Charleston Flying Force Base (IATA: CHS, ICAO: KCHS, FAA COVER: CHS) is a United States military center located in the City of North Charleston, South Carolina. The center is under the territory of the United States Air Force’s 628th Air Base Wing (628 ABW), a subordinate element of the Air Wheelchair Command (AMC). It belongs to Joint Base Charleston, which incorporated Charleston Air Force Base, South Carolina with Naval Support Task Charleston.

A joint civil-military airport, Charleston Air Force Base today shares its runways with Charleston International Flight terminal for airline aircraft operations, as well as an industrial aircraft factory making Boeing aircraft, on the south side of the airfield and also general air travel airplane operations on the east side. The 437th Airlift Wing (437 AW) of the Air Mobility Command (AMC) and the 315th Airlift Wing (315 AW) of the Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) run the C-17A Globemaster III from the base. The setup has additionally in the past preserved an alert website for rotational Air Combat Command (ACC) as well as ACC-gained Air National Guard fighter-interceptor aircraft.

Charleston Flying Force Base is house to the 628th Air Base Wing (628 ABW), the host wing for installment support. The 628 ABW’s primary obligations are to supply setup assistance to 53 DoD and also Federal agencies, servicing an overall pressure of over 79,000 Airmen, Sailors, Soldiers, Marines, Coast Guardsmen, civilians, dependents and retired people on Charleston AFB and Naval Defense Terminal Charleston. Furthermore, they also provide expeditionary Airmen to contender leaders in support of joint as well as consolidated procedures.

The 437th Airlift Wing (437 AW) runs the C-17 Globemaster III calculated airlift airplane on behalf of its objective to provide airlift of troops and also travelers, military tools, freight, and also aeromedical devices and products worldwide in accordance with tasking by Air Mobility Command as well as linked combatant commanders.

The history of Charleston Flying force Base began in 1919 when U.S. Army Colonel Herbert A. Dargue, after that Chief of the Air Service (forerunner to the Federal Air Travel Management), saw the area searching for an appropriate landing field for “aeroplanes. Charles Lindbergh’s continuously solo going across of the Atlantic Ocean in 1927 increased city authorities’ passion to develop air operations in Charleston.

In 1928, the City of Charleston leased land and began running a simple landing field concerning twelve miles north of city limits. Foreseeing a commercial future in air travel, the city developed the Charleston Aircraft Firm to get the land for a municipal airport terminal. In Might 1931, the company bought 432 acres (175 ha) for $25,000 from the South Carolina Mining as well as Production Business. Later in the year, the city got the flight terminal facility for $60,000 and also promptly started renovations.

During the 1930s, flight terminal procedures expanded to equal advances generally and business aeronautics being experienced throughout the country. Regardless Of the Great Depression, the Federal Government stepped in to aid the city with updating the airport terminal. In 1935, the Works Progression Administration poured $313,000 into the flight terminal. Employees paved one 3,500-foot-long path (1,100 m) and also built a second 3,000-foot one (910 m). The job likewise improved upon the existing illumination system with up-to-date field lighting.

Provided the proceeding development in passenger aviation, Frying pan American Airways chose Charleston Airport terminal as its western terminus for trans-Atlantic trips. Although this strategy never involved fulfillment, it added to a growing rise in website traffic for the airport terminal. Therefore, the city bought 300 more acres (120 ha) of land surrounding the airport terminal for $300,000 in 1937 to fit extra service structures as well as hangars.