The ICAO airport code or location indicator is a four-letter code designating aerodromes around the world. These codes, as defined by the International Civil Aviation Organization and published quarterly in ICAO Document 7910: Location Indicators , are used by air traffic control and airline operations such as flight planning . ICAO codes are also used to identify other aviation facilities such as weather stations , international flight service stations or area control centers , whether or not they are located at airports. Flight information regions are also identified by a unique ICAO-code.
36-501: Marine Corps Air Station Yuma or MCAS Yuma ( ICAO : KNYL , FAA LID : NYL ) is a United States Marine Corps air station in Arizona . It is the home of multiple squadrons of F-35B Lightning IIs of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing , Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron 1 (MAWTS-1), Marine Operational Test and Evaluation Squadron 1 (VMX-1) and Marine Fighter Training Squadron 401 (VMFT-401), an air combat adversary squadron of
72-415: A general surveillance radar station. The 864th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron began operations in 1956 using AN/MPS-7 and AN/MPS-14 radars, the site being designated as "SM-162". In addition to the main facility, Vincent AFB operated several AN/FPS-14 Gap Filler sites: Fleet Air Gunnery Unit Pacific was moved before 1 July 1958 to MCAAS YUMA from NAS El Centro , California. Vincent AFB
108-474: Is a pseudo-code, used in flight plans for aerodromes with no ICAO code assigned. ICAO codes are sometimes updated. Johannesburg Airport in Johannesburg , South Africa, for instance, was formerly known as Jan Smuts International Airport, with code FAJS. When the airport was renamed O. R. Tambo International Airport, its ICAO code was updated to FAOR. Some airports have two ICAO codes, usually when an airport
144-454: Is flat desert . MCAS Yuma also operates an auxiliary airfield on the Barry M. Goldwater Range . In 1928, the federal government purchased 640 acres (260 ha) near Yuma at the recommendation of Colonel Benjamin F. Fly. Temporary dirt runways were installed for usage by military and civilian planes. It was called Fly Field . The outbreak of World War II transformed the civilian airport into
180-739: Is reimbursed on a cost-basis with a location-dependent cap. Domestic M&IE and Lodging rates are established by the General Services Administration while overseas rates are determined by the United States Department of State Office of Allowances. Some locations have furnished apartments for long-term stay. These apartments have fully equipped kitchens so TDY recipients have the option to cook rather than always eat out, and some may have free washing machines and clothes dryers . Some government agencies consider any assignment over 45 days as an extended TDA, which allows
216-726: Is shared by civilian and military users. Frankfurt Airport in Frankfurt , Germany, for instance, has been assigned ICAO code EDDF while Rhein-Main Air Base was assigned ICAO code EDAF until its closure. Sion Airport in Switzerland has code LSGS while its military facilities have the ICAO code LSMS. Brussels Airport in Brussels , Belgium, has the ICAO code EBBR for its civilian facilities, and Melsbroek Air Base has been assigned ICAO code EBMB, even though
252-451: The 37th Flying Training Wing . The base operating unit was the 403d Army Air Force Base Unit. In 1944, the unit was upgraded to multi-engine flight training, operating B-26 Marauders . In addition to the flying training, a Flexible Gunnery School was established at the airfield in November 1943. Flight training was discontinued on 23 April 1945 and gunnery training on 31 May 1945. The base
288-502: The 4th Marine Aircraft Wing of the Marine Corps Reserve . It is a designated Superfund site due to a number of soil and groundwater contaminants, including asbestos . The station is 2 miles (1.7 nmi; 3.2 km) from the city of Yuma, Arizona . A joint use civilian-military airport, MCAS Yuma shares airfield facilities with Yuma International Airport and occupies approximately 3,000 acres (1,200 ha), most of which
324-600: The Chocolate Mountain Aerial Gunnery Range and the Barry M. Goldwater Air Force Range - West), and associated restricted airspace for military flight operations. During the 1960s, 70s, and early 1980s, MCAS Yuma was home to VMFAT-101 , the Marine Corps' Fleet Replacement Squadron (FRS) for the F-4 Phantom II , training USMC, U.S. Navy, and NATO /Allied flight crews and maintenance personnel in
360-599: The Jezero Crater on Mars is assigned the special ICAO code JZRO. Codes beginning with I (Ixx and Ixxx) are often used for navigational aids such as radio beacons, while the Q code is reserved for international radiocommunications and non-geographical special use. In Russia , Latin letter X, or its Morse / Baudot Cyrillic equivalent Ь , are used to designate government, military, and experimental aviation airfields in internal airfield codes similar in structure and purpose to ICAO codes but not used internationally. ZZZZ
396-631: The Yuma Army Airfield . Construction of facilities began on 1 June 1942 and was activated on 15 December Yuma AAF was a single-engine flight training school, operated by the Army Air Forces Flying Training Command , West Coast Training Center, later Western Flying Training Command . Flying training began in January 1943. Its training unit was the 307th Single Engine Flying Training Group which operated AT-6 Texans , reporting to
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#1733084638271432-547: The 4750th Training Wing became the 4750th Air Defense Wing (Weapons). The 4750th Group and squadrons were also redesignated. And on 8 January 1955, the 4750th Tow Target Squadron became the 17th TTS. Between July 1954 and the end of the year, ADC rotated eleven more squadrons through the Yuma program – nine in F-86Ds, and one each in F-94Cs and F-89Ds. On 1 January 1956, the 4750th Drone Squadron
468-568: The F-4B, F-4J, F-4N, and F-4S. Following the transfer of VMFAT-101 to MCAS El Toro , California in the 1980s, MCAS Yuma became the principal Fleet Marine Force, Pacific operating base for the AV-8B Harrier II , under the cognizance of Marine Aircraft Group 13 ( MAG-13 ). Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron 1 ( MAWTS-1 ) is a major aviation command at MCAS Yuma, conducting training for all Marine Corps tactical aviation units, most notably
504-535: The ICAO code indicate the country; the remaining letters identify the airport. ICAO codes are used partly for geographical context. For example, the ICAO code for Heathrow International Airport in London, is EGLL, with its first letters reflecting that it is based in the United Kingdom . On the other hand, IATA codes do not provide geographic reference. For example, LHR, representing Heathrow, does not enable one to deduce
540-522: The US Navy and US Marine Corps, is a duty status designation reflecting a US Government Employee's official travel or assignment at a location other than the employee's permanent duty station. This type of secondment is usually of relatively short duration, typically from two to 189 days in length. Various Departments and Agencies within the US Federal Government have differing regulations governing
576-525: The United Kingdom, but nearby civilian Port Stanley Airport is assigned SFAL, consistent with South America . Saint Pierre and Miquelon is controlled by France, and airports there are assigned LFxx as though they were in Europe. Kosovo is assigned the code BKxx grouping it with Greenland and Iceland rather than its geographical neighbors which have Lxxx (described below). Jerusalem International Airport
612-457: The Weapons and Tactics Instructor (WTI) course. Marine Fighter Training Squadron 401 ( VMFT-401 ) is a Marine Air Reserve squadron also based at MCAS Yuma, containing both active duty and Selected Marine Corps Reservists, providing aerial adversary/aggressor services and dissimilar air combat training (DACT) for all U.S. military services, and selected NATO, Allied, and Coalition partners. This base
648-609: The authorizations, allowances, and processing of TDY personnel. For Example, the Department of Defense uses the Joint Travel Regulations, while the Department of State and other foreign affairs agencies use the guidance in the Foreign Affairs Manual . Employees on TDY status are reimbursed for their expenses via a flat-rate per diem , based on location, covering meals , and incidental expenses (M&IE). Lodging
684-719: The course. The first ADC squadron arrived at Yuma for the Rocketry Proficiency Program on 1 February 1954. ADC squadrons rotated through Yuma on a regular basis for a two-week proficiency program that included live-fire exercises over the Williams AFB and Luke AFB gunnery ranges. The two-week course included a controller course, many hours in the F-86D simulator and at least one 'live fire' mission flown each day. The targets, usually towed behind B-45A tow ships, were 9'x45' target sleeves, with two radar reflectors attached for
720-618: The employee to be reimbursed for part of the expenses before the end of the assignment. Examples of TDY assignments in the United States Army include attendance of newly commissioned officers at basic-branch Basic Officer Leaders Courses , and Gold Bar Recruiter duty in the interim; and training of all ranks at specialty-skill schools (e.g. United States Army Airborne School , United States Army Air Assault School , Army Mountain Warfare School ) through their sponsoring commands. In
756-418: The home of the 4750th Training Wing (Air Defense). The 4750th had two major components, the 4750th Training Group (Air Defense) and the 4750th Training Squadron. The group had two flying squadrons assigned – the 4750th TS equipped with six F-86D Sabres and six F-94C Scorpions : and the 4750th Tow Target Squadron equipped with twelve T-33As and eight B-45As used to tow targets for the live fire portion of
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#1733084638271792-457: The interceptor fire control systems to lock onto. Most of the TDY personnel were quartered in tents near the flight line, at least until April 1954 when the first permanent barracks buildings were finished and air conditioned. By June, seven ADC units had rotated through the Yuma program. Also Headquarters USAF decided to add a separate air-to-air rocketry competition to the annual USAF gunnery meet that
828-584: The location of the airport LHV with any greater certainty; it is William T. Piper Memorial Airport in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania in the United States . There are a few exceptions to the regional structure of the ICAO code that have been historically for political or administrative reasons. RAF Mount Pleasant air base in the Falkland Islands , for instance, is assigned the ICAO code EGYP as though it were in
864-508: The meteoric promotions of the U.S. Army and USAF. Vincent was also an inspiration for the main character in the comic strip Terry and the Pirates . Vincent died of a heart attack in 1955 at the age of 40 while serving as the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, Air Defense Command (ADC) at Ent AFB , Colorado. In addition to the fighter units, Vincent AFB was used by Air Defense Command as
900-441: The name of the airport or the city it serves, while ICAO codes are distributed by region and country. Far more aerodromes (in the broad sense) have ICAO codes than IATA codes, which are sometimes assigned to railway stations as well. The selection of ICAO codes is partly delegated to authorities in each country, while IATA codes, which have no geographic structure, must be decided centrally by IATA. The first one or two letters of
936-506: The same year. ICAO codes are separate and different from IATA codes , the latter of which have three letters and are generally used for airline timetables , reservations, and baggage tags. For example, the IATA code for London 's Heathrow Airport is LHR and its ICAO code is EGLL. IATA codes are commonly seen by passengers and the general public on flight-tracking services such as FlightAware . In general IATA codes are usually derived from
972-627: The style LFddnn , where dd indicates the department while nn is a sequential counter. The French Federation of Ultralight Motorized Gliders was formally named the keeper of these codes. Aerodrome de Torreilles in France, for instance, has code LF6651. In Antarctica many aerodromes have pseudo ICAO-codes with AT and two digits, while others have proper codes from countries performing air control such as NZ for New Zealand . Temporary duty assignment Temporary duty travel ( TDY ), also sometimes referred to as Temporary Additional Duty ( TAD ) in
1008-515: The two airports share runways and ground and air control facilities. In small countries like Belgium or the Netherlands, almost all aerodromes have an ICAO code. For larger countries like the UK or Germany this is not feasible, given the limited number of letter codes. Some countries have addressed this issue by introducing a scheme of sub-ICAO aerodrome codes; France, for example, assigns pseudo ICAO codes in
1044-885: Was also used in the late 1980s and early 1990s as the Marine Corps Airborne Training Center. MCAS Yuma is currently programmed to become the Marine Corps' initial operating base for the F-35B STOVL variant of the F-35 Lightning II , the first of which arrived on 16 November 2012. Flying and notable non-flying units based at MCAS Yuma. Marine Corps Installations – West 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing 4th Marine Aircraft Wing Deputy Commandant for Aviation, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps Training and Education Command ICAO airport code The recommendations for ICAO airport codes were adopted on 24 March 1959, and came into force on 1 October
1080-691: Was assigned both LLJR (its Israeli persona) as well as OJJR (its Jordanian persona), but the airport itself fell into disuse. In the contiguous United States and Canada, many airports have ICAO codes that are simply copies of their three-letter IATA codes, with the geographical prefix added on (e.g., YEG and CYEG both refer to Edmonton International Airport , while IAD and KIAD both refer to Washington Dulles International Airport ). This similarity does not extend to Alaska (PAxx), Hawaii (PHxx), or U.S. territories. Kahului Airport on Maui , for instance, has an IATA code of OGG and an ICAO code of PHOG. ICAO airport codes do not begin with I or J or X or Q, though
1116-745: Was closed on 1 November 1945. After the war, the airfield was turned over to the Department of the Interior as a headquarters for the Bureau of Land Reclamation. On 1 January 1954, Yuma County Airport was reactivated by the United States Air Force (USAF) Air Defense Command (ADC) as a training facility. In the mid-1950s, ADC was equipped almost solely with rocket-firing F-86D Sabre and F-89C Scorpion interceptors, and Headquarters USAF decided they should have their own training base. Yuma Airport became
Marine Corps Air Station Yuma - Misplaced Pages Continue
1152-455: Was established as part of the 4750th ADW (Weapons). They were equipped with the brand new Ryan Q-2A Firebee drone, which was launched from GB-26C Invader aircraft. Although the drones were in place by spring, the first GB-26Cs did not arrive until June, and the first Firebee flight took place in July. The Q-2A Firebees were recovered by H-21 helicopters after landing on the desert floor. Yuma AFB
1188-403: Was held at Las Vegas Air Force Base (renamed Nellis Air Force Base in 1950). The Interceptor Phase of the competition would be held at Yuma between 20 June and 27 June 1954. The competition would take place each year, with the last occurring in 1956. Several changes occurred during the last half of 1954. On 24 August, Yuma County Airport was redesignated Yuma Air Force Base . On 1 September,
1224-613: Was inactivated at Vincent AFB on 15 June 1959 and control of the base was passed over to the United States Navy . Nine days later the base was turned over to the United States Marine Corps (USMC). The base was renamed Marine Corps Air Station Yuma (Vincent Field) on 20 July 1962. MCAS Yuma is currently the busiest air station in the Marine Corps, offering excellent year-round flying conditions and thousands of acres of open terrain for air-to-ground weapons ranges (including
1260-480: Was renamed on 13 October 1956 as Vincent Air Force Base , the installation was named for Brigadier General Clinton D. "Casey" Vincent , one of Major General Claire Chennault 's top fighter leaders in the China-Burma Theater and the second youngest General Officer in U.S. Air Force history, receiving his star at the age of 29. Vincent was the subject of a TIME magazine article titled "Up Youth", which covered
1296-644: Was transferred to the U.S. Navy on 1 Jan 1959, and the tenant radar site was renamed Yuma Air Force Station . On 20 July 1962, the base designation was changed to Marine Corps Air Station. In this time frame, the USAF began construction of a new Yuma AFS (RSM-162) about 13 miles south of Yuma. However, the replacement site was never completed, as, in March 1963, the Air Force ordered the 864th AC&W Squadron to inactivate. Operations ceased 1 August 1963. The 4750th Air Defense Wing
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