Naval Auxiliary Landing Field Fentress — Chesapeake, Virginia
Naval Auxiliary Landing Field (NALF) Fentress is a military aviation facility operated by the US Navy in Chesapeake, Virginia, serving as an outlying field for carrier landing practice (FCLP — Field Carrier Landing Practice) operations from Naval Air Station Oceana, the Navy's East Coast master jet base in Virginia Beach. NALF Fentress is critically important to the readiness of Navy strike fighter pilots: before deploying to aircraft carriers, aviators must qualify through extensive touch-and-go landings at outlying fields that simulate the confined deck environment of a carrier. The simulated "meatball" (optical landing system) at Fentress allows pilots to practice the precise glide slope control required for carrier arrested landings.
NALF Fentress is a restricted military facility not available for civilian use. The F/A-18 Super Hornets operating from NAS Oceana and NALF Fentress produce significant noise in the surrounding Chesapeake community — an ongoing source of tension between the Navy's operational requirements and the residential development that has expanded near the base. The Navy maintains an Air Installations Compatible Use Zone (AICUZ) program around Fentress to manage land use conflicts. Civilian pilots should review current NOTAMs and Military Operating Areas near Chesapeake before flying in the area, as FCLP operations at Fentress create periods of high traffic density requiring situational awareness.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Naval Auxiliary Landing Field?
A Naval Auxiliary Landing Field (NALF) is a secondary Navy airfield used primarily for Field Carrier Landing Practice (FCLP) — repetitive touch-and-go landings that prepare carrier-based pilots for the demands of actual carrier operations. NALFs provide training capacity that allows Oceana-based squadrons to practice without monopolizing the main airfield at NAS Oceana.
Can civilians fly near NALF Fentress?
Civilian aircraft cannot land at NALF Fentress. However, civilian pilots can fly through the surrounding airspace subject to any active temporary flight restrictions or Military Operating Areas. When FCLP operations are active, the airspace around Fentress may be congested with military aircraft, and civilian pilots should exercise extra vigilance and maintain radio monitoring of appropriate military frequencies if available.
How does NALF Fentress relate to NAS Oceana?
NAS Oceana in Virginia Beach is the East Coast master jet base for Navy strike fighters, primarily F/A-18 Super Hornet squadrons. NALF Fentress in Chesapeake serves as Oceana's primary outlying field for FCLP training, reducing the operational tempo at the main base while providing dedicated carrier landing practice facilities for deploying squadrons.
What aircraft operate from NALF Fentress?
NALF Fentress primarily supports F/A-18 Super Hornet operations from NAS Oceana squadrons. EA-18G Growler electronic warfare aircraft from Oceana-based squadrons also use the facility. The aircraft are among the loudest operational military jets in the US inventory, contributing to noise impacts in the surrounding Chesapeake community.
Naval Auxiliary Landing Airport Fentress Contact Information
Address, Phone Number, and Hours for an Airports in Chesapeake, Virginia.
| Name | Naval Auxiliary Landing Airport Fentress |
| Address | 1015 Fentress Airfield Road, Chesapeake VA 23322 Map |
| Phone | (757) 515-1249 |
| Website | |
| Hours |
Map of Naval Auxiliary Landing Airport Fentress
Airports in near by County
Airports near Chesapeake
NALF Fentress — Supporting Naval Aviation Readiness in Hampton Roads
NALF Fentress represents an important but often overlooked component of Naval aviation readiness in the Hampton Roads region. Carrier aviation training requires extensive repetitive practice in carrier landing techniques, and FCLP operations at facilities like Fentress allow pilots to maintain and develop the precision skills needed for arrested landings at sea — operations that occur at night, in varying weather conditions, on moving decks with no go-around guarantees. The Navy's ability to maintain carrier readiness depends on access to facilities like Fentress where this high-repetition training can occur without the operational disruption of training at the main fleet base.
The Navy's presence in Chesapeake — through NALF Fentress and the numerous naval commands and facilities across the Hampton Roads region — has shaped the city's development in profound ways. The AICUZ land use program around Fentress has historically limited residential development in noise-sensitive zones near the airfield, preserving agricultural and low-density uses in areas that would otherwise face development pressure from the expanding Chesapeake suburban market. This military land preservation creates an unusual land use pattern in one of Virginia's most populous cities, reflecting the ongoing negotiation between the Navy's operational requirements and Chesapeake's growth ambitions. For the Navy, NALF Fentress remains an irreplaceable training asset for maintaining the readiness of the F/A-18 Super Hornet force that projects American air power from carriers worldwide.