of trouble, too!
If he just would have spoken out sooner, he would have saved everyone some grief.
Be the change you wish to see in the world. --Gandhi
You mean to tell me the Navy actually has someone who tells
the truth?
Question for all those who have to balance their checkbooks and stay within a budget to survive.
If your household were in debt, wouldn't basic common sense prevail for you to do whatever it takes to save money to protect your family and self?
To protect the American taxpayer, the Navy should go ahead and send the two squadrons to Cherry Point. That would instantly reduce the Super Hornet noise in Virginia Beach by 20%. No new OLF needed. Savings=$300,000,000.00
But no...They insist on using the squadrons as tools for black mail. No North Carolina land, no squadrons. And our illustrious politicians are going after the chum as if it was their last meal.
Just a mild change in your statement Susan
The F/A-18 EF actually has 11 squadrons (12 squadrons worth if done by total planes). So 2 of 12 squadrons vice the 2 of 10. Still a good reduction. 16.66666% vice the 20%.
Also, while I am retired, I hope you don't mean that I do not tell the truth. I did spend 20+ years in uncle sam's canoe club. I love my Navy, I just do not like what some of them are doing to it. I truely know you dont mean what you said. I will give them misinformed.
The Navy should send the two squadrons to Cherry Point. The Navy should find other alternatives by utilizing the assets available and under their control now. The Navy must correct the problems that are causing training concerns for the pilots. That is a responsibility the Navy has and today has the ability to start correcting.
Oceana and Fentress needs to be fixed first. The encroachment problems corrected to show the Navy is committed to keeping Oceana viable and to stay the master jet base of the future.
Currently, the Navy is not doing anything to fix this. Virginia Beach has spent $3.6million dollars to buy out willing sellers in the zone between the two airfields. This is 103 acres of land. Not bad, 103 acres in a year, that means in about 320 years, 33,000 acres will be bought.
The Navy is not in any big hurry to require Virginia to support Oceana, I dont see why they should be in such a hurry to force NC to sacrifice a community by 2010.
In 5 min, Fentress could have a real world training environment
"The pilots have said that it's just not the real world training environment down at Fentress and it's not. They fly at a higher altitude. They have to fly a wider ratter on one runway, and that is a Navy-imposed restriction for community relation,” said Zobel. “The Navy is trying to be a good neighbor. So, in essence, in five minutes, they could change that pattern, go back down to 600 feet, fly the normal pattern. It would upset some folks in some houses down there, but, quite frankly the field was down there first."
Stupid question and request for information
I'm preparing a statement to be read (by me) to the Onslow County Board of Commissioners next week.
I remember seeing, but cannot find, information about Cherry Point being abandoned by the Super Hornet squadrons in 2015-2020. Does anyone have a link or reference for that?
Thomas S. Brock
www.brocknet.net
http://blogs.brocknet.net/brocklog/
What have YOU done today to elect a Democrat?
Thomas
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Thomas...
Are you referring to the Joint Strike Fighter phasing out the Super Hornets in that time frame?
That could be it, Susan...
How will the JSF affect the usage of the OLF?
Thomas S. Brock
www.brocknet.net
http://blogs.brocknet.net/brocklog/
What have YOU done today to elect a Democrat?
Thomas
What have YOU done today to make the world a better place?
The JSF (F-35)
and the F-22 will be added to the Navy inventory in the near future.
The JSF joint strike fighter will replace the F-18C model used by the Navy. The F-18C is designed to be more of a strike plane (drop bombs) then be a fighter on the way out.
The F-22 will augement and be added with the F/A-18 EF models for the air superiority role. More fighter then bomber.
The JSF is suppose to be a 1 for 1 swap of planes in carrier airwings. It is suppose to be louder. They have not come out with the training sylibus for FCLP or other issues as of yet. Still in planning stage. If they have come out with this information, I can not find it.
How it should effect this OLF:
It is replacing an aircraft thus the overall usage should be near neutral.
Because it is louder, the noise zone impact will be to increase the overall size of footprint at any field this flies at. Something I know will happen but the Navy wont acknowledge. They want this OLF in NE NC before they have to deal with this additional noise concern.
Exactly what this new noise will be is uncertain.
The www.noolf.com website...
Has quite a bit of information.
On the home page, go to news, then use the search engine.
This is an excerpt from the Washington Daily News
10/14/05
During the August hearings, a BRAC analyst briefed the board and military representatives on his analysis of Oceana´s future as a master jet base, contending the installation is not capable of handling the next-generation Joint Strike Fighter the F-35 slated for deployment to Oceana beginning in 2010.
Article referenced by susan
OLF forces collar Navy
WOW, did not realize that. Great catch. Wonder who this person was. Wonder what failed at Oceana. Heck that airstrip has a 12,000 foot runway. If that sucker aint long enough, what the heck that plane need?
I love these statements...great article
“Right now,” said Alligood, “the BRAC’s telling you to figure out what you’re going to do in Oceana or move out, and you’re still putting money in.”
“Actually,” said Cmdr. Rick Keyes, “the BRAC commission has put the onus on the (Virginia Beach) government. The Navy has no control over development of private lands outside (Oceana).”
“Well, you have control of our development,” said Alligood, “so don’t tell me you don’t have control over development.”
Also Parmea I apologize. My husband, son...all Navy...I did not mean my honesty crack as an across the board opinion. It is just that over the last five years the honesty the Navy has shown in regards to the OLF project has left a very sour taste in the mouths of many North Carolinians.
As for the squadrons I remember reading that the Navy had reduced the twelve squadrons to ten. Two going to Cherry Point eight to Oceana.
good catch susan on Alligood comments!
When you have comments being made by the Navy like this, it will create bad feelings toward the Navy.
It is hard to distinguish between the two and I can see where my own statements toward the Navy may be interpreted in a negative with regard to the Navy.
My attempts have (I hope) to go against statements and not people. The line blurs with this.
I love the work you are doing and it is the responsibility as well as the right of people to question our government. This OLF fight is that. Us questioning why the Navy needs to ruin our community and why does the Navy insist on duel standards, one for Virginia and one for North Carolina.
To many of the answers appear to be chase the tail answers. Appear to give different answers based on the nuances of the question as interpreted by the Navy when answering the question at that time. These answers have given the impression of misinformation.
This misinformation sometimes seems deliberate and calculated. Your sentiments are addressing that.
Keep up the fight your doing great.
Love and take care
Parmea
Ditto
I'll follow you anywhere.
Scott Moneyham weighs in at the Pilot
Navy Needs to Try a Different Approach
Is he syndicated?
No matter that patriotism is too often the refuge of scoundrels. Dissent, rebellion, and all-around hell-raising remain the true duty of patriots.
Progressive Discussions
He is
He's the editor of The Insider, which is owned by the News and Observer. I'm not sure what to make of him, other than to report that his organization distributes a weekly email to subscribers which includes a column by John Hood.
I subscribed to The Insider this year thinking it might have some special insight about politics. That hasn't proven to be the case. It's a good summary of state news, but most days I've already seen the stories it's reporting.
Scott's personal columns seem generally pretty balanced. But given the company he keeps, I won't be renewing my subscription.
PS
On the OLF issue, Scott's handling things like his colleagues in the mainstream media - with little understanding and no serious research. If he spent five minutes reading any of Parmea's posts here at BlueNC, he'd be writing about the real issues, instead of buying the Navy's cock-and-bull story about needing the OLF in the first place.
Thanky Anglico
Much appreciated. The feedback and support I receive at BlueNC encourages me to read more and find other things wrong with this OLF program.
I surely wish folks would stop pin pointing this OLF to a site vs site issue and make it a regional NC issue. All of us in the region are fighting as one to keep this out of any county where the people and local governments do not wish it and where an economic benefit is not realized.
Our state legislators should be listening to the people they represent and say no OLF NE NC.
I've liked Scott's columns
And because he does seem to take a "balanced" approach - I wonder if by sending him via email the OLF posts from BlueNC his eyes might be opened. Just wondering.
Be the change you wish to see in the world. --Gandhi