| Gila Bend Air Force Auxiliary Field Gila Bend Gunnery Range  | |
|---|---|
| Part of Air Education and Training Command (AETC) | |
| Located near: Maricopa County, near Gila Bend, Arizona | |
 2006 USGS Airphoto | |
| Coordinates | 32°53′15″N 112°43′12″W / 32.8875°N 112.72°W |
| Type | Military airfield |
| Site information | |
| Controlled by | United States Army Air Forces |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1942 |
| In use | 1942–Present |
| Airfield information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| IATA: none – ICAO: KGBN – FAA LID: GBN | |||
| Summary | |||
| Elevation AMSL | 858 ft / 262 m | ||
| Coordinates | 32°53′15″N 112°43′12″W / 32.8875°N 112.72°WCoordinates: 32°53′15″N 112°43′12″W / 32.8875°N 112.72°W | ||
| Map | |||
  KGBN | |||
| Runways | |||
| Direction | Length | Surface | |
| ft | m | ||
| 17/35 | 8,500 | 2,591 | Asphalt |
| Source: Federal Aviation Administration[1] | |||
Gila Bend Air Force Auxiliary Field (ICAO: KGBN, FAA Location identifier: GBN) is a United States Air Force auxiliary airfield used as an emergency landing facility by Luke Air Force Base aircraft and units from other nearby bases using the Barry M. Goldwater Air Force Range complex. The airfield is located three nautical miles (6 km) south of the central business district of Gila Bend, in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States.[1]
Although many U.S. airports use the same three-letter location identifier for the FAA and IATA, this facility is assigned GBN by the FAA but has no designation from the IATA.[2]
History[]
The facility was opened in July 1942 when it was part of the Gila Bend Gunnery Range. During World War II it was under the command of the 492d (Reduced) Army Air Force Base Unit, AAF West Coast Training Center. It served as the range headquarters for a massive bombing and gunnery range, now known as the Barry M. Goldwater Range, and for maintenance of the range and range targets. It remained an active Air Force facility until approximately 1995. It was also used as an auxiliary landing field. As of 2011, this is handled by private contractors utilizing portions of the former facility.[3]
Auxiliary Fields to Gila Bend AFAF
- Gila Bend #6/Williams AAF #4: 32°43′11″N 112°51′14″W / 32.71972°N 112.85389°W
- Gila Bend #6/Williams AAF #5: 32°49′05″N 112°54′54″W / 32.81806°N 112.915°W
- Gila Bend #6/Williams AAF #6: 32°53′05″N 112°48′59″W / 32.88472°N 112.81639°W
Facilities[]
Gila Bend Air Force Auxiliary Field has one runway designated 17/35 with an asphalt surface measuring 8,500 by 150 feet (2,591 x 46 m).[1]
See also[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 . Federal Aviation Administration. Effective 3 June 2010.
- ↑ "Gila Bend, Arizona (ICAO: KGBN, FAA: GBN)". Great Circle Mapper. http://www.gcmap.com/airport/KGBN. Retrieved 18 June 2010.
- ↑ Thole, Lou (1999), Forgotten Fields of America : World War II Bases and Training, Then and Now - Vol. 2. Publisher: Pictorial Histories Pub, ISBN 1-57510-051-7
- Other sources
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.- Shaw, Frederick J. (2004), Locating Air Force Base Sites History's Legacy, Air Force History and Museums Program, United States Air Force, Washington DC, 2004.
- Manning, Thomas A. (2005), History of Air Education and Training Command, 1942–2002. Office of History and Research, Headquarters, AETC, Randolph AFB, Texas ASIN: B000NYX3PC
- Fact Sheet: Gila Bend Auxiliary field at Luke Air Force Base website
- Gila Bend Air Force Auxiliary Field at GlobalSecurity.org website
- Gila Bend Air Force Auxiliary Field at Town of Gila Bend website
External links[]
- Resources for this U.S. military airport:
- FAA airport information for GBN
- AirNav airport information for KGBN
- NOAA/NWS latest weather observations
- SkyVector aeronautical chart for KGBN
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The original article can be found at Gila Bend Air Force Auxiliary Field and the edit history here.