CFB Trenton
Canadian Forces Base Trenton Trenton Airport | |||||||||||
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| Summary | |||||||||||
| Airport type | Military | ||||||||||
| Owner | The Queen in Right of Canada | ||||||||||
| Operator | DND | ||||||||||
| Location | Trenton, Ontario | ||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 283 ft / 86 m | ||||||||||
| Coordinates | 44°07′08″N 077°31′41″W / 44.11889°N 77.52806°W | ||||||||||
| Website | www.cfbtrenton.com | ||||||||||
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| Runways | |||||||||||
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Source: Canada Flight Supplement[1] | |||||||||||
Canadian Forces Base Trenton (IATA: YTR, ICAO: CYTR) (also CFB Trenton), is a Canadian Forces base located 2.3 NM (4.3 km; 2.6 mi) northeast of Trenton, Ontario. It is operated as an air force base by Canadian Forces Air Command (AIRCOM) and is the hub for air transport operations in Canada and abroad. Its primary lodger unit is 8 Wing.
The airport is classified as an airport of entry by NAV CANADA and is staffed by the Canada Border Services Agency. The use of the airport for civilian aircraft is permitted for emergencies or MEDEVACs only.[1]
History
In 1929, 960 acres (390 ha) of farmland near Trenton were purchased by the federal government to establish a Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) station to be called RCAF Station Trenton. The base was officially opened in August 1931. Trenton was intended as a smaller supporting base to RCAF Station Borden, which was the home of Canadian military aviation and a major training base at the time. The location was chosen for being the mid-point between Ottawa and Toronto. It also provided the possibility of using the facility for seaplanes operating on Lake Ontario.
RCAF Station Trenton became host to No. 1 Fighter and No. 3 Army Cooperation Flights, flying Siskin and Tiger Moth aircraft. Trenton became a major training centre during the Second World War under Canada's participation in the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan. Along with the trainees, the 6 Repair Depot was based at Trenton. Following the war, Trenton became home to transport and fighter aircraft, with transport aircraft from the base taking part in the Korean Airlift, as well as numerous other missions throughout the 1950s and 1960s.
In 1958, RCAF Station Trenton became the destination for several test flights of the CF-105 Arrow, flying from the Avro Canada manufacturing facility at Malton Airport.
Canada upgraded its transport and search and rescue fleets during the 1960s when the RCAF purchased the CC-137 Husky, CC-130 Hercules, CH-113 Labrador and CC-115 Buffalo aircraft. RCAF Station Trenton became the home of training facilities for these aircraft.
RCAF Station Trenton was renamed Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Trenton after the February 1, 1968 merger of the RCAF with the Royal Canadian Navy and Canadian Army to form the Canadian Forces.
Facilities
Current
Construction of a new air traffic control tower was completed in July 2010.
The Canadian Forces Aerospace Warfare Centre is housed in a new building named after Air Marshall Clare Annis. Leed Gold Standard certification is underway from the Canada Green Building Council.
Future
The construction of a new northwest ramp and associated taxiway infrastructure, consisting of approximately 82,500m2 of concrete and 47,400 m2 of asphalt is underway. This recapitalization will provide more area for maneuvering, parking and loading aircraft, while providing adequate space to accommodate future requirements.
The Air Mobility Training Centre project will see the construction of a facility that will house the equipment and personnel required to train operators and maintainers of the CC-130J Super Hercules aircraft. Building construction will be completed in 2011, but operations won't begin until 2010.
A contract for new training accommodations is expected to be awarded in 2010, with construction tentatively set for completion by summer 2012.
Maintenance Hangar 1 is a two bay maintenance hangar designed for the large C-17 Globemasters. The 16,630m2 building is expected to be completed by spring 2013.
Present operations
AIRCOM operates the majority of its fixed-wing tactical and all of its strategic airlift aircraft from CFB Trenton.
CFB Trenton plays a key support role for the National Search and Rescue Program, being home to Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre Trenton (JRCC Trenton) which is jointly staffed by AIRCOM and Canadian Coast Guard personnel who have responsibility for coordinating aircraft and marine rescue incidents in central and Arctic Canada. AIRCOM also operates the Canadian Mission Control Centre (CMCC Trenton) from the base, which is tasked with monitoring the Cospas-Sarsat system that detects transmissions from emergency locating beacons on aircraft or marine vessels in distress through Canada's search and rescue area of responsibility.
Land Force Command also operates the Canadian Forces Land Advanced Warfare Centre, formerly known as the Canadian Parachute Centre.
8 Wing operates several aircraft types, including CC-130 Hercules, CC-150 Polaris and CC-177 Globemaster transport aircraft, the CH-146 Griffon search and rescue helicopters, and the CC-144 Challenger VIP transport aircraft. The Challenger fleet, used to fly the Governor General, members of the Royal Family (when visiting Canada), the Prime Minister and members of the federal cabinet, is based at Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport but supported from CFB Trenton.
Current squadrons under 8 Wing include:
- 424 (Transport & Rescue) Squadron (424 Tiger Squadron) - Flying the CC-130 and CH-146
- 426 (Transport & Training) Squadron (426 Thunderbird Squadron) - training for CC-130, CC-150, CH-146
- 429 (Transport) Squadron (429 Bison Squadron) - Flying the CC-177
- 436 (Transport) Squadron (436 Tusker Squadron) - Flying the CC-130
- 437 (Transport) Squadron (437 Husky Squadron) - Flying the CC-150
- 412 (Transport) Squadron - Flying the CC-144 (Ottawa, ON)
- 2 Air Movements Squadron
- 8 Air Communications and Control Squadron
- 8 Air Maintenance Squadron (8 AMS)
Temporary storage facilities are being built at the base for the CC-177 and completion is scheduled for 2008. Permanent hangars will be built by 2010. In the meantime the CC-177 fleet is being stored outdoors.
The current commander of the base is Colonel D. B. "Dave" Cochrane, who assumed his post on February 19, 2010,[2][3][4] eleven days after his predecessor, Russell Williams, was formally charged under the Criminal Code with two counts of first-degree murder along with two counts of forcible confinement and two counts of break and enter and sexual assault.[5]
Other operations
- The base is also home to CSTC Trenton, a cadet summer training centre for the Royal Canadian Air Cadets.
- The base contains the National Air Force Museum of Canada.
- CFD Mountain View (Canadian Forces Detachment Mountain View), a former WWII RCAF airfield located south of Belleville, is utilized as a storage and overhaul facility of older aircraft.
See also
- CFD Mountain View
- Dave Devall - honorary Colonel of the 436 Squadron
References
- ^ a b Canada Flight Supplement. Effective 0901Z 16 July 2020 to 0901Z 10 September 2020.
- ^ Jones, Allison (February 20, 2010). "New CFB Trenton commander urges base to 'stand tall'". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved February 20, 2010.
- ^ "8 Wing Trenton > Who We Are - Senior Staff > Wing Commander". Canadian Forces. 2010-02-17. Retrieved February 21, 2010.
- ^ "New Commander for 8 Wing Trenton". Air Force News. Canadian Forces. February 21, 2010. Retrieved February 21, 2010.
- ^ Air Force commander 'shocked' by colonel's arrest
- UNCLAS CANAIRGEN 025/06 (Canadian Air Force General Order)
External links
- 8 Wing Trenton
- 8 Wing Community
- 436 (Transport) Squadron
- RCAF Memorial Museum
- Past three hours METARs, SPECI and current TAFs for CFB Trenton from Nav Canada as available.
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