Virginia suburbanites freaked out by noise from Ospreys

Jeff Schogol, Marine Corps Times

Some Northern Virginia residents apparently object to the sound of freedom.

People in Arlington are increasingly complaining about the noise from V-22 Ospreys flying over their neighborhoods, the Washington Post first reported on Thursday.

While these Virginians are fine with noise from other aircraft, the thunderous vibes from Ospreys make them feel as if they are on the receiving end of the helicopter attack scene in “Apocalypse Now.”

The aggrieved suburbanites have turned to their congressman to put an end to the horror, the horror.

“This is Northern Virginia; it’s not the Green Zone,” Rep. Don Beyer told the Washington Post.

The Democratic lawmaker has added an amendment to the House version of the fiscal 2017 National Defense Authorization Act that would require the Defense Department to study how much noise military helicopters make over the Washington, D.C., region and find ways to silence the effluvium of deafening decibels.

“My office receives constant noise complaints from all over Northern Virginia, including the Lee, Mount Vernon, Fairlington and Shirlington neighborhoods,” Beyer said in a statement to Marine Corps Times. “My constituents and I are realistic about the noise helicopters generate and are sensitive to the operational needs of the military. However, with the addition of the Osprey, it is time DOD and FAA sat down to examine the existing route structure and recommend solutions.”

When Military Times reached out to defense officials on Friday, it quickly became clear that noise complaints do not go to a central location.

“Occasionally bases hold town hall meeting where residents can voice their concerns and military leadership can speak to new initiatives, construction and programs,” said Marine Corps spokeswoman Capt. Sarah Burns.

Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland, has not received complaints about the two MV-22B Ospreys based there, said base spokesman Patrick Gordon, who added that most of the complaints they receive are about jet noise.

Marine Helicopter Squadron One flies MV-22B Ospreys out of Marine Corps Air Facility Quantico, Virginia. A spokesman for the base could not be reached for comment by deadline.

For the time being, it appears as though the Osprey flights over Northern Virginia will continue, meaning that residents there will live a nightmarish existence of rattling dishes and patios.

The question is: How much longer can they endure it?