Yao Airport
Template:Expand Japanese Template:Infobox airport
Template:Nihongo is a general aviation airport in Yao, Osaka Prefecture, Japan. Located Template:Convert southeast of Ōsaka Station,<ref name="AIP"/> it is also a home for the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force Middle Army Aviation Group, Osaka Prefectural Police Aviation Corps, and Osaka Municipal Fire Department Helicopter Unit.
Several small carriers, including Asahi Airlines and Hankyu Airlines, offer sightseeing and charter flights from Yao.
Yao is the only Regional/Second Class airport in Japan without scheduled airline services.
History
The airport started as Hanshin Aviation School in 1938. Two years later, the airfield was seized by the army as the Taishō Airfield and expanded. After World War II, the occupation forces called it the Hanshin Airfield before it was returned to Japanese control.<ref>Template:Citation</ref>
Operations
Self-Defense Forces
The Japan Ground Self-Defense Force operates a base at the airport, Template:Nihongo. Units based at Camp Yao include:<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Template:Nihongo units (other than Template:Nihongo which is based in Mie Prefecture):
- Template:Nihongo
- Template:Nihongo - UH-1 and OH-1 transport/observation helicopters
- Template:Nihongo
- Template:Nihongo
- Template:Nihongo - UH-1 and OH-6 transport/observation helicopters
Osaka Prefecture
The Osaka Prefectural Police Aviation Corps operates Bell 206 LongRanger, Bell 412 EP, Eurocopter EC135 P1 and P3, and two AgustaWestland AW139 helicopters from Yao.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Osaka City
The Osaka Municipal Fire Department operates two Eurocopter AS365 Dauphin helicopters from Yao. They are primarily used for firefighting within the city of Osaka but were dispatched overseas to assist with the 1991 Bangladesh cyclone and the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>