Pittsburgh IAP Air Reserve Station

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

For the civilian airport co-located at this station, see Pittsburgh International Airport.
Pittsburgh International Airport Air Reserve Station
Near
United States of America
A C-17A Globemaster III of the 911th Airlift Wing about to exit the runway with its sister ships on the flight-line at Pittsburgh International Airport ARS
A C-17A Globemaster III of the 911th Airlift Wing about to exit the runway with its sister ships on the flight-line at Pittsburgh International Airport ARS
Pittsburgh is located in the United States
Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh
Location in the United States
Coordinates40°29′40.49″N 080°12′55.71″W / 40.4945806°N 80.2154750°W / 40.4945806; -80.2154750 (Pittsburgh ARS)
TypeAir reserve station
Site information
OwnerDepartment of Defense
OperatorUS Air Force (USAF)
Controlled byAir Force Reserve Command (AFRC)
ConditionOperational
Websitewww.pittsburgh.afrc.af.mil
Site history
Built1944 (1944)
In use1944 – present
Garrison information
Garrison
Airfield information
Identifiers
AMSL
Runways
Direction Length and surface
10R/28L 3,505.2 metres (11,500 ft) concrete
10C/28C 3,284.2 metres (10,775 ft) asphalt/concrete
10L/28R 3,201 metres (10,502 ft) asphalt/concrete
14/32 2,469.1 metres (8,101 ft) concrete
Airfield shared with Pittsburgh International Airport
Source: Federal Aviation Administration[1]

Pittsburgh IAP Air Reserve Station is a

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
.

Overview

Pittsburgh IAP ARS is the home station of the

C-17A Globemaster III strategic airlift aircraft. It includes approximately 1,220 Air Force Reserve members. The unit employs approximately 320 civilians, including more than 180 Air Reserve Technicians (ART) holding dual civilian and military positions. If mobilization occurs, 911 AW units deploy as part of the Air Mobility Command. The 911 AW hosts an average of 20 military flight operations per week in its role as host to the region's defense center.[2]

The

KC-135T Stratotanker air refueling aircraft, providing air refueling and air mobility/strategic airlift services worldwide. The 171 ARW is one of three flying wings in the Pennsylvania Air National Guard and has over 400 full-time staff, consisting of Active Guard and Reserve (AGR), dual civilian-military status Air Reserve Technicians (ART) and other USAF civilians, as well as over 1,000 "traditional" part-time Air National Guard personnel.[2]

Civil Air Patrol

One of the first Civil Air Patrol (CAP) Aviation Cadet Programs in the United States was established at the then-Pittsburgh Army Air Base in 1943. Since then, the CAP has had a continuous presence on the Air Reserve Station and is considered a Flagship Unit. As a key partner with the Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard units on Base, the CAP Squadron was a founding member of the Wings Over Pittsburgh Air Show and hosts an annual family picnic for Air Force and military families in the Metro Pittsburgh area.[citation needed]

Wings over Pittsburgh

Main article: Wings over Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh's military heritage is also rekindled each summer as the complex hosts one of the largest air shows on the east coast, Wings over Pittsburgh. The first show was held on 4 and 5 June 2000. Roughly 200,000 spectators attended the two-day show in 2005.[3]

The military end of the airport complex has also been mentioned as the best relocation site for the region's

Army and Air Force Exchange Service
(AAFES). The 2008 scheduled closing of the nearby Charles E. Kelley Support Facility and its Post Exchange (PX) brought PIT the opportunity to host the new BX facility on its military side.

History

Founded as a military airfield for the

Air Transport Command Aircrews. The 6th Ferrying Service Detachment was activated at the airfield on 15 July 1943, providing repair facilities for aircraft in transit between manufacturing facilities on the West Coast and Midwest to East Coast aerial ports for delivery to overseas units.[4] Also, the 60th College Training Detachment (Army Air Forces Training Command) provided military training at the airfield.[5]

After the war, Pittsburgh Municipal Airport became a part of the

Air Force Reserve, with the 444th Army Air Force (Later Air Force) Reserve Training Detachment being established at the civil airport.[6]

In January 1951 the USAF

42d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, the 500th ADG being re designated as the 54th Fighter Group (Air Defense), to honor notable World War II units.[7]

In 1947, the PA ANG

A-7D Corsair IIs and became part of Tactical Air Command. In 1991, the 112th was re-designated as an Air Refueling Group and became part of Strategic Air Command (SAC). In June 1992 it was reassigned to Air Mobility Command upon the inactivation of SAC. The 112th ARG was inactivated on 1 October 1993, with the 146th ARS transferring to the 171st Air Refueling Wing.[2][7]

See also

References

Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

  1. ^ "Airport Diagram – Pittsburgh Intl (PIT)" (PDF). Federal Aviation Administration. 21 May 2020. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
  2. ^ a b c "Pittsburgh IAP Air Reserve Station". United States Air Force.
  3. ^ "Wings over Pittsburgh". 911TH Airlift Wing and the Pittsburgh IAP ARS Public Affairs Office. Retrieved 1 December 2007.
  4. ^ "USAF Historical Research Agency Document 00180432".
  5. ^ "USAF Historical Research Agency Document 00151313".
  6. ^ "USAF Historical Research Agency Document 00185903".
  7. ^ a b A Handbook of Aerospace Defense Organization 1946 - 1980, by Lloyd H. Cornett and Mildred W. Johnson, Office of History, Aerospace Defense Center, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Pittsburgh International Airport.
  • GlobalSecurity.org - site on military operations and airport specs for Pittsburgh International
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pittsburgh_IAP_Air_Reserve_Station&oldid=1206133688"