IIRC, the "Premier Jet Base" and "Premier Navy Community" designators
were bestowed by the Mayor of Oak Harbor (daughter-in-law of NAS
Whidbey's first paymaster), no doubt for BRAC defense purposes.

Old Whidbey hands may be thrilled to know that after only 62 years, Ault
Field now has a control tower from which all aircraft can be seen on all
runways.

Rick


MICHAEL OLEARY wrote:
Thanks to all for all the good information. It was a question posed to me a
couple of years ago at a base ops meeting. I was one of the FRS paddles and
the base OPS-O was questioning our requirements for base equipment
(arresting gear, FLOLS, IFLOLS, ACLS, ICLS, etc). [No doubt to make Whidbey
look lean and efficient on the forthcoming BRAC] With P-3 and C-9 aircraft
coexisting on Whidbey with EA-6s, I brought up the point of adding a
parallel runway to allow for FCLP/CCAs to occur simultaneously with non-FCLP
traffic. I also pointed out that the arresting gear could be derigged on
the non-FCLP runway which would allow P-3/C-9s to land without knocking the
gear out of battery. This led to the discussion of then redesignating
Whidbey as a Master Jet base. I was kidding around, but the OPS-O was
intrigued. Therefore, I attempted to find out the criteria( if there was
any criteria) for designation as a master jet base. Anyway, it is a long
story to explain my interest in the topic. Again thanks to all.
-Moe

"Mike Kanze" wrote in message
...

The previous posts by Allen and OJ come closest to my recollection. As a
Navy brat in the 1950s and 1960s I first heard the term with reference to
consolidating aircraft types at certain bases.

Mini-backgrounder: Back in the 1950s, each active duty Air Group was based
as a unit at one location, ex all the cats and dogs. (They weren't called
Air Wings until sometime in the 1960s IIRC.) Thus all the squadrons of Air
Group Nine - VF-91, VF-92, VA-93, VA-94 and VA-95 - were based at NAS
Alameda. When the Master Base concept was implemented on the west coast,
all the fighters went to NAS Miramar and all the light attack went to the
then brand-new NAS Lemoore.

I'm not sure but this may have come about at the same time as (or as the
result of) the implementation of NATOPS. In any event, it made better
sense to consolidate types for purposes of training and equipment
maintenance.
--
Mike Kanze

436 Greenbrier Road
Half Moon Bay, California 94019-2259
USA

650-726-7890

"Let me tell you
How it will be.
There's one for you,
Nineteen for me,

"'Cause I'm the taxman.
Yeah, I'm the taxman.

"Should five percent
Appear too small,
Be thankful I don't
Take it all.

"'Cause I'm the taxman.
Yeah, I'm the taxman."

- The Beatles

"MICHAEL OLEARY" wrote in message
news:HTc8e.24133$hB6.9873@trnddc06...

Does anyone know what the criteria are for designating a NAS as a master
jet base? For example NAS Oceana is a master jet base but NAS Whidbey
Island is a premier jet base. Any leads would be great. Google wasn't
very helpful.
-Moe