Canadian Forces Base Portage la Prairie

Canadian Forces Base Portage la Prairie is a former military airport of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) located adjacent to Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, Canada. Today the airport is operated as Portage la Prairie/Southport Airport.

CFB Portage la Prairie/ RCAF Station Portage la Prairie
Southport, Manitoba Near Portage la Prairie, Manitoba in Canada
CFB Portage la Prairie CFB Portage CFB Portage la Prairie CFB Portage la Prairie (Canada)
Coordinates	49°55′N 098°17′W
Site information
Operator	Royal Canadian Air Force
Controlled by	No. 2 Air Training Command (1940-
Site history
In use	1940-45; 1950-92
Airfield information
Elevation	863 ft (263 m) AMSL
Runways Direction Length and surface 8/26 3,040 ft (930 m) hard surface 12/30 3,040 ft (930 m) hard surface 1/19 2,760 ft (840 m) hard surface
Airfields

Canadian Forces Base Portage la Prairie Portage la Prairie/Southport Airport
IATA: none ICAO: none
Summary
Airport type	Military
Owner	Canadian Forces Air Command
Location	RM of Portage la Prairie, near Portage la Prairie, Manitoba
Time zone	CST (UTC−06:00)
• Summer (DST)	CDT (UTC−05:00)
Elevation AMSL	885 ft / 270 m
Map
CFB Portage la Prairie Location in Manitoba CFB Portage la Prairie CFB Portage la Prairie (Canada)
Runways
Direction Length Surface ft m 01/19 3,045 928 Asphalt 08/26 2,670 810 Asphalt 13R/31L 7,000 2,134 Asphalt 13L/31R 3,130 954 Asphalt
Helipads
Number Length Surface ft m H1 150 46 Turf/snow H2 100 31 Turf/snow
Source: Canada Flight Supplement Environment Canada

History

World War II

RCAF Station Portage la Prairie was originally slated to open on 28 October 1940 and was to be the home station of No. 14 Elementary Flying Training School (EFTS). However, due to construction delays of the school from moving into the nearly completed aerodrome, it was decided that the school would be established at Stevenson Field in Winnipeg, Manitoba. From 28 October 1940 until 4 December 1940 the school operated out of the Winnipeg Aerodrome. The majority of EFTS were operated by civilian flying clubs and No. 14 EFTS was no different. Contract for the operation of this school was issued to Central Manitoba Flying Training School Limited, a company created under a charter issued to the Winnipeg Flying Club.

The school was initially tasked to start a pilot training course every month with the course slated to last two months. Each course was loaded with 24 students; however, by the time they commenced training, this increased to 35 students per course.

Training at this school was to be conducted using 25 RCAF provided de Havilland Tiger Moth training aircraft.

The school operated until July 1942 when it was disbanded to allow No.7 Air Observer School, which was also stationed at the base, to expand.

The station was a part of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan.

The station was home to No.7 Air Observer School from 28 April 1941 to 31 March 1945.

When the Air Observer School's size was increased in the spring of 1942, No.14 EFTS was disbanded to make room. The station was closed on 31 March 1945.

Aerodrome data

In approximately 1942 the aerodrome was listed at 49°55′N 98°17′W with a variation of 11 degrees east and elevation of 863 ft (263 m). Three runways were listed as follows:

Runway name	Length	Width	Surface
8/26	3,040 ft (930 m)	150 ft (46 m)	Hard surfaced
12/30	3,040 ft (930 m)	150 ft (46 m)	Hard surfaced
1/19	2,760 ft (840 m)	150 ft (46 m)	Hard surfaced

Cold War (1952–92)

The post-war expansion of the RCAF resulted in RCAF Station Portage la Prairie being re-activated on 15 September 1952. No. 2 Advanced Flying School (No. 2 AFS) was established to train RCAF and NATO pilots. Several other flight schools followed over the succeeding decades.

As a result of the unification of the Canadian Armed Forces, the station was renamed CFB Portage la Prairie in 1966.

In the late 1980s, Department of National Defence budget reductions led to the contracting out of flight training to civilian agencies. As a result, CFB Portage la Prairie closed on 1 September 1992.

Post-base closure (1992–)

It reopened as Southport Airport, where 3 Canadian Forces Flying Training School continues to conduct flight training under contract with KF Aerospace.

See also

• List of airports in Manitoba

References

• Greavette, Gordon (1990). Portage la Prairie - Fifty Years of flying training: 1940-1990 (First ed.). Altona, Manitoba: Friesen Printers. ISBN 1-55056-004-2.