Pie de la Cuesta Air Force Base
Pie de la Cuesta Air Force Base (Spanish: Base Aérea Militar No. 7 General de División Gustavo G. León González, Pie de la Cuesta) (ICAO: MM41) is a military airport located in Pie de la Cuesta in the Mexican state of Guerrero.
Pie de la Cuesta Air Force Base Base Aérea Militar No. 7 General de División Gustavo G. León González | |||||||||||
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![]() Mexican Air Force IAI 201 Arava (3014) at Pie de la Cuesta Air Force Base | |||||||||||
Summary | |||||||||||
Airport type | Military | ||||||||||
Owner | SEDENA | ||||||||||
Operator | Mexican Air Force | ||||||||||
Serves | Pie de la Cuesta / Acapulco | ||||||||||
Built | 1945 | ||||||||||
Commander | General de Grupo Piloto Aviador Diplomado de Estado Mayor Aéreo Pedro Velázquez Rodríguez[1] | ||||||||||
Elevation AMSL | 20 ft / 6 m | ||||||||||
Coordinates | 16°54′37″N 99°59′19″W | ||||||||||
Website | SEDENA | ||||||||||
Runways | |||||||||||
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History
The airport was inaugurated in 1945 as a civil airport to operate commercial air operations in Acapulco, however the increase in passenger flow exceeded the capacity of the airport, so in 1947 a plan for the construction of a new airport with a greater capacity was executed.[2]
On April 23, 1953, was inaugurated the Acapulco International Airport[3] and Pie de la Cuesta Airport was given to SEDENA to be operated by Mexican Air Force. In 1967 Gustavo Díaz Ordaz named Acapulco Internacional Airpor as Juan N. Álvarez International Airport.[4]
During Dirty War the base was used to carry out detentions, illegal seclusions and interrogations, this according to investigations carried out by the National Human Rights Commission.[5]
in 1985 it was used to film Rambo II, in which the Pie de la Cuesta Air Force Base pretended to be a Thai Air Force Base.[6]
Facilities and squads
It has a 7,612-foot-long by 150-foot-wide runway as well a 152,350 sq ft aviation platform with 3 taxyways linked with the runway. It has also 3 hangars, control tower and various military installations.
This military airport is used by 204th Fighter Air Squad, that operates Pilatus PC-7 aircraft. Also is used by 102nd Air Squad, that operates Bell 206 and Bell 212 aircraft.[7]
References
- "Bases Aéreas" [Air Bases]. Secretaría de la Defensa Nacional. May 1, 2019. Retrieved January 6, 2020.
- Vázquez, Eduardo Francisco (May 23, 2010). "POBLACION DEL VIEJO ACAPULCO 1938" [Old Acapulco Town (1938)] (in Spanish). Flickr. Retrieved January 13, 2020.
- "Esto es Guerrero: Historia de la Aviación" [This is Guerrero: Aviation History] (in Spanish). Mediateca Guerrero. January 20, 2017. Retrieved January 13, 2020.
- Vázquez, Eduardo Francisco (May 23, 2010). "POBLACION DEL VIEJO ACAPULCO 1938" [Old Acapulco Town (1938)] (in Spanish). Flickr. Retrieved January 13, 2020.
- "BAM 7 "General de División Gustavo G. León González" Pie de la Cuesta, Guerrero" [Air Force Base #7 "Division General Gustavo G. León González" Pie de la Cuesta, Guerrero] (in Spanish). Kiwi's Patch Collection. May 9, 2010. Retrieved January 13, 2020.
- "BAM 7 "General de División Gustavo G. León González" Pie de la Cuesta, Guerrero" [Air Force Base #7 "Division General Gustavo G. León González" Pie de la Cuesta, Guerrero] (in Spanish). Kiwi's Patch Collection. May 9, 2010. Retrieved January 13, 2020.
- "BAM 7 "General de División Gustavo G. León González" Pie de la Cuesta, Guerrero" [Air Force Base #7 "Division General Gustavo G. León González" Pie de la Cuesta, Guerrero] (in Spanish). Kiwi's Patch Collection. May 9, 2010. Retrieved January 13, 2020.