RCAF Station Pearce

The station was closed following the end of World War II as part of the massive demobilization and the winding down of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP). With the decreased need for new pilots and flight instructors, the base was deemed surplus to military requirements and was decommissioned.

The former airport site is now private property, owned and operated by the Pearce Hutterite Colony. The land is used primarily for large-scale agricultural operations. The original triangular runway pattern is still clearly visible from the air, but the asphalt surfaces are significantly deteriorated and unmaintained. Some of the remaining runway surfaces are occasionally used as a private, unregistered airstrip for light aircraft with the owners' permission. Most of the original WWII-era hangars and buildings have been demolished over the years and replaced with modern farm structures, including large silos, barns, and residences.

RCAF Station Pearce was a critical component of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP) during World War II. Opened on September 22, 1941, it was constructed with the classic triangular runway layout typical of BCATP airfields. The station's primary role was advanced flight training. It was home to two key schools:

1. **No. 36 Elementary Flying Training School (EFTS):** Operated by the Royal Air Force (RAF), this school provided initial flight training to new pilots, primarily on aircraft like the de Havilland Tiger Moth and the Fairchild Cornell. It operated from 1941 until its closure in November 1944.

2. **No. 2 Flying Instructor School (FIS):** This school was responsible for training the flight instructors who would then be posted to other BCATP schools across Canada to teach student pilots. This 'train the trainer' role made Pearce a vital hub in the overall training scheme.

Its dual function in training both new pilots and the instructors who taught them made it a significant contributor to the Allied air superiority during the war.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening RCAF Station Pearce as a public or commercial airport. The site is privately owned agricultural land, the infrastructure is in a state of severe disrepair, and there is no economic or logistical driver for its redevelopment. Its historical significance is preserved through records and the visible remnants of its layout, but its future as an active airfield is non-existent.