Galeão Air Force Base Galeão Air Force Base – BAGL is a base of the Brazilian Air Force located in Rio de Janeiro , Brazil . It is named after " Praia do Galeão " ( " Galleon Beach " ) , located in front of the original passenger terminal of the airport and presently the passenger terminal of the Brazilian Air Force . It was at this beach that in 1663 the galleon Padre Eterno was built . It shares some facilities with Rio de Janeiro / Galeão - Antonio Carlos Jobim International Airport . History . The history of the Base begins on 10 May 1923 when a School of Naval Aviation was established near the Galeão beach . On 22 May 1941 with the creation of the Air Force Ministry in Brazil , the school became the Galeão Air Force Base and a terminal and hangars were built at the location and the runway extended . Those buildings still exist . When Brazil declared war against the Axis on 22 August 1942 , the aerodrome began to be intensively used by the Allies for military operations related to the World War II . With the end of the war , the increase of tonnage of aircraft flying on international routes and number of passengers , and being Santos Dumont Airport unable to handle all the traffic international flights gradually shifted to the site of the Air Force Base . Although it informally handled long - haul international traffic , services were however precarious and a decision was made to build a brand new passenger terminal , opposite the Air Force Base , across the runway . On 1 February 1952 the passenger terminal was opened and public and military services were separated . After the completion of a new passenger terminal in 1977 , the original public facility became the passenger terminal for passenger flights operated by the Brazilian Air Force . Since then it is informally known as " Terminal do Correio Aéreo Nacional " ( " Terminal of the Brazilian Air Force Passenger Services " ) . On 3 May 1982 a Royal Air Force Avro Vulcan bomber was intercepted by the aircraft of the 1° " Grupo de Aviação de Caça " ( 1ºGAvCa ) based at Santa Cruz Air Force Base . The Vulcan had finished the Operation Black Buck 6 during the Falklands War and was returning to Ascension Island when it suffered technical problems : while attempting to refuel from a tanker aircraft , the tip of the probe broke . With insufficient fuel to return to its base at Ascension Island , the Vulcan declared mayday , it was intercepted upon entering Brazilian airspace and made to land at Galeão Air Force Base . The Brazilian aircraft flew back to Santa Cruz Air Force Base having successfully accomplished their mission . The Vulcan and its crew were interned at Galeão Air Force Base for nine days , before they were returned on 11 June , when diplomacy of the countries involved clarified the incident . Units . The following units are based at Galeão Air Force Base : Subordinated to the command of the 5th Air Force ( V FAe ) , which is dedicated to Transport Aviation : Subordinated to the command of the 3rd Regional Air Force Command ( III COMAR ) : Additionally , the " Batalhão de Infantaria de Aeronáutica Especial do Galeão " ( BINFAE - GL ) , an Infantry Battalion of the Brazilian Air Force that guards the Base , is also based at Galeão Air Force Base . Access . The base is located 20 km from Rio de Janeiro downtown in the district of Governador Island . External links . city