CFB Trenton

Canadian Forces Base Trenton
8 Wing Trenton
Summary
Airport type Military
Owner Government of Canada
Operator DND
Location Quinte West, Ontario
Time zone EST (UTC−05:00)
 • Summer (DST) EDT (UTC−04:00)
Elevation AMSL 283 ft / 86 m
Coordinates 44°07′08″N 077°31′41″W / 44.11889°N 77.52806°W / 44.11889; -77.52806Coordinates: 44°07′08″N 077°31′41″W / 44.11889°N 77.52806°W / 44.11889; -77.52806
Website www.cfbtrenton.com
Map
CYTR
Location in Ontario
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
06/24 10,000 3,048 Asphalt

Canadian Forces Base Trenton (IATA: YTR, ICAO: CYTR) (also CFB Trenton), formerly RCAF Station Trenton, is a Canadian Forces base located within the city of Quinte West, Ontario. It is operated as an air force base by the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and is the hub for air transport operations in Canada and abroad. Its primary RCAF lodger unit is 8 Wing, commonly referred to as 8 Wing Trenton.

The airport is classified as an airport of entry by Nav Canada and is staffed by the Canada Border Services Agency. The use of the airport for civilian aircraft is permitted for emergencies or MEDEVACs only and the CBSA officers can only handle general aviation aircraft with up to 15 passengers.[1]

History

Aerial view of RCAF Station Trenton, June 1936

1929–1939 Prewar

In 1929, 960 acres (390 ha) of farmland near Trenton were purchased by the federal government to establish a Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) station to be called RCAF Station Trenton. The base was officially opened in August 1931. Lord Bessborough, the Governor General in 1931, laid the commemorative cornerstone of the airbase, which had the motto, "Per Ardua ad Rem," or "Through Adversity to the Good" . This motto was the long-standing unspoken motto of the airmen of CFB Trenton.[3] Trenton was intended as a smaller supporting base to RCAF Station Borden, which was the home of Canadian military aviation and a major training base at the time. By June 1937 it had replaced Camp Borden as the primary flying training centre; the older station was given over increasingly to technical and trades training.[4] The location was chosen for being the midpoint between Ottawa and Toronto. It also provided the possibility of using the facility for seaplanes operating on Lake Ontario.

1939–1945 World War II

No. 1 Fighter and No. 3 Army Cooperation Flights, flying Siskin and Tiger Moth aircraft, were the first air elements to be hosted at Trenton. Trenton was the largest training centre of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan during the Second World War.[5] Schools included the RCAF Central Flying School, No. 1 Air Navigation School (to 1942), No. 1 Flying Instructor School, and No. 1 Composite Training School.[6] Along with the trainees, the 6 Repair Depot was based at Trenton.

Aerodrome

In approximately 1942 the aerodrome was listed as "RCAF Aerodrome Trenton" at 44°07′N 77°32′W / 44.117°N 77.533°W / 44.117; -77.533 with a Var. 12 degrees W and elevation of 240 feet (73 m). The field was listed as "All hard surfaced" and had four runways listed as follows:[7]

Runway Name Length Width Surface
1/19 3,000 feet (914 m) 150 feet (46 m) Hard Surfaced
5/23 3,600 feet (1,097 m) 150 feet (46 m) Hard Surfaced
14/32 3,050 feet (930 m) 150 feet (46 m) Hard Surfaced
9/27 4,200 feet (1,280 m) 150 feet (46 m) Hard Surfaced

1945–1990 Cold War

Following the war, Trenton became home to transport and fighter aircraft, with transport aircraft from the base taking part in the Korean Airlift, as well as numerous other missions throughout the 1950s and 1960s.

On February 2, 1959, RCAF Station Trenton became the destination for CF-105 Arrow 25204, flying from the Avro Canada manufacturing facility at Malton Airport. A Trans-Canada Air Lines Vickers Viscount had crash landed during 25204's flight, temporarily closing the runways at Malton.[8]

Canada upgraded its transport and search and rescue fleets during the 1960s when the RCAF purchased the CC-137 Husky, CC-130 Hercules, CH-113 Labrador and CC-115 Buffalo aircraft. RCAF Station Trenton became the home of training facilities for these aircraft.

RCAF Station Trenton was renamed Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Trenton after the February 1, 1968 merger of the RCAF with the Royal Canadian Navy and Canadian Army to form the Canadian Forces.

Heritage buildings

CFB Trenton has several recognized and classified Federal Heritage buildings on the Register of the Government of Canada Heritage Buildings.[9]

  • Administration Building 29 Recognized – 1995
  • Hangars 3 Buildings 51; 5 Building 49 Recognized – 1991
  • Hangars 9 B112; 10 B52 Recognized – 2004
  • Hastings Hall / Officer's Quarters, Building 111 Recognized – 1995
  • Headquarters Buildings 22 & 23 Recognized – 1995
  • Junior Quarters, Buildings 21 & 56 Recognized – 1995
  • Officer's Mess Building 38 Recognized – 1995
  • VIP Private Married Quarters Building 42 Recognized – 1995

Facilities

Current

The recapitalization of the northeast ramp was completed in summer 2008, and reconstruction of the southeast ramp was completed in the summer of 2009.[10]

Construction of a new air traffic control tower was completed in July 2010.[11]

The Canadian Forces Aerospace Warfare Centre is housed in a new building named after Air Marshal Clare Annis. Leed Gold Standard certification is underway from the Canada Green Building Council.[12]

A new Material Distribution Centre opened on November 2, 2010. The $2.4-million project is an amalgamation and co-location of the Wing's Central Material Traffic Terminal of 2 Air Movement Squadron (2 Air Mov Sqn) with the material distribution centre of 8 Wing Supply.[13]

Future

The construction of a new northwest ramp and associated taxiway infrastructure, consisting of approximately 82,500 m2 (888,000 sq ft) of concrete and 47,400 m2 (510,200 sq ft) of asphalt surface began in 2009. This recapitalization provides more area for maneuvering, parking and loading aircraft, while providing adequate space to accommodate aircraft.[10]

A 17,500 m2 (188,400 sq ft) Electrical and Mechanical Engineering (EME) and transportation garage valued at $75 million is being built.[14]

The Air Mobility Training Centre project will see the construction of a 17,000 m2 (183,000 sq ft) facility that will house the equipment and personnel required to train operators and maintainers of the CC-130J Super Hercules aircraft. Building construction will be completed in 2011 and operations will begin in 2012.[14][15]

A contract for new training accommodations is expected to be awarded in 2010, with construction tentatively set for completion by summer 2012.[14]

Maintenance Hangar 1 is a two bay maintenance hangar designed for the large CC-177 Globemaster III. The 16,630 m2 (179,000 sq ft) building is expected to be completed by spring 2013.[14]

Maintenance Hangar 2 is a two bay maintenance hangar designed for CC-130J Super Hercules aircraft. It will be a 11,613 m2 (125,000 sq ft), and will include 4,500 m2 (48,400 sq ft) of office space and shop support areas. Construction is to be completed by February 2013.

The base could host seven CH-149 Cormorant Search And Rescue helicopters if Canada goes though with increasing the CH-149 fleet from 14 to 21 helicopters.[16]

Special operations unit JTF2 is in the process of relocating to CFB Trenton and is expected to have facilities there by 2019.

Present operations

Royal Military College of Canada cadets attend unveiling of Afghanistan Repatriation Memorial, CFB Trenton, Trenton, Ontario 10 Nov 2012

The RCAF operates the majority of its fixed-wing tactical airlift and all of its strategic airlift aircraft from CFB Trenton.

CFB Trenton plays a key support role for the National Search and Rescue Program, being home to Joint Rescue Coordination Centre Trenton (JRCC Trenton) which is jointly staffed by the RCAF and Canadian Coast Guard personnel who have responsibility for coordinating aircraft and marine rescue incidents in central and Arctic Canada. The RCAF also operates the Canadian Mission Control Centre (CMCC) from the base, which is tasked with monitoring the Cospas-Sarsat system that detects transmissions from emergency locating beacons on aircraft or marine vessels in distress through Canada's search and rescue area of responsibility.

The Canadian Army also operates the Canadian Army Advanced Warfare Centre, formerly known as the Canadian Parachute Centre.

8 Wing operates several aircraft types, including CC-130 Hercules, CC-150 Polaris and CC-177 Globemaster III transport aircraft, the CH-146 Griffon search and rescue helicopters, and the CC-144 Challenger VIP transport aircraft. The Challenger fleet, used to fly the Governor General, members of the Royal Family (when visiting Canada), the Prime Minister and members of the federal cabinet, is based at Ottawa Macdonald–Cartier International Airport but supported from CFB Trenton.

Current squadrons under 8 Wing include:

Temporary storage facilities were built at the base for the CC-177 Globemaster III. Permanent hangars (Hangar 2 and 6) were built from 2012 to 2017.

CFB Trenton is also home to lodger units independent from 8 Wing including Aerospace and Telecommunications Engineering Support Squadron (ATESS) and The Canadian Forces Aerospace Warfare Centre (CFAWC). ATESS provides specialized engineering, training, and production/manufacturing in aerospace and telecommunications. Its capabilities encompass avionics, non-destructive testing (NDT), integrated health monitoring (IHM/HUMS), aircraft structures and more.[17] CFAWC is the centre of excellence for air power development, including Concept Development and Experimentation (CD&E) and lessons learned. In addition, CFAWC develops and maintains the Air Force air power knowledge repository and coordinates efforts to provide advanced synthetic environment and modelling and simulation services to assist CD&E, requirements definition, operational test and evaluation (OT&E) and mission rehearsal. The CFAWC is commanded by an RCAF Colonel.[18]

The current commander of the base is Colonel Mark Goulden, who assumed his post 14 July 2017.[19]

Other operations

  • The National Air Force Museum of Canada is on the base.
  • Mountain View Detachment, a former World War II RCAF airfield located south of Belleville, is utilized as a storage and overhaul facility of older aircraft. A new gravel runway was constructed in 2006 to train Canadian Forces CC-130 Hercules aircraft crew in landing on unprepared landing strips. The Canadian Forces have also established a drop zone nearby.
  • The base is also home to CTC Trenton and Mountainview Cadet Flying Training Centre, cadet training centres for the Royal Canadian Air Cadets.
  • Trenton Military VOLMET Military Aeronautical Communications System (MACS) on 6754 and 15,034 kHz USB call sign "CHR"
  • The base hosts a bomb disposal team.[20]

Economic impact on Trenton community

CFB Trenton, based on statistical data from the Fiscal Year 2004–2005, had an annual population impact (Regular Force members & dependants) of 8,185. The airbase also had an estimated local spending impact (direct and indirect) of $278,195,000 for that Fiscal Year. The airbase also directly employed 3,163 people and indirectly employed 437 people.[21]

Arrest and conviction of former base commander

CFB Trenton's former commander, Colonel David Russell Williams, was arrested and later convicted of serial rape and murder; some of his crimes were committed while in command of the base.[22][23]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Canada Flight Supplement. Effective 0901Z 19 July 2018 to 0901Z 13 September 2018.
  2. ↑ "Synoptic/Metstat Station Information". Archived from the original on 2011-12-01. Retrieved 2011-03-22.
  3. ↑ "8 Wing History". Royal Canadian Air Force. Retrieved 10 September 2013.
  4. ↑ Millberry, Larry (1984). Sixty Years: The RCAF and CF Air Command. Toronto, ON: CANAV Books. p. 44.
  5. ↑ Hatch, F.J. Aerodrome of Democracy: Canada and the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan 1939–1945. Ottawa: Canadian Department of National Defence, 1983. ISBN 0-660-11443-7. p. 116. Retrieved 2014-07-15
  6. ↑ "British Commonwealth Air Training Plan Schools – Canada". Archived from the original on 2006-10-14. Retrieved 2011-03-23.
  7. ↑ Staff Writer c.1942, p. 170
  8. ↑ http://va3kgb.ve3kbr.com/cf105/timeline.htm
  9. ↑ http://www.pc.gc.ca/apps/beefp-fhbro/FHB_Rech_Search_e.asp%5Bpermanent+dead+link%5D Register of the Government of Canada Heritage Buildings.
  10. 1 2 "Trenton Infrastructure". Canada News Centre. Retrieved 27 September 2011.
  11. ↑ "New air traffic control tower opens at CFB Trenton". Intelligencer.ca. Retrieved 2011-03-22.
  12. ↑ Isabelle, Major (2010-10-07). "More than a building dedication:... | Air Force Articles | News and Events – Air Force News | Air Force | DND/CF". Airforce.forces.gc.ca. Archived from the original on 2012-07-19. Retrieved 2011-03-22.
  13. ↑ "$2.4M distribution centre opens – Trenton Trentonian – Ontario, CA". Trentonian.ca. Retrieved 2011-03-22.
  14. 1 2 3 4 Government of Canada – Canada News Centre – "Trenton Infrastructure backgrounder" 11 September 2009. Retrieved 2011-04-20
  15. ↑ "New Air Mobility Training Centre to support CC130J operations" by Tom Phil. 10 December 2009
  16. ↑ https://www.verticalmag.com/news/canada-urged-acquire-attack-helicopters/
  17. ↑ http://www.rcaf-arc.forces.gc.ca/en/8-wing/aerospace-telecommunications-engineering-support.page
  18. ↑ http://www.rcaf-arc.forces.gc.ca/en/cf-aerospace-warfare-centre/index.page
  19. ↑ http://inquinte.ca/story/8-wing-cfb-trenton-now-under-new-leadership
  20. ↑ "Fire in the hole: Whitby man finds Second World War mortar bomb in lakefront park" (print version headline: "Whitby man finds Second World War bomb under park". Toronto Star, August 26, 2013. by Christopher Reynolds.
  21. ↑ "DND/CF Economic Impact: 8 Wing/CFB Trenton". National Defence and the Canadian Forces. Archived from the original on 2011-12-05. Retrieved 26 September 2011.
  22. ↑ "DNA tests on Russell Williams murder victim took 10 weeks". Toronto Star, By Sandro Contenta and Jim Rankin, May 16, 2015
  23. ↑ "Serial killer Russell Williams will keep his military pension—for now". McLean's Magazine, Michael Friscolanti, November 3, 2014
  • UNCLAS CANAIRGEN 025/06 (Canadian Air Force General Order)
  • Staff writer (c. 1942). Pilots Handbook of Aerodromes and Seaplane Bases Vol. 1. Royal Canadian Air Force.
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