Albrook Air Force Station | |
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Part of Air Combat Command | |
Located near Balboa, Panama | |
Coordinates | 08°58′33.24″N 079°33′19.91″W / 8.9759000°N 79.5555306°WCoordinates: 08°58′33.24″N 079°33′19.91″W / 8.9759000°N 79.5555306°W |
Type | Military Air Force Station |
Site information | |
Controlled by | United States Air Force |
Site history | |
Built | 1928 |
In use | 1932-1997 |
Albrook Air Force Station is a former United States Air Force facility in Panama. It was closed on 30 September 1997 as a result of the Torrijos-Carter Treaties which specified that United States military facilities in the former Panama Canal Zone be closed and the facilities be turned over to the Panamanian government. It was located on the east side of the Panama Canal just south of Fort Clayton and north of the township of Balboa, Panama. Beginning in January 1999, the air field initiated civilian air service as Albrook "Marcos A. Gelabert" International Airport.
After the base was turned over to Panama and the domestic/commercial Albrook "Marcos A. Gelabert" International Airport was relocated to Albrook from Punta Paitilla (across Panama City) in January 1999 after refurbishing the former Air Force Base and constructing an operations/control tower and a passenger terminal (near Building 446, the hangar that previously housed the former Air Force Post Office). Airport is under Panama's Civil Aeronautics Authority (Autoridad de Aeronáutica Civil —previously named Civil Aviation Directorate).
A number of shops, markets, mall and government agencies (Panamanian Red Cross, International Maritime University of Panama) operate out of some of the old buildings and hangars, and most of the officers quarters are now private homes.
The Civil Aviation Authority has its headquarters in Building 805.
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http://www.afhra.af.mil/.