CFB Greenwood, airport
CFB Greenwood is a military air base in Kings County, Nova Scotia, and is the largest air base in Canada on the Atlantic coast. The installation covers a wide area with long runways and large hangars that house patrol aircraft and search-and-rescue helicopters.
The base was built between 1940 and 1942 as a Royal Air Force training station, preparing aircrews from across the Commonwealth during World War II. After the war, Canada took over the facility and developed it into a maritime surveillance hub during the Cold War, focused on monitoring Atlantic waters.
The name Greenwood refers to the wooded landscape of the Annapolis Valley where the base sits. Service members and their families are part of daily life in the surrounding village, sharing schools, shops, and community spaces with civilians.
The base is closed to the public, but the nearby Greenwood Military Aviation Museum is a good way to learn about its history and operations. Occasional open house events allow visitors to get closer to the base itself, so it is worth checking in advance.
The site was chosen during World War II specifically because the skies above the Annapolis Valley tend to stay clear of fog for much of the year. That same quality continues to make the location practical for regular flight operations today.
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