Capt. Gerral David, Naval Air Station Whidbey Island commanding officer, travelled to Lopez Island last week to talk with residents about flight operations and jet noise during a special meeting called by the San Juan County Council.
Lopez Island, population of 2,200, encompasses 29.5 square miles of “woods, rolling farmland and shimmering vistas” according to their Web site, and is located to the northwest of Whidbey Island. Residents and tourists depend primarily on the Washington State Ferry to travel to and from the island. Lopez is the smallest of the larger islands and one of six districts overseen by the San Juan County Council. 

Questions ranged from “What altitude are the jets supposed to fly?” and “Can you get the airplanes to aim their planes in a different direction when they’re conducting high-power engine checks?” to “Do you try to equalize the number of flight operations?” and “Why do you have to fly so late and so long at night?”

In each case, David explained training requirements; reiterated factors such as weather, darkness and deployment schedules not within his control; and described the variety of actions the air station has taken to reduce the impact. 

David listened and responded to those in attendance as they expressed concerns with what they perceived as changes in the noise level, altitude and frequency of jets flying overhead.
While the Lopezians may have understood the importance of the Navy’s training and efforts to reduce impact wherever possible, there was a resounding consensus that they “didn’t like our noise.” They feel it diminishes their quality of life and lowers their property value.

Feedback is a valuable tool for measuring and understanding the impact of training operations on the local community. It can also open the door for two-way discussions about actions they can take. For example, Island County’s noise disclosure requirement for real estate transactions was raised during the Lopez meeting as a possible course of action for the future that the council may want to pursue. 

“We know the planes are loud,” said David. “We do everything we can to balance the impact on our neighbors with the vital training our pilots need to meet the Navy’s aviation missions around the world.”