Gila Bend Air Force Auxiliary Field (ICAO: KGXF, FAA LID: GXF) is a United States Air Force auxiliary airfield used as an emergency landing facility by Luke Air Force Base and Davis-Monthan Air Force Base aircraft and units from other nearby bases using the Barry M. Goldwater Air Force Range complex. The airfield is located 3.5 miles (3.0 nmi; 5.6 km) south of Interstate 8 and the central business district of Gila Bend, in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States.[2]
| Gila Bend Air Force Auxiliary Field | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Barry M. Goldwater Air Force Range | |||||||
| Gila Bend, Arizona in the United States of America | |||||||
 A US Geological Survey aerial image from 2006 | |||||||
 | |||||||
  Gila Bend AFAF Location in the United States | |||||||
| Coordinates | 32°53′15″N 112°43′12″W / 32.88750°N 112.72000°W | ||||||
| Type | US Air Force auxiliary airfield | ||||||
| Site information | |||||||
| Owner | Department of Defense | ||||||
| Operator | US Air Force | ||||||
| Controlled by | Air Education and Training Command (AETC) | ||||||
| Condition | Operational | ||||||
| Site history | |||||||
| Built | 1942 | ||||||
| In use | 1942 – present | ||||||
| Garrison information | |||||||
| Garrison | 56th Range Management Office | ||||||
| Airfield information | |||||||
| Identifiers | ICAO: KGXF, FAA LID: GXF, WMO: 747240 | ||||||
| Elevation | 269.1 metres (883 ft) AMSL | ||||||
| |||||||
| Source: AirNav.com[1] | |||||||
Although many U.S. airports use the same three-letter location identifier for the FAA and IATA, this facility is assigned GXF by the FAA but has no designation from the IATA.[3]
History
editThe facility was opened in July 1942 when it was part of the Gila Bend Gunnery Range. During World War II it was under the command of the 492d (Reduced) Army Air Force Base Unit, AAF West Coast Training Center. It served as the range headquarters for a massive bombing and gunnery range, now known as the Barry M. Goldwater Range, and for maintenance of the range and range targets. It remained an active Air Force facility manned by USAF personnel until approximately 1995. It was also used as an auxiliary landing field. As of 2011, this role is handled by private contractors utilizing portions of the facility.[4]
Auxiliary fields to Gila Bend AFAF (all on the Goldwater Range) are:
- Gila Bend #6/Williams AAF #4: 32°43′11″N 112°51′14″W / 32.71972°N 112.85389°W
- Gila Bend #6/Williams AAF #5: 32°49′05″N 112°54′54″W / 32.81806°N 112.91500°W
- Gila Bend #6/Williams AAF #6: 32°53′05″N 112°48′59″W / 32.88472°N 112.81639°W
Facilities
editGila Bend Air Force Auxiliary Field has one runway designated Rwy 17/35 with an asphalt surface measuring 8,500 ft × 150 ft (2,591 m × 46 m).[2]
See also
edit
References
edit- ^ "AirNav: KGXF – Gila Bend Air Force Auxiliary Airport". www.airnav.com. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
- ^ a b FAA Airport Form 5010 for GXF PDF. Federal Aviation Administration. Effective 3 June 2010.
- ^ "Gila Bend, Arizona (ICAO: KGXF, FAA: GXF)". Great Circle Mapper. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
- ^ Thole, Lou (1999), Forgotten Fields of America : World War II Bases and Training, Then and Now – Vol. 2. Publisher: Pictorial Histories Pub, ISBN 1-57510-051-7
- Other sources
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency- Manning, Thomas A. (2005), History of Air Education and Training Command, 1942–2002. Office of History and Research, Headquarters, AETC, Randolph AFB, Texas OCLC 71006954, 29991467
- Shaw, Frederick J. (2004), Locating Air Force Base Sites, History’s Legacy, Air Force History and Museums Program, United States Air Force, Washington DC. OCLC 57007862, 1050653629
External links
edit- 56th Range Management Office – operates Gila Bend AFAF
- Resources for this U.S. military airport:
- FAA airport information for GBN
- AirNav airport information for KGBN
- NOAA/NWS latest weather observations
- SkyVector aeronautical chart for KGBN