The Aeroclube do Amazonas (ACA) is an association of pilots and civil aviation school, located in the neighborhood of Flores, central-south area of the city of Manaus. Founded on April 30, 1940, it is currently one of the oldest civil aviation schools still operating in Brazil.
In addition to the flying club, several air taxi companies and, mainly, parachutists operate at the aerodrome. Skydiving schools have extreme safety, both at the operational level and in the maintenance of their equipment. In addition to all these activities, the ACA has a model airplane track approved by the Brazilian Confederation of Aeromodelismo (COBRA). It was created on April 30, 1940 under the name “Aéro Clube do Amazonas” (ACA), with financial incentive from the intervener Álvaro Maia – ruler at the time. The institution was conceived with the Flores Aerodrome (SWFN) and had an initial objective somewhat different from flying clubs in general.
“The ACA aimed to train pilots from the Amazon, who knew the subtleties of the region, as it was probably more effective to train local people than to convince pilots from other regions to come to the north.” And concomitantly with the stimulation of civil aviation, Brazilian intelligence was also interested in strengthening air defense in the region that was beginning to shine in the eyes of the world due to its economic importance, especially in years of war, linked to the local rubber industry. This would become clearer in 1953, when the Manaus Air Base Detachment was created, which changed its name a few times until it is known today as Ponta Pelada Air Base.
