Manaus Air Force Base – ALA8 is a
base of the
Brazilian Air Force
"Wings that protect the country"
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march = Hino dos Aviadores
, mascot =
, anniversaries = 22 May (anniver ...
, located in
Manaus
Manaus () is the capital and largest city of the Brazilian state of Amazonas. It is the seventh-largest city in Brazil, with an estimated 2020 population of 2,219,580 distributed over a land area of about . Located at the east center of the s ...
, Brazil.
History
The base was created in 1970 and between 1970 and 1976 public facilities of
Ponta Pelada Airport
Ponta Pelada Airport was the main airport of Manaus, Brazil, until 1976. Between 1970 and 1976, the facilities were shared with Manaus Air Force Base of the Brazilian Air Force. On March 31, 1976, all civilian operations were transferred to the n ...
were shared with the military facilities of Manaus Air Force Base. In 1976, with the opening of
Eduardo Gomes International Airport
Manaus International Airport – Eduardo Gomes is the airport serving Manaus, Brazil. It is named after Brazilian politician and military figure Air Marshal Eduardo Gomes (1896–1981).
It is operated by Vinci Airports
History
Manaus Int ...
, all public operations were transferred to the new airport. Ponta Pelada Airport was then renamed Manaus Air Force Base and since then it handles exclusively military operations.
Units
The following units are based at Manaus Air Force Base:
* 7th Squadron of the 8th Aviation Group (7°/8°GAv) ''Hárpia'', using the
H-60L Black Hawk.
* 1st Squadron of the 9th Aviation Group (1°/9°GAv) ''Arara'', using the
C-105A Amazonas.
* 7th Squadron of Air Transportation (7°ETA) ''Cobra'', using the
C-97 Brasília, and the
C-98A Grand Caravan.
* 4th Aviation Battalion of the
Brazilian Army (4° BAvEx) ''Batalhão Coronel Ricardo Pavanello'', using
HM-1 Pantera,
HM-2 Black Hawk, and
HM-4 Jaguar.
Accidents and incidents
*28 April 1971:
Brazilian Air Force
"Wings that protect the country"
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march = Hino dos Aviadores
, mascot =
, anniversaries = 22 May (anniver ...
, a
Douglas DC-6B
The Douglas DC-6 is a piston-powered airliner and cargo aircraft built by the Douglas Aircraft Company from 1946 to 1958. Originally intended as a military transport near the end of World War II, it was reworked after the war to compete with ...
registration FAB-2414 en route from Manaus to
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro ( , , ; literally 'River of January'), or simply Rio, is the capital of the state of the same name, Brazil's third-most populous state, and the second-most populous city in Brazil, after São Paulo. Listed by the GaWC as a b ...
had problems with engine vibrations which forced the crew to return to Manaus. On the ground one of the right hand engines burst into flames. The fire spread to the fuselage causing the death of 16 of the 83 occupants.
*23 February 1973:
Brazilian Air Force
"Wings that protect the country"
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march = Hino dos Aviadores
, mascot =
, anniversaries = 22 May (anniver ...
, a
de Havilland Canada DHC-5 Buffalo
The de Havilland Canada DHC-5 Buffalo is a short takeoff and landing ( STOL) utility transport turboprop aircraft developed from the earlier piston-powered DHC-4 Caribou. The aircraft has extraordinary STOL performance and is able to take off ...
registration FAB-2372 crashed on landing killing 3 occupants.
Access
The base is located 9 km from downtown Manaus.
Gallery
This gallery displays aircraft that are or have been based at Manaus. The gallery is not comprehensive.
Present aircraft
File:UH-60 Brazil (cropped).jpg, Sikorsky H-60L Black Hawk (FAB)
File:CASA C-105A Amazonas (C-295), Brazil - Air Force AN1976288.jpg, CASA C-105A Amazonas (FAB)
File:Embraer EMB 120 (Forca Aerea Brasileira) 2014@CGH 18AUG14 (15422477730).jpg, Embraer C-97 Brasília (FAB)
File:Cessna 208 Caravan (Forca Aerea Brasileira) Rafael Luiz (28981352976).jpg, Cessna C-98A Caravan (FAB)
File:Helicóptero Pantera HM-1 do Exército chegando para o Arraiá Aéreo do Astronauta Marcos Pontes em Bauru. O evento foi realizado no dia seguinte. O helicóptero voa em velocidade de cruzeiro a 230 km-h e - panoramio.jpg, Eurocopter HM-1 Pantera (Army)
File:Brazilian military helicopter underway, 2012.jpg, Sikorsky HM-2 Black Hawk (Army)
Retired aircraft
File:Brazilian Air Force Embraer AT-26 Xavante (EMB-326GC) RSC.jpg, Embraer AT-26 Xavante (FAB)
File:Aerospatiale Puma CH-34 Forca Aerea Brasileira (8181530536).jpg, Helibras H-34 Super Puma (FAB)
File:Chegada de aviões transporte encomendados aos Estados Unidos.tif, de Havilland C-115 Buffalo (FAB)
File:Embraer EMB 110 (Forca Aerea Brasileira) (9028199498).jpg, Embraer C-95B Bandeirante (FAB)
File:Northrop F-5 (Forca Aerea Brasileira) Operação Ágata 11 (27543292150).jpg, Northrop F-5EM (FAB)
File:Brazilian AS332 Super Puma 2012.jpg, Eurocopter HM-3 Cougar (Army)
See also
*
List of Brazilian military bases Brasilia
The following is a list of military bases in Brazil, sorted by location:
Air Force Air Force Bases
Testing and Training Range
Navy Naval Bases and Stations
Naval Air Base
{{Military of Brazil
*
*
Brazil
military
A mi ...
*
Ponta Pelada Airport
Ponta Pelada Airport was the main airport of Manaus, Brazil, until 1976. Between 1970 and 1976, the facilities were shared with Manaus Air Force Base of the Brazilian Air Force. On March 31, 1976, all civilian operations were transferred to the n ...
References
External links
*
*
*
{{Military of Brazil
Amazonas (Brazilian state)
Brazilian Air Force
Brazilian Air Force bases
Buildings and structures in Amazonas (Brazilian state)
Manaus
Airports established in 1954