RCAF Station Gimli
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RCAF Station Gimli was an air station of the
Royal Canadian Air Force The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF; ) is the air and space force of Canada. Its role is to "provide the Canadian Forces with relevant, responsive and effective airpower". The RCAF is one of three environmental commands within the unified Can ...
(RCAF) located near Gimli,
Manitoba Manitoba is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada at the Centre of Canada, longitudinal centre of the country. It is Canada's Population of Canada by province and territory, fifth-most populous province, with a population ...
,
Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...
.


World War II (1943–1945)

On September 6, 1943, the
British Commonwealth Air Training Plan The British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP), often referred to as simply "The Plan", was a large-scale multinational military aircrew training program created by the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand during the Second Wo ...
established No. 18 Service Flying Training School (No. 18 SFTS) to train aircrew for
Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
operations using the
Avro Anson The Avro Anson is a British twin-engine, multi-role aircraft built by the aircraft manufacturer Avro. Large numbers of the type served in a variety of roles for the Royal Air Force (RAF), Fleet Air Arm (FAA), Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), R ...
. No. 18 SFTS ceased operation on May 30, 1945.


Aerodrome data c.1942

In approximately 1942 the aerodrome was listed at with a Var. 10 degrees E and elevation of . Six runways were listed as under construction and detailed as follows:


Relief landing field – Netley, MB (1942)

The only Relief Landing field for RCAF Station Gimli was located approximately 10 Miles South on the west side of the hamlet of Netley, Manitoba. The Relief field was constructed in the typical triangular pattern. In approximately 1942 the aerodrome was listed at with a Var. 10 degrees E and elevation of . Three runways were listed as under construction and detailed as follows: On a recent drive by the site of the Netley Relief Landing Field (May 2018) there is little trace of the aerodrome from the ground but the former runways can be made out from the satellite imagery available on google maps.


Cold War (1950–1971)

During the
Cold War The Cold War was a period of global Geopolitics, geopolitical rivalry between the United States (US) and the Soviet Union (USSR) and their respective allies, the capitalist Western Bloc and communist Eastern Bloc, which lasted from 1947 unt ...
period, many Second World War air stations were reactivated. Gimli was one of these, and was reopened in 1950 to become a
jet aircraft A jet aircraft (or simply jet) is an aircraft (nearly always a fixed-wing aircraft) propelled by one or more jet engines. Whereas the engines in Propeller (aircraft), propeller-powered aircraft generally achieve their maximum efficiency at much ...
training station. Flying training schools located here include No. 2 Flying Training School, No. 3 Advanced Flying School (redesignated in 1964 to No. 1 Flying Training School), and No. 1 Advanced Flying Training School. Married Quarters were built on the base at some point during this period. The former married Quarters are now the community of Aspen Park. At some point after the Base was re-opened the Runways were reconfigured from the 6 runway triangular pattern to 2 longer, roughly parallel, asphalt surfaces. After unification of the three services in 1968, RCAF Station Gimli became a Canadian Forces Base (CFB). CFB Gimli closed in September 1971 and the flying schools moved to other Canadian forces bases.


Post closure

Part of the aerodrome is now used as an industrial park and a racetrack, but part continues operation as the Gimli Industrial Park Airport. Flying related activities include use by Manitoba Provincial Government water bomber squadron, the Regional Gliding School (Northwest), and two private flying schools. Gimli is also used by No. 435 Transport and Rescue Squadron based at 17 Wing Winnipeg, for training purposes.


Air Canada Flight 143 (Gimli Glider)

The Gimli airfield became the focus of international attention on Saturday, July 23, 1983, when Air Canada Flight 143 made an emergency landing there after a 17-minute powerless glide due to fuel exhaustion. On that day, the runways were being used for race-car activities on 'Family Day' for the Sports Car club from
Winnipeg Winnipeg () is the capital and largest city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Manitoba. It is centred on the confluence of the Red River of the North, Red and Assiniboine River, Assiniboine rivers. , Winnipeg h ...
. Flight 143's captain executed a sideslip, before touching down on the tarmac. None of 69 people on board the
Boeing 767 The Boeing 767 is an American wide-body airliner developed and manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. The aircraft was launched as the 7X7 program on July 14, 1978, the prototype first flew on September 26, 1981, and it was certified ...
aircraft were seriously injured, because the impact with the ground was minimized by the reduced landing speed provided by the slip that increased drag and caused the airplane to quickly reduce speed and to lose altitude. This maneuver is commonly used with gliders and light aircraft but was a first with a commercial aircraft. Quote: "Bob Pearson has done what no one has done before. He has safely landed a 767 with no engines, gliding to safety from more than 26,000 feet."


See also

* Gimli Industrial Park Airport * Gimli Motorsports Park


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gimli Gimli Gimli Military airbases in Manitoba Military history of Manitoba Former Canadian Forces bases in Canada Buildings and structures in Gimli, Manitoba