Fernandina Beach residents concerned about flight-school noise will have an opportunity to weigh in on the municipal airport's future during a public open house Saturday, Oct. 24.

The event begins at 10 a.m. at Fernandina Beach Municipal Airport, 700 Airport Road. The city's published schedules differ on whether it ends at 1 or 2 p.m.

The gathering is the first of two planned public open houses for the airport's master plan update, which will guide long-term development through 2045, according to the city's master plan page.

Airport staff and planning consultants will be available to answer questions and collect feedback. The public involvement process includes opportunities to review planning materials and discuss the airport's future needs.

The open house will coincide with a free, family-friendly aviation event featuring aircraft displays, emergency vehicles, food trucks and aviation organizations. A LifeFlight helicopter is among the anticipated displays, subject to operational availability.

Flight-school activity draws neighborhood complaints

The meeting follows months of complaints from residents of Crane Island and Parkway North about repetitive training flights over neighborhoods near the airport.

The airport's VirTower tracking system recorded 14,748 touch-and-go maneuvers from Oct. 1, 2024, through Sept. 30, 2025, an average of approximately 40 per day, according to an investigation by the Fernandina Observer.

A touch-and-go maneuver involves an aircraft landing briefly before taking off again without stopping, a common flight-training exercise.

The city's voluntary noise-abatement guidelines recommend that pilots perform no more than five consecutive touch-and-go maneuvers before leaving the airport traffic pattern.

Airport Manager Nathan Coyle acknowledged that the guidelines are voluntary.

"We ask pilots to voluntarily comply with those guidelines, but we have no enforcement powers," Coyle told the Observer.

City Manager Sarah Campbell told commissioners at a May meeting that the city was sending weekly notices to flight schools whose pilots did not follow the guidelines.

Campbell also said she and Coyle had met in person with representatives of two Jacksonville-area flight schools and held virtual meetings with two others, according to the Observer.

Master plan will guide airport development through 2045

The airport master plan update will examine future aviation demand, facility needs, land use and environmental considerations.

The planning process follows Federal Aviation Administration and Florida Department of Transportation standards and includes input from airport stakeholders and the public.

Residents can raise concerns about training flights, aircraft noise and potential development alternatives during the open house.

However, the master plan itself cannot make the airport's voluntary noise-abatement guidelines enforceable. Federal aviation regulations and the airport's obligations as a recipient of federal funding limit the city's ability to restrict aircraft operations.

The city plans to hold a second public open house, although a date and location have not been announced.

Aircraft displays and public feedback planned

The Oct. 24 event will also introduce visitors to the airport's operations and aviation community.

Planned attractions include static aircraft displays, public-safety vehicles, aviation exhibits and charity airplane rides benefiting a local flight scholarship program.

Food trucks and refreshments will be available for purchase.

Aircraft appearances and flight activities are subject to weather and operational conditions.

Residents can find master plan information and a public survey through the city's airport planning website.