Henry C. Mustin Naval Air Facility

Military base realignment and closure. The facility was closed as part of the 1991 Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Commission's recommendation to shut down the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard. As the air facility's primary mission was to support the shipyard and its fleet, its operations were terminated along with the parent installation.

The site of the former air facility has been completely redeveloped. Following the closure of the naval base, the entire area, including the airfield, was transferred to the City of Philadelphia for redevelopment. It is now part of 'The Navy Yard,' a successful and expanding mixed-use campus featuring corporate offices (e.g., Urban Outfitters headquarters), industrial and manufacturing facilities, research and development centers, and public parks. The runways, hangars, and all other aviation infrastructure have been removed and replaced with buildings, streets, and green spaces. The original grid of the airfield is no longer recognizable.

Henry C. Mustin Naval Air Facility, also known as Mustin Field, holds a significant place in U.S. naval aviation history.

- **Pioneering Facility:** Commissioned in 1926, it was the U.S. Navy's first official air facility located within a naval shipyard. It was named after Captain Henry C. Mustin, a key pioneer in naval aviation who made the first-ever catapult launch from a ship underway.

- **Aircraft Development:** The adjacent Naval Aircraft Factory (NAF) used Mustin Field for testing and flight operations. The facility was instrumental in the development and testing of aircraft catapult systems, a technology pioneered by its namesake.

- **World War II Hub:** During WWII, Mustin Field was a bustling center for logistics and support. It handled the testing of aircraft produced and overhauled at the NAF, ferried aircraft to the fleet, conducted transport flights for personnel and high-ranking officials, and supported the vast number of ships being built and repaired at the shipyard.

- **Post-War Operations:** In the post-war and Cold War eras, it continued to serve as a support and logistics airfield. It hosted various Naval Air Reserve squadrons and was a primary base for helicopter operations, providing vertical replenishment support and transport for the Atlantic Fleet vessels docked in Philadelphia.

None. There are zero plans or prospects for reopening the site as an airport. The land has been completely and successfully redeveloped for commercial, industrial, and recreational use. Re-establishing an airport would be logistically impossible without demolishing the current thriving development and is unnecessary given the close proximity of Philadelphia International Airport (KPHL).