🇩🇪 Celle Army Airfield

Celle Army Airfield (ICAO: ETHC), also known as Heeresflugplatz Celle, is a military airbase of the German Army located southwest of the city of Celle, Lower Saxony, Germany. Opened in 1934, it has been in continuous military use.

Type of facility and operations: Celle Air Base is a controlled military airbase that allows both visual and instrument flights. It primarily serves as a training airfield for prospective helicopter pilots, forming part of the German Army Aviation School. Training includes simulated emergency situations, retraining for pilots, flight instructor training, and special helicopter courses. The airbase also supports airborne operations and provides facilities for the parachute service of Airborne Brigade 1. It is an airport of entry, capable of handling international flights, and is equipped with an Aeronautical Information Service, a Met Office section, and a fire brigade.

Notable features or history: During the Berlin Airlift in 1948-1949, Celle Air Base was a significant operational base, strategically located at the end of the middle air corridor to Berlin, and was used to transport coal and food to the besieged city. At that time, it was known as RAF Celle and was extended with an asphalt runway and a long rail siding. In 1957, the British forces handed the airfield over to the German Army. The base was given the additional name Immelmann-Kaserne in 1967. Historically, it housed the Army Aviation Maintenance Squadron 100, a specialized unit responsible for the highest grade of maintenance for all Bölkow Bo-105 helicopters in the German Army.

Current status: As of a 2011 reorganization of the German Armed Forces, the number of military personnel stationed at Celle Air Base was significantly reduced from 1080 to 400. While the Army Aviation Training Centre C was slated for closure and several squadrons disbanded, a battalion of aspirant non-commissioned officers and a center for airborne operations were to be established. The Medical Services Squadron was expanded into a regional medical center. The airbase now operates the Training and Exercise Center for Air Mobility, which manages the airfield and supports training units with simulated and real flight components. Access to the airbase is restricted to Bundeswehr and Allied forces members, and aircraft require a Prior Permission Request (PPR) for approach to mitigate noise pollution for nearby residents.

*Sources researched: en.wikipedia.org, skyvector.com, freight-academy.com, logibook.dataint.net, de.wikipedia.org*