Scott Air Force Base

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Scott Air Force Base
Image:BLV - FAA airport diagram.png
IATA: BLV - ICAO: KBLV
Summary <tr><th colspan="2" align="left" valign="top">Airport type</th><td colspan="2" valign="top">Military</td></tr><tr><th colspan="2" align="left" valign="top">Operator</th><td colspan="2" valign="top">U.S. Air Force</td></tr><tr><th colspan="2" align="left" valign="top">Serves</th><td colspan="2" valign="top">Belleville, Illinois</td></tr>
Elevation AMSL		459 ft (140 m)
Coordinates		38°32′42.643″N, 89°50′06.664″W
Runways
Direction	Length		Surface
Direction	ft	m	Surface
14L/32R	10,000	3,048	Concrete/Grooved
14R/32L	8,001	2,439	Asphalt/Concrete

Scott Air Force Base (Scott AFB) (IATA: BLV, ICAO: KBLV) is an base of the United States Air Force in St. Clair County, Illinois near Belleville which are in the St. Louis metropolitan area. The base serves as the headquarters for the Air Mobility Command, the United States Transportation Command, the Eighteenth Air Force, and the Air Force Communications Agency.

It also shares the air traffic control tower for MidAmerica St. Louis Airport, served by a single airline, Allegiant Air.

1 Geography
2 Demographics
3 History
4 External link

[edit] Geography

Scott AFB is located at 38°32′39″N, 89°51′2″W (38.544298, -89.850544)^GR1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 9.7 km² (3.8 mi²), all land.

[edit] Demographics

Image:Scott AFB Aircraft.jpg

As of the census^GR2 of 2000, there were 2,707 people, 682 households, and 662 families residing in the town. The population density was 278.7/km² (721.0/mi²). There were 715 housing units at an average density of 73.6/km² (190.4/mi²). The racial makeup of the town was 78.91% White, 13.52% Black or African American, 0.33% Native American, 2.96% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 1.81% from other races, and 2.40% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.06% of the population.

There were 682 households out of which 78.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 90.5% were married couples living together, 4.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 2.9% were non-families. 2.8% of all households were made up of individuals and none had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.83 and the average family size was 3.90.

In the town the population was spread out with 44.7% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 40.6% from 25 to 44, 6.6% from 45 to 64, and 0.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 22 years. For every 100 females there were 100.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.2 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $51,290, and the median income for a family was $52,258. Males had a median income of $39,289 versus $24,674 for females. The per capita income for the town was $15,421. About 0.9% of families and 1.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.9% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.

[edit] History

Image:Scott AFB Welcome Sign.jpg During World War I, 624 acres of land near Belleville, Illinois became a new airfield. The government announced it would name the field after Corporal Frank S. Scott on July 20, 1917, the first enlisted person to be killed in an aviation crash.

In September 1917, the training of airplane pilots began. Most training took place in Curtiss JN-3D “Jennies.” These aircraft were used to develop air ambulances. This early aeromedical evacuation later become a primary role for Scott Air Force Base. At the end of World War I the field’s squadrons were demobilized. In 1919 the War Department purchased Scott Field and turned it over to the lighter-than-air branch of the Air Corps. This lasted until May 14, 1937 when the lighter-than-air crafts were discontinued. The field was designated as the new home of the General Headquarters of the Air Forces of the entire United States Army on June 2, 1938.