Redstone Army Airfield
Encyclopedia
Redstone Army Airfield or Redstone AAF is a military airport
located at Redstone Arsenal
, six miles (10 km
) southwest of the city of Huntsville
in Madison County
, Alabama
, USA
. The Airfield was originally constructed for munitions testing through the 6th AAF Base Unit (Proving Ground Detachment). It is currently used to support the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command, NASA
, and the Flying Activity.
, and after the allied victory, was promptly stopped. The airfield was largely vacated, though it continued to serve as a landing strip.
On April 12, 1956, the city of Huntsville approached the commander of the airfield to talk about a new federal airway. It was decided that a control tower
would be established at Redstone AAF, and it would serve as the control tower for military and commercial flights until a new Huntsville Airport
was built. After the establishment of the control tower, the control tower of Memphis, Tennessee
agreed to handle air traffic for Huntsville through the Redstone Control Tower. This schedule was held 24 hours a day, seven days a week until 1969, when it was changed to its current schedule of 13 hours a day, five days a week.
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
located at Redstone Arsenal
Redstone Arsenal
Redstone Arsenal is a United States Army base and a census-designated place adjacent to Huntsville in Madison County, Alabama, United States and is part of the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area...
, six miles (10 km
Kilometre
The kilometre is a unit of length in the metric system, equal to one thousand metres and is therefore exactly equal to the distance travelled by light in free space in of a second...
) southwest of the city of Huntsville
Huntsville, Alabama
Huntsville is a city located primarily in Madison County in the central part of the far northern region of the U.S. state of Alabama. Huntsville is the county seat of Madison County. The city extends west into neighboring Limestone County. Huntsville's population was 180,105 as of the 2010 Census....
in Madison County
Madison County, Alabama
Madison County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama, and is a major part of the Huntsville Metropolitan Area.It is also included in the merged Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area. The county is named in honor of James Madison, fourth President of the United States of America, and the...
, Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The Airfield was originally constructed for munitions testing through the 6th AAF Base Unit (Proving Ground Detachment). It is currently used to support the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command, NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
, and the Flying Activity.
History
In 1943, the airstrip on Huntsville Arsenal was established, to assist with the testing of incendiary bomb clusters. The testing was done during the height of World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, and after the allied victory, was promptly stopped. The airfield was largely vacated, though it continued to serve as a landing strip.
On April 12, 1956, the city of Huntsville approached the commander of the airfield to talk about a new federal airway. It was decided that a control tower
Control tower
A control tower, or more specifically an Air Traffic Control Tower , is the name of the airport building from which the air traffic control unit controls the movement of aircraft on and around the airport. Control towers are also used to control the traffic for other forms of transportation such...
would be established at Redstone AAF, and it would serve as the control tower for military and commercial flights until a new Huntsville Airport
Huntsville International Airport
Huntsville International Airport , also known as Carl T. Jones Field, is an airport located 9 miles southwest of the central business district of Huntsville, a city in Madison County, Alabama, United States...
was built. After the establishment of the control tower, the control tower of Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
agreed to handle air traffic for Huntsville through the Redstone Control Tower. This schedule was held 24 hours a day, seven days a week until 1969, when it was changed to its current schedule of 13 hours a day, five days a week.