RNZAF Base Woodbourne

RNZAF Base Woodbourne

Tempered and Ready
RNZAF Base Woodbourne; ; Tempered and Ready
	IATA: BHE; ICAO: NZWB;
Summary
Airport type	Military/Civilian
Owner	New Zealand Defence Force
Operator	Royal New Zealand Air Force
Serves	Blenheim, New Zealand
Location	Blenheim, New Zealand
Occupants	Command Training School; Ground Training Wing; Aircraft Repair Depot; Command Recruit Training Squadron;
Elevation AMSL	109 ft / 33 m
Coordinates	41°31′06″S 173°52′13″E / 41.51833°S 173.87028°E
Website	www.airforce.mil.nz
Map
	Map showing RNZAF Base Woodbourne in red, and Woodbourne Airport in blue.
Runways

RNZAF Base Woodbourne is a base of the Royal New Zealand Air Force, located 8 km west of Blenheim.

Woodbourne was established in 1939 as the base for No. 2 Service Flying Training School (No.2 SFTS).

Ohakea

, and in 1951 the Boy Entrant School was established at Woodbourne.

Today, Woodbourne is the Air Force's only support base and has no operational squadrons based there. It shares its runways with the Blenheim civil airport, Woodbourne Airport.

The Ground Training Wing was created in 1995 from existing units at Woodbourne and those relocated from Wigram and Hobsonville, and is responsible for the training of recruits (General Service Training School), initial officer training (Command Training School), trade training (except aircrew, medical and photography training) and command training.

Woodbourne was the Air Force's only heavy maintenance facility for the repair of aircraft airframes, engines and avionics systems. This

C-130 Hercules

airframe refurbishments. This will see the most highly houred C-130 Hercules (NZ7002) remain in flying service.

Personnel strength around 800

Units based at Woodbourne

RNZAF Police
RNZAF Rescue Fire
Physical Training Instructors
School
RNZAF Security Forces
RNZAF Logistics
Base Medical
Airbus
Directorate of Defence Security
Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology Aeronautical Engineering programme

References

^ See Bryan E. Young, 'Beckoning Skies'
^ Cambidgeairforce.org, The Marlborough Region

External links