Letter: Put alternate landing field in perspective

The comments by Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort spokesman Capt. Clay Groover in the article on the alternate landing field should be put in context.

Although it’s correct that there are other Marine Corps air stations without an alternate landing field, it is also correct that MCAS Beaufort is the only air station with a fighter training mission that does not have one.

With the large increase in authorized flight training operations over the neighborhoods north of the Broad River, there will be an increase in noise. This increased noise will affect all communities to some extent, and in some communities — particularly those to the west of the air station — the noise increase will be significant.

Much of this would be alleviated by an alternate landing field which, given the high cost of the F-35B program overall, seems a small price to pay for the Marine Corps’ good neighbors living near the air station.

This story was originally published April 29, 2016 at 4:52 PM with the headline "Letter: Put alternate landing field in perspective."