Natal Air Force Base

For the previous civilian use of this facility, see Augusto Severo International Airport.

Natal Air Force Base – ALA10 (ICAO: SBNT) is a base of the Brazilian Air Force, located in Parnamirim, near Natal, Brazil.

Natal Air Force Base
Base Aérea de Natal
Parnamirim, Rio Grande do Norte in Brazil
A line of AT-26 Xavante at Natal in 2008
Site information
Type	Air Force Base
Code	ALA10
Owner	Brazilian Air Force
Controlled by	Brazilian Air Force
Open to the public	No
Website	www.fab.mil.br/organizacoes/mostra/44/
Location
SBNT Location in Brazil
Coordinates	05°54′30″S 035°14′57″W
Site history
In use	1942-present
Garrison information
Current commander	Brig. Av. Marcelo Fornasiari Rivero
Occupants	1st Squadron of the 5th Aviation Group 2nd Squadron of the 5th Aviation Group 1st Squadron of the 8th Aviation Group 1st Squadron of the 11th Aviation Group 2nd Squadron of Air Transportation 3rd Squadron of the 1st Communications and Control Group
Airfield information
Identifiers	ICAO: SBNT, LID: RN9001
Elevation	51 metres (167 ft) AMSL
Runways Direction Length and surface 16L/34R 2,600 metres (8,530 ft) Asphalt 16R/34L 1,800 metres (5,906 ft) Asphalt 12/30 1,825 metres (5,988 ft) Asphalt
Source: DECEA[1]

History

Originally called Parnamirim Airport, this facility had an important role during World War II as a strategic base for aircraft flying between South America and West Africa. Particularly between 1943 and 1945, the base was used jointly by the Brazilian Air Force, United States Army and United States Navy, the Royal Air Force, and commercial airlines. The maintenance and security installations were made by the U.S. Army in the South Atlantic (USAFSA).^[2]

It shared some facilities with Augusto Severo International Airport until 31 May 2014.^[3]

Units

The following units are based at Natal Air Force Base:

• 1st Squadron of the 5th Aviation Group (1º/5ºGAv) Rumba, using the C-95BM & CM Bandeirante.^[4]
• 2nd Squadron of the 5th Aviation Group (2º/5ºGAv) Joker, using the A-29A Super Tucano.^[5]
• 1st Squadron of the 8th Aviation Group (1º/8ºGAv) Falcão, using the H-36 Caracal.^[6]
• 1st Squadron of the 11th Aviation Group (1º/11ºGav) Gavião, using the H-50 Esquilo.^[7]
• 2nd Squadron of Air Transportation (2°ETA) Pastor, using the C-95B & BM Bandeirante, C-97 Brasília, and C-98A Caravan.^[8]
• 3rd Squadron of the 1st Communications and Control Group (3º/1ºGCC) Morcego, using radars and equipment for air defense.^[9]

Accidents and incidents

• 25 March 1961: Brazilian Air Force, a Douglas C-47 Skytrain registration FAB-2055 flying from Rio de Janeiro to Natal crashed upon final approach. Of the 28 passengers and crew, 5 survived.^[10]
• 23 April 1977: Brazilian Air Force, an Embraer C-95 Bandeirante registration FAB-2169 crashed upon landing at Natal.^[11]
• 3 July 1977: Brazilian Air Force, an Embraer C-95 Bandeirante registration FAB-2157 crashed after take-off from Natal. All 18 occupants died.^[12]

Access

The base is located 18 km from downtown Natal.

Gallery

This gallery displays aircraft that are or have been based at Natal. The gallery is not comprehensive.

Present aircraft

• 
  Embraer C-95B Bandeirante (FAB)
• 
  Embraer A-29A Super Tucano (FAB)
• 
  Eurocopter H-36 Caracal (FAB)
• 
  Helibrás H-50 Esquilo (FAB)
• 
  Embraer C-97 Brasília (FAB)
• 
  Cessna C-98A Caravan (FAB)

Retired aircraft

• 
  North American B-25J Mitchell
• 
  Douglas B-26B Invader
• 
  Embraer T-27 Tucano (FAB)
• 
  Republic F-47 Thunderbolt
• 
  Morane-Saulnier MS-760 Paris
• 
  North American T-6G Texan
• 
  Embraer AT-26 Xavante (FAB)
• 
  Bell H-1H Iroquois

See also

• Aviation portal
• Brazil portal

• List of Brazilian military bases
• Augusto Severo International Airport