Galeão Air Force Base 3.51

Galeão Air Force Base – BAGL is a base of the Brazilian Air Force located in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It is named after Praia do Galeão (Galleon Beach), located in front of the original passenger terminal of the airport and presently the passenger terminal of the Brazilian Air Force. It was at this beach that in 1663 the galleon Padre Eterno was built.It shares some facilities with Rio de Janeiro–Galeão International Airport.HistoryThe history of the Base begins on 10 May 1923 when a School of Naval Aviation was established near the Galeão beach. On 22 May 1941 with the creation of the Air Force Ministry in Brazil, the school became the Galeão Air Force Base and a terminal and hangars were built at the location and the runway extended. Those buildings still exist. When Brazil declared war against the Axis on 22 August 1942, the aerodrome began to be intensively used by the Allies for military operations related to the World War II.With the end of the war, the increase of tonnage of aircraft flying on international routes and number of passengers, and being Santos Dumont Airport unable to handle all the traffic international flights gradually shifted to the site of the Air Force Base. Although it informally handled long-haul international traffic, services were however precarious and a decision was made to build a brand new passenger terminal, opposite the Air Force Base, across the runway. On 1 February 1952 the passenger terminal was opened and public and military services were separated.