A proposed jet landing field in Camden County could lead to disruptive noise at three Elizabeth City-Pasquotank schools, a pair of concerned residents said Tuesday.

Bill Lehmann and Michele Aydlett appeared before the Elizabeth City-Pasquotank Board of Education to ask that the board take a stand against a possible outlying landing field in Camden County. The Hales Lake site is one of five locations the Navy is researching for the airfield.

Lehmann, a former pilot and a current candidate for county commissioner, said three schools — Northside Elementary School, Elizabeth City Middle School and Pasquotank County High School — are located not far from the Hales Lake site. He said if the OLF was already in place and a school was proposed for Northside Road, it would not be allowed to be built because of the proximity.

"The F-18 is the noisiest aircraft in the Navy's inventory," he added. "This has come to a head because the people in Virginia Beach can't take it anymore."

Aydlett a former teacher and pilot who chairs the Pasquotank County Board of Elections, also warned about the potential for disruption posed by constant jet flights.

"They're not only going to be in the flight pattern," she said. "They are going to be going in and out of the flight pattern. It is not only going to affect Camden County."

Frank Jennings, Board of Education chairman, said the board will wait before taking any official action.

"We want to see the environmental assessment the Navy is going to circulate," he said.

The Camden County Board of Education has adopted a formal position opposing the OLF.

Jennings said he is personally opposed to putting an OLF in Camden.

"I'm concerned there will be an irreparable, deleterious effect on our community," he said.

Other board members were similarly concerned about the impact the OLF could have on the schools.

"I didn't realize they were coming that close," said Harvey Beasley.

The Navy is currently studying five sites — two in northeastern North Carolina and three in southeastern Virginia — for their environmental suitability for the proposed OLF. Navy officials have said there is no way to determine where the noise contours for the proposed airfield would be located until after the study, which is supposed to take about two years, is complete.

Lehmann and Aydlett's presentation to the school board comes a week after Pasquotank County commissioners approved spending up to $25,000 to help Camden in its legal fight against the OLF.