Fernando Air Base
| Fernando Air Base | |
|---|---|
| Lipa Air Base | |
| Located at Lipa City, Batangas, Philippines | |
| Coordinates | 09°44′32″N 118°45′31″E / 9.74222°N 118.75861°E |
| Type | Military airbase |
| Site information | |
| Owner |
 Philippines |
| Controlled by | Philippine Air Force |
| Condition | active, as of 2014 |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1942 |
| Built by |
 Japan |
| In use |
1948 – Present Philippines |
| Garrison information | |
| Garrison |
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| Airfield Information | |||||||||||
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| IATA: none – ICAO: RPUL | |||||||||||
| Summary | |||||||||||
| Airport type | Military | ||||||||||
| Operator | Philippine Air Force | ||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 1,200 ft / 375 m | ||||||||||
| Coordinates | 13°57′18″N 121°7′29″E / 13.95500°N 121.12472°ECoordinates: 13°57′18″N 121°7′29″E / 13.95500°N 121.12472°E | ||||||||||
| Map | |||||||||||
.svg.png)  RPUL Location of Fernando Air Base in the Philippines | |||||||||||
| Runways | |||||||||||
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Fernando Air Base (formerly known as Lipa Air Base)(ICAO: RPUL) is the site of the Philippine Air Force's (PAF) pilot training and education facilities located in Lipa City, Batangas, Philippines[1]
It is named after Lieutenant Colonel Basilio Fernando, who had died during an airplane training accident in the US.(one of the pioneers of the Philippine aviation) It is also the location of PAF Air Education and Training Command of Philippine Air Force.
Throughout the years, it has been consistently awarded as the Philippine Air Force’s Model Base of the Year for its well maintained appearance, excellent base services, aggressive ecological and environmental control, and consistent safety and security control.[2]
Location
It is located in Lipa City, Batangas, about 83 km SSE of Manila, Philippines. It is 1,220 feet (375 m) above sea level and is situated on a plateau overlooking Taal Volcano with an area of 288 hectares (712 acres) of land which keep its climate temperature cool all day.
History
Fernando Air Base was originally constructed by the Japanese Imperial Army over an area of a wide sugar cane plantation before the Second World War in 1942.
On 12 April 1948, the late President Manuel Roxas directed the renaming of Lipa Air Base to Fernando field and subsequently, to Fernando Air Base in honor of Lt Col Basilio Fernando, one of the pioneers of Philippine aviation.
In 1952, Fernando Air Base became a training base called the 100th Training Wing where training units and other support units of the Philippine Air Force were grouped.
The base was used to train Philippine airmen. There were 3 different learning/training facilities on base: The Air Force Flying School, the Technical Training Center, and the NCO Academy, which conducted continuing education for NCO's. These facilities were staffed with instructors from the 100th Training Wing until 22 September 1999, when the functions were subsumed by the Air Education and Training Command.
Facilities
- Officers and enlisted Personnel club houses,
- Fernando Air Base chapel
- Fernando Air Base hospital
- Athletic Facilities
- 0.6 km Firing range
- Fernando Air Base 18-hole Golf Course
Air Education and Training Command
| Philippine Air Force Air Education and Training Command | |
|---|---|
| Active | September 21, 1999 – present |
| Country |
Philippines |
| Branch | Philippine Air Force |
| Type | Major Command |
| Garrison/HQ | Fernando Air Base |
| Nickname | AETC, formerly 100th Training Wing |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander | Major General Raul Dimatatac, AFP |
It is one of the major Commands of the Philippine Air Force. On 21 September 1999, the 100th Training Wing was deactivated and the Air Education and Training Command was established with a greater responsibility and wider scope of training task.
Primary Units
The command is composed of six (6) primary units namely:
- Air Force Officer School (responsible for preparing officers to assume positions of higher responsibility.)
- Basic Military Training School (responsible for training soldier candidates.)
- Non-Commissioned Officer School (responsible for conducting career courses for Enlisted Personnel.)
- PAF Flying School (responsible for conducting flying training to aviation students to qualify as pilots of the Air Force.)
- PAF Officer Candidate School (responsible for training officer candidates.)
- PAF Technical and Specialization Training School (responsible for conducting technical courses for all Air Force personnel.)
Support units
Working with the primary units are four Support Units:
- 550th Air Base Group (its mission is to manage, operate and maintain base facilities and to provide support services and security throughout the base.)
- 440th Aircraft Maintenance Group (its mission is to perform, coordinate and supervise the operation of maintenance function.)
- Fernando Air Base Hospital (its mission is to provide hospitalization and outpatient services to military personnel, dependents and other authorized personnel.)
- 1303rd Dental Dispensary (its mission is to provide dental services to mil personnel, dependents and authorized civilians.)
References
External links
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