Naval Auxiliary Landing Field Fentress (ICAO: KNFE, FAA LID: NFE) is a military use airport located in Chesapeake, Virginia. This military airport is owned by the U.S. Navy and is under the operational control of Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia. The airfield primarily supports day and night Field Carrier Landing Practice (FCLP) operations by US Navy and US Marine Corps F/A-18 Hornet, and US Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet, E-2 Hawkeye and C-2 Greyhound aircraft based in Virginia and the Carolinas.[1]

NALF Fentress
USGS aerial image - 9 April 1990
IATA: none ICAO: KNFE FAA LID: NFE
Summary
Airport type	Military
Owner	U.S. Navy
Location	Chesapeake, Virginia
Elevation AMSL	16 ft / 5 m
Coordinates	36°41′31″N 076°08′04″W
Runways
Direction Length Surface ft m 5/23 8,004 2,440 Asphalt
Source: Federal Aviation Administration[1]

Although many U.S. airports use the same three-letter location identifier for the FAA and IATA, this airport is assigned NFE by the FAA but has no designation from the IATA.[2]

Facilities

Fentress NALF has one operational runway designated Runway 5/23 with an asphalt surface measuring 8,004 by 175 feet (2,440 x 53 m).[1] Four additional shorter paved runways dating from the airfield's original construction during World War II are located in the airfield's northern quadrant. These additional runways are closed to aircraft. On 5 July 2011, it was announced that NALF Fentress would close in January 2012 for 9 months for major repairs. Touch and go maneuvers would move to Naval Air Station Oceana and Naval Station Norfolk/Chambers Field.[3] As of 15 October 2012 the airfield was reopened.

Encroachment issues

At the end of June 2014 the Chesapeake City Council voted unanimously to use city and state funds who plan to put up about $1 million each, to buy property near the Fentress Naval airport in order to prevent encroachment onto the airfield.[4] this is similar to a program of Virginia Beach, Virginia and the state of Virginia regarding Naval Air Station Oceana.[4]

References

External links

• Aerial photo as of 9 April 1990 from USGS The National Map
• Resources for this airport:
  • FAA airport information for NFE
  • AirNav airport information for NFE
  • FlightAware airport information and live flight tracker
  • SkyVector aeronautical chart for NFE