Gia Lam Air Base serves Hanoi (Long Bien), VN.
Gia Lam Air Base (ICAO: VVGL) is a military airfield located in the Long Biên District of Hanoi, Vietnam, on the eastern bank of the Red River.
Type of Facility and Operations: It is primarily a military airfield, currently under the sole authority of the Vietnam Air Defence - Air Force. It hosts the Vietnamese Air Force's airlifting operations and serves as a base for the 918 Air Transport Regiment, which operates An-2s, An-26s, and the M28. The base also facilitates military training activities and chartered helicopter taxi flights for tourists.
Notable Features or History:
- Construction: Built in 1936, it was designed by French architect Félix Godard as part of an urban plan for Hanoi.
- French Indochina: Gia Lam and Bach Mai were key logistics bases for French operations during the Battle of Dien Bien Phu.
- Vietnam War: During the Vietnam War, it was a major airbase and a bombing target for the US, sustaining heavy damage during Operation Rolling Thunder.
- Operation Homecoming: Following the Paris Peace Accords in 1973, Gia Lam was the site of Operation Homecoming, where American POWs, including Senator John McCain, were repatriated. The first C-141 to return with POWs was famously known as the "Hanoi Taxi".
- Recent Military Events: In 2024, the Pacific Air Forces sent A-10 Thunderbolt II and C-130J Super Hercules aircraft to Gia Lam for the Vietnam Defence Expo, marking the first US Air Force return since the Vietnam War.
Current Status: Gia Lam Air Base remains a military facility. Although there were previous plans and proposals to convert it into a civil/military airport, these were formally abandoned. In 2018, it was excluded from the national airport network plan, and in 2023, the airport master plan was abolished, with renovation work stopped indefinitely. The airport continues to host military flights and events like the Vietnam Defence Expo. It has one active runway measuring 2000 x 44 meters (6562 x 145 feet).
*Sources researched: en.wikipedia.org, scramble.nl, skyvector.com, centreforaviation.com*
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Where is Gia Lam Air Base located?
Gia Lam Air Base is located in Hanoi (Long Bien), VN, at an elevation of 50 ft. Its IATA code is — and ICAO code is VVGL.