Haitian Aviation Corps

The Aviation Corps of the Armed Forces of Haiti (French: Corps d'Aviation des Forces Armées d’Haïti) is the air force component of the Armed Forces of Haiti. The air corps was disbanded along with the rest of the armed forces after Operation Uphold Democracy, the U.S. invasion of 1994.

Aviation Corps of the Armed Forces of Haiti
Corps d'Aviation des Forces Armées d'Haiti (French) Kò Avyasyon Fòs Lame d'Ayiti (Haitian Creole)
Sleeve Patch of the Aviation Corps
Founded	1942–1995 2017–present
Country	Haiti
Type	Air force
Role	Aerial warfare
Part of	Armed Forces of Haiti
Primary Garrison	Military Aviation Base Clercine, Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Commanders
Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces	Lt.Gen. Derby Guerrier (acting)
Commander of the Aviation Corps	Lt.Col. Brière Mars
Notable commanders	Lt. Raymond Cassagnol Col. Serge Bourdeau
Insignia
Roundels (1942–1964)
Roundel (1964–1986)
Roundel (1986–1994)

Since the remobilization of the Armed Forces in 2017, the ranks are slowly being filled, and it has reclaimed its main garrison at the Military Aviation base in Clercine (near Toussaint Louverture International Airport)

History

The formerly named Haitian Air Corps was founded in 1942 with aircraft supplied by the US.^[1] The main task for this new air force was transport and communication.^[1] The Haitian Air Corps was headquartered at Bowen Field which was a former U.S. Marine Corps airfield.^[1] Môle-Saint-Nicolas Airport was a secondary airfield. During World War II, the Haitian Air Corps was engaged in the Caribbean anti submarine warfare campaign against the German Navy.^[2] In 1950 the Haitian Air Corps received its first combat aircraft: six F-51D Mustangs which were active during the Duvalier period. In October 1970 the Mustangs were replaced by T-28 Trojans from France. The T-28s were then replaced by O-2As in 1975. In the 1980s the Haitian Air Corps received its first jet aircraft: the SIAI-Machetti S-211 and these were accompanied by SF-260s to replace the O-2s which were sold for parts. In 1990 the SIAI-Machetti S-211s were sold, 2 were sold to United States private companies and the other two were sold to the Singapore Air Force.^[3] During Operation Uphold Democracy, the Haitian Air Corps played almost no role in Haitian defence, the Haitian inventory at the time included: Two O-57 Grasshopper scout planes, Three BT-13 Valiant trainer planes, One C-78 Bobcat transport plane, and one C-46 Commando transport plane.^[4] Almost all of the inventory at the time of the invasion dated back to World War II and was in very poor condition at the time, the air corps was disbanded along with the rest of the armed forces in 1994.

Lynn Garrison with Haitian Corps d'Aviation Marchetti and crew, September 1990

Past inventory

A Haitian Air Corps SF.260

At the time of disbandment of the Haitian Air Corps composed of:

Aircraft	Origin	Type	Variant	In service	Notes
Liaison
Taylorcraft O-57 Grasshopper	United States	Liaison		2[4]
Transport
Cessna C-78 Bobcat	United States	Light transport		1[4]
Curtiss C-46 Commando	United States	Heavy transport		1[4]
Trainer
Vultee BT-13 Valiant	United States	Trainer		3[4]	In service since 1940s

Many of Haiti's air force aircraft were donated second hand from the United States and France:

• North American Aviation F-51D Mustang fighters – 6 delivered 1950 and the last retired 1973/74, sold to Dominican Republic for parts
• North American Aviation T-28 Trojan fighter trainer – 12 ex-French Air Force delivered 1973
• Cessna O-2A Skymaster – 8 observation aircraft delivered 1975 and sold to Dominican Republic for parts
• Sikorsky S-55 utility helicopters
• Curtiss-Wright C-46 Commando transport
• de Havilland Mosquito light bomber – 8 ex-Royal Air Force delivered 1946
• de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver/de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter utility transport
• Hughes Helicopters 269C utility/trainer helicopter – 3
• Hughes Helicopters 369CC utility/trainer helicopter – 2
• Sikorsky S-58T (CH-34 ChoctawC)
• Aermacchi SF.260TP Warrior trainer
• Cessna 150 – 3/
• Cessna 172 Skyhawk trainer – 1
• Lockheed C-60 Lodestar
• Boeing S-307 Stratoliner
• Cessna 310
• Douglas C-47 Dakota
• Beech 58 Baron
• Cessna 402 Utililiner
• IAI 201 Arava
• Piper PA-34 Seneca
• Cessna 303
• Beech 65 Queen Air
• Fairchild PT-19 trainer
• North American Aviation North American T-6G Texan trainer
• Vultee Aircraft Vultee BT-13A Valiant trainer
• Beech Bonanza F33 trainer
• SIAI-Machetti S-211 jet trainer, retired and put up for sale on 23 April 1990, 2 sold to United States Private companies and 2 to Republic of Singapore Air Force

Mission

Modernization

In 2021, talks were held between Dr. Louis Marie Montfort Saintil, the Ambassador of Haiti in Spain, and Colonel Carlos Sanchez Bas of the Spanish Air and Space Force in the objectives of exploring avenues of cooperation, more precisely in the field of reorganization and modernization of the Aeronautical Corps of the Armed Forces of Haiti.^[5]

The Argentine Air Force has been providing technical assistance to the FAD'H via the Escuela de Aviación Militar, where 2 Haitian cadets are currently in attendance^[6]. On 16 March 2023, Ambassador Vilbert Bélizaire and Brigadier General Xavier Isaac signed a cooperation protocol between the Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic and the Armed Force of Haiti, formalizing a program of training and technical assistance from the Escuela de Aviacion to the FAD'H.^[7]

In an interview with Le Nouvelliste on December 23rd, 2024, Mexican Chargé d'Affaires to Haiti, Mr. Jésus Cisneros, stated that Mexico would be providing pilot training to a select group of Haitian servicemen.^[8]

Organization

The main garrison of the Aviation Corps is the Military Aviation Base (Base de l'Aviation Militaire) in Clercine, Port-au-Prince (next door to Toussaint Louverture International Airport). It previously housed a Chilean Air Force battalion of the MINUSTAH.

Personnel

Officers

Rank group	General/Flag/Air officers										Senior officers						Junior officers
Haitian Aviation Corps v t e
					Lieutenant général		Major général		Général de brigade		Colonel		Lieutenant-colonel		Major		Capitaine		Lieutenant			Sous-lieutenant
					Lyetnan jeneral		Majò jeneral		Jeneral brigad		Kolonèl		Lyetnan kolonèl		Majò		Kapitèn		Lyetnan			Soulyetnan

Enlisted

Rank group	Senior NCOs																						Junior NCOs						Enlisted
Haitian Aviation Corps v t e

Equipment

MiG 35

Su 35SM

Notable Haitian Airmen

• Maj. Eberle Guilbaud (1920–1959)

• Lt. Raymond Cassagnol (1920–2023)

• Capt. Alix Pasquet (1919–1958)

• Lt. Ludovic Audant

• Lt. Nicolas Pelissier

• Col. Serge Bourdeau

• Lt. Col. Gustave Silva

See also

• Armed Forces of Haiti
• Haitian Army
• Military history of Haiti
• Haitian National Police

References

1. "Haiti Air Force". Aeroflight.
2. Hagedorn, Dan (2006). Latin American Air Wars and Aircraft 1912-1969. Hikori Publications. p. 119. ISBN 9781902109442.
3. "Haiti - Forces Armées d'Haïiti [FAd'H]". globalsecurity.org. Retrieved 2021-03-23.
4. jwh1975 (2015-06-09). "Uphold Democracy 1994: WWII weapons encountered". wwiiafterwwii. Retrieved 2021-03-23.
5. "Une nouvelle approche de la coopération entre la République d'Haïti et le Royaume d'Espagne". Ambassade de la République d'Haiti près le Royaume d'Espagne. 7 October 2021 – via Facebook.
6. Ambassade Haïti en Argentine (6 February 2023). "Les étudiants haïtiens de la force aérienne argentine ont été respectivement reçus dans leur base ce lundi 6 février à Cordoba : Mademoiselle Anthea Roodayna Tchesly MONTINÉ à l'école des cadets, par le Chef du Corps des Cadettes, le Vice-Commandant Pablo Muñoz de TORO et Monsieur Kendji MOROSE, de l'école des sous-officiers, par le Commandant Antonio Victor PEREZ ESPAÑON. Notons qu'ils ont été accompagnés de la Ministre Conseiller Olga Médor Ducasse". Facebook.
7. Ambassade Haïti en Argentine (16 March 2023). "Signature du protocole de Coopération entre la Force Aérienne Argentine représentée par le Brigadier Général Xavier Julian ISAAC et la République d'Haiti représentée par Son Excellence Dr. Vilbert BELIZAIRE". Facebook.
8. "Mexico Supports the Strengthening of Haiti's Armed Forces, Says Jesús Cisneros". lenouvelliste.com. Retrieved 2024-12-23.