Naval Outlying Landing Field Coupeville
Appearance
Naval Outlying Landing Field Coupeville | |||||||||||
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AMSL 199 ft / 61 m | | ||||||||||
Coordinates | 48°11′00″N 122°38′00″W / 48.18333°N 122.63333°W | ||||||||||
Runways | |||||||||||
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Naval Outlying Landing Field Coupeville—or NOLF Coupeville—(
Whidbey Island Naval Air Station
.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/09/Oblique_image_of_olf_coupeville_us_navy_photo_1943.jpg/220px-Oblique_image_of_olf_coupeville_us_navy_photo_1943.jpg)
History and usage
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3f/EA-18G_Growler_on_approach_at_OLF_Coupeville_2.jpg/220px-EA-18G_Growler_on_approach_at_OLF_Coupeville_2.jpg)
EA-6B Prowler, A-6 Intruder and the A-3 Skywarrior were also supported for carrier landing practice out of the OLF.[2]
Landing practice flight operations allow
arrestor wire is painted on the deck. The jet then immediately takes off again and loops around the field to prepare for another landing and take off. Each aircraft makes multiple touch-and-go landings during these training events. While performing the touch and go maneuvers, the practicing aircraft fly at appropriate altitudes and speeds in addition to flying at or near sea level.[3] OLF Coupeville is seen by the Navy as an ideal airfield for this type of carrier training due to its remote location and low ambient lighting, allowing pilots and crew to have the optimum experience for replication of landing aboard an aircraft carrier.[4]
Environmental concerns
dB levels to areas surrounding NOLF Coupeville[5]
Jet noise has been an on and off concern to residents living near the Navy jet training field. In July 2013, a local citizens' group filed a lawsuit asking for an
EA-18G Growler flight operations at NOLF Coupeville and NAS Whidbey Island.[6] By 2014, the Navy had initiated an ongoing EIS to, "Evaluate the potential environmental effects associated with ongoing and future Growler operations at NAS Whidbey Island’s Ault Field and Outlying Landing Field (OLF) Coupeville."[7] In September 2013, the citizens' group placed the litigation on hold until the study was completed.[8]
The study was completed in March 2019 and approved an increase in OLF Coupeville use to 12,000
Endangered Species Act compliance.[14]
References
- PDF
- ^ MARCOA (3 March 2017). "My Base Guide - NAS Whidbey Island History". My Base Guide. Archived from the original on 23 June 2018. Retrieved 23 June 2018.
- ^ Walker, Naval Air Systems Command, Operational Environmental Planning Public Affairs, Rebecca (2002-06-17). "Field Carrier Landing Practices -- The Foundation of Carrier Aviation". navy.mil. Archived from the original on 2018-06-23. Retrieved 2018-06-23.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ The Onyx Group (March 2005). "Aircraft Installations Compatible Use Zones (AICUZ) Study Update for Naval Air Station Whidbey Island's Ault Field and Outlying landing Field Coupeville" (PDF). Government Publication. Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Southwest, San Diego, California. pp. Figure 4–4. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 September 2015. Retrieved 30 October 2015.
- ^ Burnett, Justin (21 July 2013). "Federal Suit Filed; OLF Practices Suspended". Whidbey News-Times. Whidbey Newsgroup. Archived from the original on 28 July 2014. Retrieved 19 July 2014.
- ^ "Environmental Impact Statement for the EA-18G Growler Airfield Operations". US Navy. n.d. Archived from the original on 27 July 2014. Retrieved 19 July 2014.
- ^ Reid, Janis (19 September 2013). "Anti-OLF group putting federal suit on hold". Whidbey News-Times. Whidbey Newsgroup. Archived from the original on 28 July 2014. Retrieved 19 July 2014.
- ^ "Final Environmental Impact Statement for the EA-18G Growler Airfield Operations". US Navy. 12 March 2019. Archived from the original on 13 April 2019. Retrieved 12 April 2019.
- ^ Stensland, Jessie (14 March 2019). "Navy announces decision on Growlers". Whidbey News-Times. Whidbey Newsgroup. Archived from the original on 13 April 2019. Retrieved 12 April 2019.
- ^ Boxleitner, Kirk (20 March 2019). "Navy green-lights additional Growler flights for region". Port Townsend Leader. Retrieved 12 April 2019.
- ^ Stensland, Jessie (9 April 2019). "Sound Defense plans to continue Growler protests". Whidbey News-Times. Whidbey Newsgroup. Archived from the original on 12 April 2019. Retrieved 12 April 2019.
- ^ Stensland, Jessie (16 July 2019). "State files suit against Navy over Growler noise increase on Whidbey". Journal of the San Juan Islands. Sound Publishing. Archived from the original on 26 August 2019. Retrieved 25 August 2019.
External links
Media related to Naval Outlying Field Coupeville at Wikimedia Commons
- NAS Whidbey Island history
- NOLF Coupeville at GlobalSecurity.org
- 2013-2019 US Navy Environmental Impact Study into EA-18G Growler Flight Operations at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, includes NOLF Coupeville
- E/A-18G Growlers flying touch-and-go landings at Coupeville on Whidbey Island, July 2016.
- Resources for this airport:
- FAA airport information for NRA
- AirNav airport information for NRA
- FlightAware airport information and live flight tracker
- SkyVector aeronautical chart for NRA