Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Air Station Elizabeth City |
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Unit Patch CGAS Elizabeth City
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| Active | 1940 |
| Country |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Navy |
| Type | Air Station |
| Role | Search and rescue, maritime patrol |
| Aircraft flown | |
| Helicopter | MH-60T Jayhawk |
| Patrol | HC-130J Hercules |
Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City is a very important air station for the United States Coast Guard. It is located in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, right next to the Elizabeth City Regional Airport. This air station is one of the busiest in the U.S. Coast Guard. Its teams fly missions to places as far away as Greenland, the Azores, and the Caribbean.
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History of Air Station Elizabeth City
Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City officially opened on August 15, 1940. It started with four officers, 52 enlisted people, and ten aircraft. These planes included three Hall PH-2 seaplanes, four Fairchild J2K landplanes, and three Grumman J2F Duck amphibious aircraft. An amphibious aircraft can land on both water and land.
The base is about 60 miles north of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. It is located along a river that does not freeze, which is helpful for planes that can land on water. The Coast Guard chose this spot in 1938 because it was a good place for seaplanes.
During World War II, the U.S. Navy used the air station. Its main jobs were search and rescue (SAR) and finding enemy submarines. It also helped train pilots. Nearby, Naval Air Station Weeksville was a base for airships (like blimps) from 1941 to 1957.
Over the years, the missions and aircraft at Air Station Elizabeth City have changed. In 1966, the station grew bigger. It took over the duties of Coast Guard air stations in Bermuda and Newfoundland.
What Air Station Elizabeth City Does
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Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City is part of a larger area called the Coast Guard Base Elizabeth City. This base has several important parts:
- Aviation Technical Training Center (ATTC): This is where Coast Guard members learn how to fix and maintain aircraft. They go to special schools here.
- Aviation Logistics Center (ALC): This center makes sure the Coast Guard has all the parts and supplies it needs for its aircraft.
- Station Elizabeth City: This is a smaller station that handles search and rescue missions using boats.
The base also has a clinic for healthcare, including dental care. It has its own fire and police departments that help with emergencies on base and in the local community.
The main jobs of Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City include:
- Search and Rescue (SAR): Finding and helping people in danger, especially at sea.
- Maritime Law Enforcement: Helping to enforce laws on the water.
- International Ice Patrol: Watching for icebergs in the Atlantic Ocean to keep ships safe.
- Aids to Navigation Support: Helping to maintain lighthouses and other signals that guide ships.
- Marine Environmental Protection: Protecting the ocean environment, for example, by responding to oil spills.
Currently, Air Station Elizabeth City uses five HC-130J Hercules airplanes and four MH-60T Jayhawk helicopters. These aircraft are essential for their many missions.
Air Station Elizabeth City in Movies
Air Station Elizabeth City has been featured in popular culture. It was used as a filming location for the 2006 movie The Guardian. In the movie, it pretended to be Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak in Alaska. The people at the base helped a lot with making the film.
In 2018, the Air Station also provided a helicopter and crew for the TV show Jack Ryan on Amazon Prime. Four crew members, including two pilots, appeared in the first episode. Two of them even had speaking parts! In the episode, an HH60J Jayhawk helicopter lands at a dinner party. An Aviation Survival Technician and an Aviation Maintenance Technician get out to look for the main character.
Geographic Location
Support Center Elizabeth City is located at 36°15′38″N 76°10′29″W / 36.26056°N 76.17472°W.
