Operation Yellow Ribbon was commenced by Canada to handle the diversion of civilian airline flights in response to the September 11 attacks in 2001 in the United States. Canada's goal was to ensure that potentially destructive air traffic be removed from United States airspace as quickly as possible, and away from potential U.S. targets, and instead place these aircraft on the ground in Canada, at military and civilian airports primarily in the Canadian provinces of Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, and British Columbia. Yukon, New Brunswick, Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, the Northwest Territories, and Quebec also took in aircraft so that any malicious or destructive potential threats could be better contained and neutralized. None of the aircraft proved to be a threat, and Canada hosted thousands of passengers who were stranded until U.S. airspace was reopened.
Gander International Airport in Newfoundland, Canada, played host to 38 airliners, totaling 6,122 passengers and 473 crew, as part of Operation Yellow Ribbon.
Lufthansa christened an Airbus A340, registered D-AIFC, Gander – Halifax to honour the two cities that received its stranded flights during Operation Yellow Ribbon.
Canadian Forces Base Goose Bay, commonly referred to as CFB Goose Bay, is a Canadian Forces Base located in the municipality of Happy Valley-Goose Bay in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. It is operated as an air force base by the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). Its primary RCAF lodger unit is 5 Wing, commonly referred to as 5 Wing Goose Bay.
CFB Goose Bay
Royal Air Force Panavia Tornados
USAF F-15 at Goose AFB
RCAF Goose Bay Station Headquarters c.1957