Comando Aéreo de Transporte Militar

Air Command for Military Transportation (English for Comando Aéreo de Transporte Militar, CATAM) is major military airfield for the use of the Colombian Air Force. Is located in the outskirts of Bogotá within the vicinity of El Dorado International Airport.

On 3 September 1932, the Military Transport Service was launched in Colombia, when a Junkers F-13 carried for the first time, to the south of country, Colonel Luis Acevedo and his party. Acevedo served as general director of aviation in the country. Although the military air transport infrastructure had not been formed yet, that mission was accomplished during the conflict with Peru in a rudimentary but effective way, with aircraft like the Junkers W-34, Ju-52 and BT-32 Condor.

Twelve years later, with Decree No. 2321, consolidated service "Transport Squadron 101", Air Base in Madrid, Cundinamarca, operationally dependent on the Air Force Command. The Squadron was equipped with W-34, Ju-52, BT-32, C-60 and C-47 Sky Train, but got its real boom as the cradle of military transport during the events of 9 April 1948, where it established an air bridge to transport troops from different parts of the country to the capital.

In 1954 it created a "Liaison Squadron" operating on the direct orders of the President of the Republic, at the time, Gen. Gustavo Rojas Pinilla Airport and located in the Roof. The success led to create the Military Airlift Group, which reached Category Transport Base in 1959. By then, finished the construction of the El Dorado International Airport, so that the command of the Colombian Air Force ordered the transfer of the unit to the site, using the airport facilities, while finishing the construction of the base, which ended on 28 May 1963.

For FAC Directive No. 4429 of 8 July of that year, provided that the base unit to acquire the status of Operations and Logistics Support, starting operations on 25 October of that year.

In 1968 the first two Hercules C-130, FAC-1001 and 1002. These aircraft, clearly designed for missions and troop transport war materials led the landing on short runways and unpaved requirements at the time approaching to the needs of the Colombian Air Force.

In 1964, by Decree No. 798, was consolidated Reconnaissance Squadron, to have a fleet of aircraft RT-33, RB-26 and RC-45, which were out of service regularly.

In 1977, the Military Transport Aviation Command was named after the Colombian aviation pioneer, Brigadier General Honorary Camilo Daza Alvarez.

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