Market Watch is reporting the following: “The Justice Department and the U.S. Navy have reached a settlement agreement with approximately 3,400 property owners in Virginia Beach and Chesapeake, Va., regarding litigation relating to jet noise at a naval air base. Under the terms of the agreement, the participating plaintiffs agree to dismiss their claims and acknowledge that the settlement does not constitute an admission of liability by the United States.
“‘We are pleased that the federal government and residents near the Naval Air Station Oceana and Naval Auxiliary Landing Field, Fentress have been able to reach an amicable resolution in this matter and avoid further litigation,’ said Matthew J. McKeown, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. ‘This resolution signals an end to six years of litigation and provides positive results for the citizens as well as the government.’
“The class-action lawsuit stems from the relocation of 156 Navy F/A-18 C/D Hornet fighter jets from Cecil Field, Fla., to Naval Air Station Oceana in Virginia Beach, Va., between December 1998 and July 1999. Plaintiffs own approximately 2,100 properties and alleged in a group of nine lawsuits filed between April 2001 and June 2005 that the introduction of the Hornets resulted in a substantial increase in overflights and jet noise. Under the settlement, the federal government will pay the plaintiffs an amount not to exceed $34.4 million.”
As one who flew out of NAS Oceana for more than 15 years (and who also owned property under the landing pattern) all I can say is “are you kidding me?” The base has been in place since 1943. This is nothing but an elaborate drug deal, the result of home builders in collusion with the Virginia Beach city council wantonly ignoring the existence of a “master jet base” in their midst. This is the same sort of activity that landed NAS Oceana back on the BRAC list for the next go ’round — a wreckless disregard for existing jet traffic (and known future requirements) in the face of money-making opportunities.
In the meantime pilot training has been affected by “noise abatement” rules that grow more restrictive with each rewrite until fighter pilots might as well be driving Boeing 777s. And now the tax payer takes it on the chin on the order of $34 million because of underhanded civic dealings and stupid homebuyers?
Ridiculous …
– Ward
I hope the real Americans that have sons, husbans, daughters and relatives protecting our Country understand the kind of people living in their area.
I detest greedy wimps, and traitors to the American tax paying people, and most of all to the idiots that claim they are Americans.
Reminds me of the coyotes in mexico and those in DC..
Oh! I see there has been a response. A worthless response at that.
Give it up and turn in your citinship, you don’t deserve to be an American.
Those greedy, un-American lawyers that closed the sale of those properties, and real estate people that were just as greedy should be held accountable for this un-American act.
I cannot understand how our citizens of America can truly grieve over noise from the jets that protect our freedom. I have lived here in Va Beach for 20 plus years, in the Oceana area. I am proud to have these jets flying above and am angry that homeowners are making money off of our freedom fighters. Go and sell your home, someone else will be willing to buy it. You knew there was a jet base here. Go somewhere else please. My next statement to the homeowners, I pray that some day you never need these Jets like New York did.
I am a Navy wife and a PROUD one at that who has lived in VA Beach for 7 years.The people who have complained about the “jet noise” should all have to relocate to a country where the people have no freedoms at all.The very jets they gripe about are the same jets that protect their right to complain!!!I have an “I love jet noise” cover around my license tag and quite a few t-shirts that say the same.I am proud of my husband’s 25 yrs of service and look forward to doing the last 5 here in VA Beach-where you can hear the SOUNDS OF FREEDOM!!!The millions that the “whiners” are getting should be given to the spouses and children of those who have given all they have to protect our nation-they have more than earned it and deserve it for the sacrifices made.
Well, what would you expect from DefenseTech site???
Sound of freedom up your rooroo.
Morons.…. STFU crusty turd
Interesting debate to say the least. I definitely do not agree with the lawsuit but do agree that jet noise at midnight, 1 am, 2 am, 3 am is quite rediculous. Yes it has been coined “the sound of freedom,” however with respect to everyone there should be limits. Just as we need well trained pilots, we need well rested professionals in all fields. The reality is that when jets fly over anywhere in southeast virginia beach it is very loud, but as mentioned in numerous comments, it is bearable. However, when they fly, at times until 4 am, it is robbing people of their sleep. Before anyone gets offended remember, it takes individuals in all fields to make a society work and not everyone signed up to be in the military or chooses where they are born and raised. A great example is a friend of mine that is a critical care nurse that has had less than 2 hours of sleep a night for the past 2 nights due to late (until nearly 4 am) low flying jets. This same nurse may be caring for you or your loved one just as those pilots are caring for our freedom. You know what is really rediculous is that some of you think the answer is if you don’t like it then move. Well, that is just a big cop-out, and a true lack of compassion. The eutopic answer would be to come to some kind of agreement as to how low and how late the jets should be able to fly. Allowing the citizens they protect to do their jobs which are just important to the circle.
Let Freedom Ring…just not at 4 am. lmao
I imagine it must be like living under the flight path at JFK or BOS and griping about all the planes.…“but I didn’t know it would be so loud…”. Yeah, right.
I’d sell my sould to live so close to an airport or military fighter base.
BTW, does nayone know where I can find a bumper sticker that reads “I love jet noise”? I live in Bermuda, and they can’t be found here.
When I first heard about it, I thought the proposition of a lawsuit complaining of jet noise for property owners who, for the most part knowingly purchased their homes within just a few miles of a Master Jet base, sounded pretty ludicrous, especially for those of us who were stationed at NASO and purposely did so but, this is America and I signed up even though I really didn’t have a complaint. I figured ‘what the hell’, it’ll probably fizzle out and not amount to anything. Personally I felt the Federal Government should have broken it off in Va Beach’s ass for allowing construction to encroach on the base as had been permitted. Retired, I have since sold my home and moved to another state. I had all but forgotten about this silly lawsuit until yesterday when I received a check. I’m not sure how I feel about the outcome; surprised mostly I guess.
I am absolutely appalled at those who have filed a lawsuit over jet noise. I also live near the Fentress field and had my chance to file a suit but had enough decency NOT TO! What will my reward be for not suing? Most likely my taxes will be raised to cover the lawsuits of all you greedy people who have sued. And what’s worse is some of you people grew up around jet noise. Is this ill-gotten gain gonna lessen the noise? NO! When the gov’t gave so freely of our tax money to you greedy people, you SHOULD have had to use that money to pack up and move as far away from the jets as possible. Is that how you show your appreciation for freedom? I have 2 things to say to you greedy people. First of all, when it comes time to up our taxes, I think the gov’t needs to raise the taxes of those who recieved the money and second, should they decide to bring the draft back, draft ONLY those greedy people who thought so little of their freedom — no matter your age or gender.
I’m appalled and ashamed of you greedy people!
Annie
I’m selling my house in Oceana, Any of you dumb asses willing to buy? Hey.….it’s the sound of freedom all day long and up your ass.…What more could you ask for?
Close Oceana and move everything to Pensacola. The citizens of Pensacola would welcome the increase.
Hey, scooby…what are you asking for it? I’d love to hear the sounds of freedom all day/night long. Doesn’t bother me a bit.…and I’m no dumbass.
And as for ‘what else could you ask for’? How about a clear view of said freedom flying all day and night? You got that too?
Sounds of freedom? The last i checked we were already free! It’s the afterburners that sucks. Do that part over the ocean were we don’t live. I have seen them fly by with almost no noise so i know thy can. Two day straight and am pretty over it already.
This is sick. I grew up in Va. Beach and lived there until about 3 years ago. Yes the jets are loud. The A6’s were bad and the F-18 Superhornets were worse. BUT I BOUGHT A HOUSE NEAR OCEANA. A JET BASE!!!!!! Common sense people. It amazes how stupid people actually are.
Now there you go Jeff calling people stupid. Really uncalled for to stoop to a level which I’m sure is beneath you…but what is “…near the air base…”? There is a growing number of people that think it’s stupid to cling to the notion that since Oceana was here first they have a right to not adapt their training patterns? What’s wrong with being progressive and proactive to be better neighbors about it? And please don’t categorize me as some sort of liberal anti-military anti-everything…you haven’t a clue about me, my home, family, history, anything. Far from stupid, I believe that in order to save Oceana, (which I want to see), the Navy needs to find a way to lessen their practice over the largest city in the state. Look at a map my friend, the F-18s have encroached more and more west of the base. Need proof? Just stand at Bow Creek Golf Course on most any weekday. What does reaching that far west accomplish? There are several alternatives and compromises that can and should be reached to alleviate the noise pollution brought to this city by the Super-Louds. This arguement isn’t going away, and name calling isn’t helping your side that just gives the Navy a free pass on their noise pollution.
I would like to get my hands on the list of people who stole this money from the Navy. They ought to be publicly recognized.
There really just has to be a better way for them to train than over the city…there has to be and no amount of name calling will change my mind. Just look at a map…what good does flying over Bow Creek Golf Course 14 hours a day accomplish? It’s the Navy’s unwillingness to be proactive and progressive and recognize their ever-widening area of operation over the city is really encroachment as well…this isn’t 1943 anymore, this is a city of almost 500,000 people. Geez start the name calling again…sorry but that’s the fact. When the Navy continues their free pass and start conducting flight ops over Pembroke…LOL. Look out that’s what got them on BRAC. Increasing their flight ops over half the population of this city is what will push BRAC to close this base in it’s next go ’round…Funny but those who “complain” about the Jet Noise realize that the Navy has to figure this out or BRAC will shut them down. Those who blindly give the Navy a free-pass on their ever increasing noise pollution just resort to name calling.
It is sad to say but I checked out my house well before buying but it didn
WHAT PART OF THE LAW DOESN’T THESE NOISE MAKERS UNDERSTAND, THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH PATRIOTISM OR FREEDOM. READ THE LAWS BELOW. WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS SAME FIGHT HERE AT MACDILL AFB, TAMPA, FL.
In 1972 Congress declares that Americans be free of excessive noise.
*Noise Control Act 1972
Okay, what about us here in the Hickory area of Chesapeake? You know…the NO FLY ZONE. We bought and built out here for a reason…PEACE and QUIET! Now our NO FLY ZONE has been turned into a NO PEACE ZONE. We didn’t buy and build near an Airforce Base and WE WERE HERE FIRST. Now what?
Now what Sandra? Now you’re screwed. Because the Navy can do what it wants, they haven’t had to answer to anyone over their encroachment. I bought my house it was so nice„,planes on the horizon. Now the F-18s fly right over Bow Creek Golf Course, it’s insane. We get them 14 hours a day sometimes, so low you can literally read tail numbers. And the exhaust is horrible, when they’re flying their circles over the population (why do they do that anyway when all that water is just due east is beyond me) the exhaust drives you inside. I guess if we don’t like it we’re pro-terrorists, according to the many namecallers that write here. Actually I was here first, WEST OF THE BASE near Bow Creek Golf course. I will never give up my arguement that the Navy can and must revise the way they’re TRAINING so that it doesn’t fly over LARGE POPULATIONS areas of our cities. That’s why BRAC targeted Oceana, for flying over the city. Or just bomb the golf course and get it over with. Oh that’s right, they bombed the Moving Company instead.…
People who build homes near or next to runways of any kind should not complain. Those who didn’t sell before the noise became intolerable have only themselves to blame.
I find it interesting that nobody complains when the ocean makes noise. The ocean is very good at making noise.
That it is a military runway does not matter.
Stop looking at the pretty pictures in the ads and start looking at the neighborhood before you buy a house. With ‘pre-approval’ to spend a couple hundred thousand dollars, people can still be so stupid. In no way should any government agency be made to pay for the lack of due diligence on the part of several thousand home owners.
Planes make noise. I am so sorry your dream of a house by the beach didn’t work out the way you had hoped. Find another beach. The AF owns that one.
Rob you just have to call people names. Well we’re not stupid, we’re not uninformed as you appear to be. My home is not “near a runway” never was near a runway, and never will be near a runway. The FA 18s encroached on the city, not the other way around. They are too big and too loud to be flying over a city THE SIZE OF VIRGINIA BEACH. You inconsiderate name calling “the navy can just do whatever it wants with no regard to the citizens of VB” blinded fools just don’t get it. Don’t bring up the lame arguement: “the base was there first”. If that’s germaine, then the arguement “i was here before the F18s is just as germaine. No one i’ve met in dozens of conversations over my 21 years of living near bow creek golf course ever stated they want the jets to leave. Just don’t think we’re so stupid as to believe they HAVE to fly over the neighborhoods to practice…BRAC said “…the future of naval aviation is not nas oceana…” not this retired chief petty officer turned hotel desk clerk. And Rob, speaking of stupid, it’s the NAVY, not the AIR FORCE. Before you go calling people stupid, make sure you are not going to display your stupidity out there for all to see.
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I am right now, sitting in my house, with the windows shut, and the jet noise is awful! When we moved here there was nothing near the noise level it is now. The jets fly low enough that you can read the numbers ON THE PLANE. It is one right after the other, all day long and into the night. The house vibrates, the windows shake, and you can’t even hear your television or make a phone call inside your home. It’s total BS.