Natal Air Force Base

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Natal Air Force Base
Base Aérea de Natal
Parnamirim, Rio Grande do Norte in Brazil
Base Aérea de Natal - Cruzex 2008.jpg
A line of AT-26 Xavante at Natal in 2008
SBNT is located in Brazil
SBNT
SBNT
Location in Brazil
Coordinates05°54′41″S 035°14′51″W / 5.91139°S 35.24750°W / -5.91139; -35.24750Coordinates: 05°54′41″S 035°14′51″W / 5.91139°S 35.24750°W / -5.91139; -35.24750
TypeAir Force Base
CodeALA10
Site information
OwnerBrazilian Air Force
Controlled by Brazilian Air Force
Open to
the public		No
Websitewww.fab.mil.br/organizacoes/mostra/44/
Site history
In use1942-present (1942-present)
Garrison information
Current
commander		Brig. Av. Marcelo Fornasiari Rivero
Occupants
  • 1st Squadron of the 5th Aviation Group
  • 2nd Squadron of the 5th Aviation Group
  • 1st Squadron of the 8th Aviation Group
  • 1st Squadron of the 11th Aviation Group
  • 2nd Squadron of Air Transportation
  • 3rd Squadron of the 1st Communications and Control Group
Airfield information
IdentifiersICAO: SBNT
Elevation52 metres (171 ft) AMSL
Runways
Direction Length and surface
16L/34R 2,600 metres (8,530 ft) Asphalt
16R/34L 1,800 metres (5,906 ft) Asphalt
12/30 1,825 metres (5,988 ft) Asphalt

Natal Air Force Base – ALA10 (ICAO: SBNT) is a base of the Brazilian Air Force, located in Parnamirim, near Natal, Brazil.

History[]

Originally called Parnamirim Airport, this facility had an important role during World War II as a strategic base for aircraft flying between South America and West Africa. Particularly between 1943 and 1945, the base was used jointly by the Brazilian Air Force, United States Army and United States Navy, the Royal Air Force, and commercial airlines. The maintenance and security installations were made by the U.S. Army in the South Atlantic (USAFSA).[1]

It shared some facilities with Augusto Severo International Airport until 31 May 2014.[2]

Units[]

The following units are based at Natal Air Force Base:

  • 1st Squadron of the 5th Aviation Group (1º/5ºGAv) Rumba, using the C-95BM & CM Bandeirante.[3]
  • 2nd Squadron of the 5th Aviation Group (2º/5ºGAv) Joker, using the A-29A Super Tucano.[4]
  • 1st Squadron of the 8th Aviation Group (1º/8ºGAv) Falcão, using the H-36 Caracal.[5]
  • 1st Squadron of the 11th Aviation Group (1º/11ºGav) Gavião, using the H-50 Esquilo.[6]
  • 2nd Squadron of Air Transportation (2°ETA) Pastor, using the C-95B & BM Bandeirante, C-97 Brasília, and C-98A Caravan.[7]
  • 3rd Squadron of the 1st Communications and Control Group (3º/1ºGCC) Morcego, using radars and equipment for air defense.[8]

Accidents and incidents[]

  • 25 March 1961: Brazilian Air Force, a Douglas C-47 Skytrain registration FAB-2055 flying from Rio de Janeiro to Natal crashed upon final approach. Of the 28 passengers and crew, 5 survived.[9]
  • 23 April 1977: Brazilian Air Force, an Embraer C-95 Bandeirante registration FAB-2169 crashed upon landing at Natal.[10]
  • 3 July 1977: Brazilian Air Force, an Embraer C-95 Bandeirante registration FAB-2157 crashed after take-off from Natal. All 18 occupants died.[11]

Access[]

The base is located 18 km from downtown Natal.

Gallery[]

This gallery displays aircraft that are or have been based at Natal. The gallery is not comprehensive.

Present aircraft[]

  • Embraer C-95B Bandeirante (FAB)

  • Embraer A-29A Super Tucano (FAB)

  • Eurocopter H-36 Caracal (FAB)

  • Helibrás H-50 Esquilo (FAB)

  • Embraer C-97 Brasília (FAB)

  • Cessna C-98A Caravan (FAB)

Retired aircraft[]

  • North American B-25J Mitchell

  • Douglas B-26B Invader

  • Embraer T-27 Tucano (FAB)

  • Republic F-47 Thunderbolt

  • Morane-Saulnier MS-760 Paris

  • North American T-6G Texan

  • Embraer AT-26 Xavante (FAB)

  • Bell H-1H Iroquois

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ "Base Aérea de Natal comemora 70 anos com programação". Tribuna do Norte (in Portuguese). 1 August 2012. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
  2. ^ "Aeroporto Augusto Severo, no RN, é desativado para voos comerciais". g1 (in Portuguese). 31 May 2014. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
  3. ^ "1º/5º GAv – Esquadrão Rumba". Spotter (in Portuguese). Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  4. ^ "2º/5ºGAv – Esquadrão Joker". Spotter (in Portuguese). Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  5. ^ "1º/8º GAv – Esquadrão Falcão". Spotter (in Portuguese). Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  6. ^ "1º/11ºGAv – Esquadrão Gavião". Spotter (in Portuguese). Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  7. ^ "2º ETA – Esquadrão Pastor". Spotter (in Portuguese). Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  8. ^ "Esquadrões de comunicações e controle de todo o país mobilizam pessoal e equipamentos". Força Aérea Brasileira (in Portuguese). 9 November 2018. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
  9. ^ "Accident description FAB-2055". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 9 May 2011.
  10. ^ "Accident description FAB-2169". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 9 May 2011.
  11. ^ "Accident description FAB-2157". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 26 April 2021.

External links[]

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