United States Coast Guard Air Stations

Coast Guard Air Stations
USCG Office of Aviation Forces (CG-711)
Active1920-Present
CountryUnited States
BranchUnited States Coast Guard
TypeAir Field
RoleTo provide aviation assets and resources to support the execution of Coast Guard missions.
USCG Aviation fleet at Air Station Elizabeth City
A trio of MH-65 Dolphin helicopters fly past Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City in North Carolina

A Coast Guard Air Station (abbreviated as CGAS or AirSta) provides aviation support for the United States Coast Guard. The Coast Guard operates approximately 210 aircraft from 24 Coast Guard Air Stations in the United States. Fixed-wing aircraft, such as the HC-130 Hercules, are built for long range missions and operate from air stations. The air stations and facilities are also home to locally based MH-65D Dolphin and Sikorsky HH-60 Jayhawk helicopters and support rotor craft assigned to flight deck equipped cutters.

Unlike Coast Guard Boat Stations, which are subordinate to Sector Commanders, the commanding officer of a Coast Guard Air Station reports to the appropriate District Commander. Air stations are typically commanded by an officer with the rank of captain.

Air station planning and overall aviation policies are under the oversight of the Office of Aviation Forces (CG-711), which in turn reports to the Assistant Commandant for Capability.

First District

Station Location Opened Closed Notes Ref.
Coast Guard Air Station Brooklyn Brooklyn, New York 1936 1998 [1]
CGAS Cape Cod Sandwich, Massachusetts 1970 Active Located on the Otis Air National Guard Base. Flies the HH-60J Jayhawk helicopters, and HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircraft and provide coverage from the Canada–US border to Long Island, New York. [2]
CGAS Salem Salem, Massachusetts 1935 1970 [3]
CGAS Ten Pound Island Gloucester, Massachusetts 1925 1935 First permanent Coast Guard Air Station established as a seaplane base. Station Gloucester current occupies the former Ten Pound Island location. [4]
[5]

Fifth District

Station Location Opened Closed Notes Ref.
CGAS Atlantic City Atlantic City, New Jersey 1998 Active Located at Atlantic City International Airport in Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey and provides aircrews and aircraft to the Washington, D.C. area as part of Operation Noble Eagle, a Department of Defense (NORAD) mission to protect the air space around the nation's capital. [6][7]
CGAS Elizabeth City Elizabeth City, North Carolina 1940 Active Enlisted Coast Guardsmen in aviation ratings receive their initial aviation training at the Aviation Technical Training Center (ATTC), which is co-located with the AirSta in Elizabeth City, NC. These two commands (AirSta and ATTC) are separate entities. [8]
Coast Guard Air Facility Norfolk Norfolk, Virginia 1987 1989 [9]
CGAS Washington Arlington, Virginia 1952 Active As the closest Air Station to CG Headquarters, Washington provides executive transportation for the Commandant and the Secretary of Homeland Security, and is also tasked with the mission of intercepting violators to the ADIZ. Located at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, it is staffed by rotating crews from AirSta Atlantic City. [7][10][11]
CGAS Morehead City Morehead City, North Carolina 1920 1922 Established in 1920 with surplus Curtiss HS and Aeromarine 40 flying boats loaned from the U.S. Navy; lost appropriation in 1922. [12]
[13]

Seventh District

Station Location Opened Closed Notes Ref.
CGAS Clearwater Clearwater, Florida 1934 Active Located at the St. Pete–Clearwater International Airport, Clearwater is the largest Air Station in the Coast Guard and home to nearly 700 USCG aviation and support personnel. [14]
CGAS Miami Opa-locka, Florida 1964 Active Located at the Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport, formerly Naval Air Station Miami. [15]
CGAS St. Augustine St. Augustine, Florida 1989 1990 Located at the Northeast Florida Regional Airport, formerly St. Augustine Airport. [16]
CGAS Savannah Savannah, Georgia 1963 Active Located at Hunter Army Airfield, formerly Hunter Air Force Base. [17]
CGAS Borinquen Aguadilla, Puerto Rico 1971 Active Located at the Rafael Hernandez International Airport, formerly Ramey Air Force Base. [18]

Eighth District

Station Location Opened Closed Notes Ref.
CGAS Houston Houston, Texas 1963 Active Located at the Ellington Field Joint Reserve Base [19]
CGAS Corpus Christi Corpus Christi, Texas 1950 Active Located at the Corpus Christi International Airport [20]
CGAS New Orleans Belle Chasse, Louisiana 1955 Active Located at the Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base New Orleans [21]
Coast Guard Aviation Training Center Mobile, Alabama 1966 Active Located at the Mobile Regional Airport, all USCG pilots initially train at ATC, gain certifications for USCG airframes, and return to maintain qualifications. [22]
CGAS Biloxi Biloxi, Mississippi 1935 1966 Located at the Biloxi Municipal Airport [15]
[23]
Air Patrol Detachment El Paso El Paso, Texas 1937 1939 Located at Fort Sam Houston [15]

Ninth District

Station Location Opened Closed Notes Ref.
CGAS Chicago Glenview, Illinois 1969 1995 Located on Naval Air Station Glenview (now closed)
CGAS Detroit Mt. Clemens, Michigan 1966 Active Located at the Selfridge Air National Guard Base [24]
CGAS Traverse City Traverse City, Michigan 1946 Active Located at the Cherry Capital Airport [25]
Air Facility Muskegon Muskegon, Michigan N/A Active Detachment of Air Station Detroit [24]
Air Facility Waukegan Waukegan, Illinois N/A Active Detachment of Air Station Traverse City [25]

Eleventh District

Station Location Opened Closed Notes Ref.
CGAS Humboldt Bay Humboldt Bay, California 1977 Active Located at Arcata-Eureka Airport. [26]
CGAS Sacramento North Highlands, CA 1978 Active Located at Sacramento McClellan Airport, formerly McClellan Air Force Base [27]
CGAS San Francisco San Francisco, California 1941 Active Colocated at San Francisco International Airport [28]
CGAS Ventura Ventura County, CA 2024 Active Located at Naval Air Station Point Mugu, Ventura commenced operations in spring 2024 as the first new Air Station in 25 years, with Commander Amanda Sardone as its first CO. The 4 bay hangar facility supports an all MH-60T helicopter squadron, covering an AOR stretching 350 nautical miles and from Dana Point to Morro Bay. [29][30][31]
CGAS Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA 1962 2016 This air station closed in September 2016 when it lost its lease on its facility at the Los Angeles International Airport to an expansion project. Administratively, its component units were relocated to Naval Air Station Point Mugu in Point Mugu, California and merged with/became a FOB of AIRSTA San Francisco until the completion of Air Station Ventura. [28]
[32]
[33]
CGAS San Diego San Diego, California 1937 Active Located adjacent to San Diego International Airport, this air station previously operated both rotary-wing and fixed-wing aircraft, with access for the latter to the airport's 9,400 foot runway. Although fixed-wing aircraft are no longer based at this air station, access to the runway remains. [34][35]

Thirteenth District

Station Location Opened Closed Notes Ref.
CGAS Astoria Warrenton, Oregon 1964 Active Established at Tongue Point in 1964 and moved to current location in 1966. [36]
CGAS North Bend North Bend, Oregon 1974 Active [37]
CGAS Port Angeles Port Angeles, Washington 1935 Active Supports three MH-65D Dolphin helicopters, which have been operating at the station since 1984.

Fourteenth District

Station Location Opened Closed Notes Ref.
CGAS Barbers Point Kapolei, Hawaii 1949 Active Operations transferred from Kaneohe in 1949. Located at Kalaeloa Airport, formerly Naval Air Station Barbers Point. [38]
[39]
Air Detachment Sangley Point Cavite City, Cavite 1946 1971 Colocated with Naval Station Sangley Point. Provided aerial support for LORAN stations in the Philippine islands. [40]
SAR Wake
SAR Midway
Air Detachment Kaneohe Hawaii 1945 1949 [38]
[39]
Air Detachment Guam Agana, Guam 1947 1972 Established at Naval Air Station Agana to provide LORAN support for western Pacific stations. [40]

Seventeenth District

Station Location Opened Closed Notes Reference
CGAS Kodiak Kodiak, Alaska 1947 Active Largest Air Station in USCG PACAREA. Located at the Kodiak Airport, formerly Naval Air Station Kodiak. [41]
CGAS Sitka Sitka, Alaska 1977 Active Area encompasses Southeast Alaska to Alaskan-Canadian border and the central Gulf of Alaska [42]
Air Support Facility Cordova Cordova, Alaska 1980 Seasonal ASF Cordova serves as a seasonal forward operating base reporting to Air Station Kodiak to better support increased maritime activity during the summer fishing season. Other locations utilized by CGAS Kodiak have included Kotzebue and Cold Bay, AK. [43]
[44]
[45]
Air Support Facility Kotzebue Kotzebue, Alaska 2016 Seasonal Located 33 miles above the Arctic Circle and 700 miles from Kodiak, CGAS Kodiak maintains a seasonal forward location along with other USCG assets in Kotzebue as greater traffic transits through the Northwest Passage during the summer season. [46]
[47]

Others

Images

See also

References

  1. ^ "Air Station Brooklyn, New York". United States Coast Guard. 1 October 2012. Retrieved 20 November 2012.
  2. ^ "Air Station Cape Cod". United States Coast Guard. 3 October 2012. Retrieved 20 November 2012.
  3. ^ "Air Station Salem, Massachusetts". United States Coast Guard. 2 October 2012. Retrieved 20 November 2012.
  4. ^ "Air Station Ten Pound Island, Massachusetts". United States Coast Guard. 3 October 2012. Archived from the original on 14 December 2016. Retrieved 20 November 2012.
  5. ^ "1926: The First Permanent Coast Guard Air Stations Established". Coast Guard Aviation History. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
  6. ^ "Air Station Atlantic City, New Jersey". United States Coast Guard. 4 April 2014. Retrieved 18 June 2014.
  7. ^ a b "How U.S. Coast Guard's agile Blackjack unit intercepts threats in D.C. sky". CBS News. CBS Interactive Inc. 15 February 2019.
  8. ^ "Air Station Elizabeth City, North Carolina". United States Coast Guard. 20 March 2014. Retrieved 18 June 2014.
  9. ^ "Air Station St. Augustine, Florida". United States Coast Guard. 2 October 2012. Retrieved 18 June 2014.
  10. ^ "Air Station Washington". United States Coast Guard. 19 September 2013. Retrieved 18 June 2014.
  11. ^ "Washington D.C., Flight Restriction Zone/"DC-3" Airports". AOPA.org. Retrieved 24 August 2024.
  12. ^ "Air Station Morehead City". United States Coast Guard. 20 June 2018. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
  13. ^ "1920: The First Coast Guard Air Station, Morehead City, NC". Coast Guard Aviation History. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
  14. ^ "USCG Air Station Clearwater, Florida". www.uscg.mil. Retrieved 23 January 2017.
  15. ^ a b c "Historic Coast Guard Air Stations". www.uscg.mil. Retrieved 23 January 2017.
  16. ^ "Significant Dates in Coast Guard Aviation" (PDF). media.defense.gov. 25 June 2017. Retrieved 17 May 2022.
  17. ^ "USCG Air Station Savannah, GA". www.uscg.mil. Retrieved 23 January 2017.
  18. ^ "USCG Air Station Borinquen, Puerto Rico". www.uscg.mil. Retrieved 23 January 2017.
  19. ^ "USCG Air Station Houston, Texas". www.uscg.mil. Retrieved 23 January 2017.
  20. ^ "USCG: Sector Corpus Christi". www.uscg.mil. Retrieved 23 January 2017.
  21. ^ "USCG Air Station New Orleans, LA". www.uscg.mil. Retrieved 23 January 2017.
  22. ^ "USCG Aviation Training Center, Mobile Alabama". www.uscg.mil. Retrieved 23 January 2017.
  23. ^ Morris, Ted Allan. "A Short History of Operations at U.S. Coast Guard Air Station, Biloxi, Mississippi". Ted A. Morris. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
  24. ^ a b "USCG Air Station Detroit, Michigan". www.uscg.mil. Retrieved 23 January 2017.
  25. ^ a b "USCG Air Station Traverse City, MI". www.uscg.mil. Retrieved 23 January 2017.
  26. ^ "Sector / Air Station Humboldt Bay". United States Coast Guard. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
  27. ^ "Air Station Sacramento". United States Coast Guard. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
  28. ^ a b "Air Station San Francisco: History and Mission". United States Coast Guard. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
  29. ^ Drew Verbis/USNavy (5 April 2022). "Navy tours Coast Guard Air Station Construction onboard Point Mugu". DVIDS. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  30. ^ Huggins, J.J. (17 June 2024). "Coast Guard Air Station Ventura". PADET Los Angeles. DVIDS. U.S. Coast Guard District 11.
  31. ^ Uranga, Richard (17 June 2024). "Coast Guard to hold ribbon-cutting/commissioning ceremony for new Air Station Ventura". U.S. Coast Guard District Eleven.
  32. ^ Green, Nick (23 January 2015). "Local Coast Guard station to shrink after Air Station Los Angeles at LAX shuts in 2016". Daily Breeze.
  33. ^ Orozco, Lance (9 September 2016). "Coast Guard Permanently Moving Air Station From Los Angeles To Ventura County". KCLU.
  34. ^ "Coast Guard Air Station San Diego". Historic California Posts, Camps, Stations and Airfields. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
  35. ^ "Air Station San Diego 50th Anniversary".
  36. ^ "Group / Air Station Astoria" (PDF). United States Coast Guard. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
  37. ^ "Group / Air Station North Bend" (PDF). United States Coast Guard. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
  38. ^ a b "Air Station Barbers Point History". United States Coast Guard. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
  39. ^ a b "1949: Coast Guard Air Detachment Barbers Point Established". Coast Guard Aviation History. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
  40. ^ a b "1946: Pacific LORAN and Post War Aviation Support; CG Air Detachments Sangley Point and Guam Established". Coast Guard Aviation History. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
  41. ^ "Air Station Kodiak". U.S. Coast Guard Pacific Area, Seventeenth District. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
  42. ^ "Air Station Sitka". U.S. Coast Guard Pacific Area, Seventeenth District. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
  43. ^ "USCG: District 17 Units". www.uscg.mil. Retrieved 23 January 2017.
  44. ^ "US Coast Guard names two new Coast Guard Cities in Alaska, Washington [press release]". U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters. 3 December 2019. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
  45. ^ "Coast Guard Opens Seasonal Aviation Support Facility in Cordova, Alaska". Homeland Security Today. Government Technology & Services Coalition. 6 May 2021.
  46. ^ Andrews, Laurel (26 June 2016). "Coast Guard launches seasonal home base in Kotzebue". Anchorage Daily News.
  47. ^ Rosen, Yereth (5 July 2021). "US Coast Guard starts its seasonal Arctic operations from Kotzebue base". Arctic Business Journal. Arctic Today.

42. https://cgaviationhistory.org/1969-coast-guard-air-station-chicago-established/

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