Navy To Begin Landing Operations At NASA

NASA and the Navy plan a ceremony Monday, November 4, to mark the official opening of Wallops Flight Facility to field carrier landing practice for Navy E-2 Hawkeye and C-2 Greyhound aircraft. These twin engine turboprop aircraft will conduct up to 20,000 passes annually at Wallops Flight Facility. The first field carrier landing pass operations will take place on Monday, November 4.

The Navy has completed all necessary minor construction, including installation of runway lighting and markings to simulate the flight deck of an aircraft carrier, as well as the pouring of concrete pads for an Improved Fresnel Lens Optical Landing System and a work station for Landing Signal Officers . With construction complete, the facility is now capable of hosting E-2 and C-2 fielc carrier landing pass operations.

Conducting E-2 and C-2 passes at the Wallops Flight Facility will provide the Navy the ability to relieve some of the capacity issues at Navy Auxiliary Landing Field Fentress, in Chesapeake, Va., and reduce or eliminate the need for VAW-120, the E-2/C-2 Fleet Replacement Squadron, to conduct out-of-area detachments to NAS Jacksonville, Fla., four to six times per year to complete required field pass training.

This initiative entails positive net economic benefits to the region. In addition to the recently-completed construction, the Navy will pay for expanded service requirements at the airfield to support the operation , and also provide NASA direct payment for airfield use. Additionally, the ability to conduct two-week detachments will result in the requirement to obtain accomodation and transportation services on the civilian economy.

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