{{short description|Portuguese Air Force base}} {{Infobox airport | name = Sintra Air Base | nativename = Base Aérea de Sintra | nativename-a = Base Aérea Nº 1 | nativename-r = | image = Brasao ba1.png | image-width = 120px | caption = | image2 = Rotores de Portugal no AeroNostalgia 2008 06.jpg | image2-width = <!-- if less than 200 --> | caption2 = | IATA = | ICAO = LPST | FAA = | TC = | LID = | GPS = | WMO = | type = Military | owner-oper = | owner = | operator = [[Portuguese Air Force]] | city-served = | location = [[Sintra]] | hub = | built = | used = 1920 | commander = Colonel Luis Manuel Nunes Serôdio<ref name="emfa_ba1" /> | occupants = | metric-elev = | elevation-f = 440 | elevation-m = 134.11 | coordinates = {{coord|38|49|51.79|N|009|20|22.39|W|display=inline,title}} | website = | image_map = | image_mapsize = | image_map_alt = | image_map_caption = | pushpin_map = Portugal | pushpin_label_position = | pushpin_label = '''LPST''' | pushpin_map_alt = | pushpin_mapsize = | pushpin_image = | pushpin_map_caption = Location in Portugal | r1-number = 14/32 | r1-length-f = 5906 | r1-length-m = 1800 | r1-surface = [[Asphalt concrete|Asphalt]] | metric-rwy = | h1-number = | h1-length-f = | h1-length-m = | h1-surface = <!-- up to h12 --> | stat1-header = | stat1-data = <!-- up to stat4 --> | stat-year = | footnotes = Sources: World Aero Data<ref>{{cite web|url-status=usurped|url=http://worldaerodata.com/wad.cgi?airport=LPST|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190305143444/http://worldaerodata.com/wad.cgi?airport=LPST|archive-date=2019-03-05|title=Airport information for Sintra Air Base|website=World Aero Data}} Data current as of October 2006.</ref> }}
'''Sintra Air Base''' ({{langx|pt|Base Aérea de Sintra}}) {{airport codes||LPST}}, officially designated as Air Base No. 1 ({{langx|pt|Base Aérea Nº 1}}, BA1), is a [[Portuguese Air Force]] [[Military air base|base]] located in the [[Sintra Municipality]], Portugal. The base is home to a [[flight training]] [[squadron (aviation)|squadron]] and the [[Portuguese Air Force Academy]].
== History == The origins of the air base date back to the creation of the [[Portuguese Army]]'s School of Military Aeronautics ({{langx|pt|Escola de Aeronáutica Militar}}, EAM) on May 14, 1914. The school was originally located at [[Vila Nova da Rainha (Azambuja)|Vila Nova da Rainha]] and was later transferred to [[Granja do Marquês]] on February 5, 1920.<ref name="emfa_ba1" />
In October 1939 the school was disbanded and the base was designated as Air Base No. 1. Since its creation it has been home to the main training and instruction of the Portuguese Air Force's pilots and technicians, having been base to [[de Havilland Tiger Moth]], [[North American T-6 Texan]], [[Cessna T-37 Tweet]], and other [[Trainer (aircraft)|flight training aircraft]].<ref name="emfa_ba1" />
Between 1939 and late 1940s squadrons of ground attack and bomber units equipped with the [[Breda Ba.65|Breda Ba-65Bis]] (''Esquadrilha Independente de Aviões de Assalto'') and converted-[[Junkers Ju 52|Junkers Ju 52/3m]] (''Grupo de Bombardeamento de Dia'' and ''Grupo de Bombardeamento de Noite'') were based at Sintra Air Base.
The base later became home to the Basic Flight Training Group ({{langx|pt|Grupo de Instrução Básica de Pilotagem}}, GIBP), with Basic Flight Training Squadron No. 1 ({{langx|pt|Esquadra de Instrução Básica de Pilotagem nº 1}}, E.I.P.B. 1) and [[102 Squadron (Portugal)|Basic Flight Training Squadron No. 2]] ({{langx|pt|Esquadra de Instrução Básica de Pilotagem nº 2}}, E.I.B.P. 2).<ref name="esq101hist" /><ref name="ma401p13" />
From 1966, with the creation of [[401 Squadron (Portugal)|Transport and Liaison Squadron]] ({{langx|pt|Esquadra de Ligação e Transporte}}), to 2009 the base was also home to transport, liaison, [[aerial photographic reconnaissance]], and [[maritime patrol]] squadrons. In 1993, [[502 Squadron (Portugal)|502 Squadron]] was transferred to BA1.<ref name="esq401hist" />
Between October 1989 and June 1993, [[101 Squadron (Portugal)|101 Squadron]], equipped with the [[Socata TB 30 Epsilon|Aérospatiale Epsilon TB-30]], was based and operated from Sintra before being transferred to [[Beja Air Base]]. This squadron replaced both squadrons of the Basic Flight Training Group in providing elementary and basic flight training.<ref name="esq101hist" />
In 2009, 101 Sqn. was transferred back to Sintra and 401 Sqn. and 502 Sqn. were transferred to [[Montijo Air Base|Air Base No. 6]] ({{langx|pt|Base Aérea Nº 6}}, BA6) in Montijo.<ref name="esq101hist" /><ref name="esq401hist" />
Located at the air base is also the [[Portuguese Air Force Academy|Air Force Academy]] and the Air Force's [[Museu do Ar|Air Museum]].
== Tenant units == * [[802 Squadron (Portugal)|802 Sqn. "''Águias''"]] (Eagles) — Air Force Academy auxiliary squadron * [[101 Squadron (Portugal)|101 Sqn. "''Roncos''"]] (Roars) — elementary and basic flying training
==Airlines and destinations== <!--WE DO NOT STATE ANY COVID RELATED ROUTE SUSPENSIONS OR RESUMPTIONS--> As of 19 October 2022, there are no regular commercial passenger flights at Sintra Air Base. <!--WE DO NOT STATE ANY COVID RELATED ROUTE SUSPENSIONS OR RESUMPTIONS--> <!-- The following airlines operate charter flights: --> <!--DO NOT ADD OR REMOVE ROUTES WITHOUT GIVING A VALID SOURCE. EXACT DATES ARE MANDATORY FOR NEW ROUTES TO BE ADDED HERE. ALSO ADD INLINE CITATIONS IF POSSIBLE.-->
==See also== * [[List of airports in Portugal]] * [[Portuguese Air Force]] * ''[[Asas de Portugal]]'' * [[101 Squadron (Portugal)|101 Squadron]] * [[102 Squadron (Portugal)|102 Squadron]] * [[401 Squadron (Portugal)|401 Squadron]] * [[502 Squadron (Portugal)|502 Squadron]] * {{portal-inline|Portugal}} * {{portal-inline|Aviation}}
== References == {{Reflist|refs= <ref name="emfa_ba1">{{cite web|url=https://www.emfa.pt/www/unidade-17-base-aerea-n-1|title=Base Aérea Nº 1|publisher=Portuguese Air Force|access-date=January 23, 2018}}</ref> <ref name="esq101hist">{{cite web|url=http://www.emfa.pt/www/po/esquadra/sobre-101|title=Sobre a Esquadra 101 - Roncos|trans-title=About 101 Squadron - Roncos|publisher=Portuguese Air Force|access-date=February 20, 2014|language=pt}}</ref> <ref name="ma401p13">Mais Alto 401, p. 13</ref> <ref name="esq401hist">{{cite web|url=http://www.emfa.pt/www/po/esquadra/link-502-005.002.001.001.002-esquadra-401|title=Esquadra 401|publisher=502 Squadron|access-date=February 18, 2014}}</ref> }}
=== Bibliography === * {{cite book | last=Lopes | first=Mário Canongia | title=Os Aviões da Cruz de Cristo | year=1989 | publisher=Dinalivro | location=Lisbon | language=pt}} * {{cite journal | last1=Cardoso | first1=Major Adelino | date=January–February 2013 | title=T-37C Um legado da memória |trans-title=T-37C A legacy of memory | journal=[[Mais Alto]] | issue=401 | pages=13–17 | location=Lisbon | publisher=Portuguese Air Force | language=pt | url=http://www.emfa.pt/www/po/maisalto/conteudos/galeria/revista401/a_826.pdf | access-date=February 20, 2014}}
==External links== * {{GCM|LPST|Sintra Air Base|source=[[DAFIF]]}}
{{authority control}}
[[Category:Airports in Portugal]] [[Category:Military installations in Portugal]] [[Category:Portuguese Air Force bases]] [[Category:Buildings and structures in Sintra]] [[Category:Military of Portugal]] [[Category:Military airbases established in 1920]]