Coast Guard Air Station Houston
A United States Coast Guard aviation unit providing continuous search-and-rescue, maritime security, law-enforcement, and environmental-response coverage along portions of the Texas and Louisiana Gulf Coast.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
Coast Guard Air Station Houston is a United States Coast Guard aviation unit based at Ellington Field Joint Reserve Base, approximately 15 miles southeast of downtown Houston, Texas. Commissioned on December 23, 1963, the station was established to provide a permanent Coast Guard aviation presence for the Texas and western Louisiana Gulf Coast. It has since developed into a multi-mission organization supporting the region’s dense concentration of commercial shipping, offshore energy infrastructure, strategic petroleum facilities, industrial waterways, fisheries, and coastal communities. The station’s principal operational role is all-weather, around-the-clock search and rescue. Its area of responsibility extends from the Colorado River at Matagorda Bay, Texas, to White Lake, Louisiana. The unit averages more than 180 search-and-rescue cases annually, although major hurricanes, floods, industrial accidents, and maritime casualties can produce much larger temporary workloads. Its helicopters support rescues of mariners, fishermen, offshore workers, recreational boaters, and people trapped by coastal or inland flooding. The station also works with local, state, federal, and international partners during large emergencies. CGAS Houston’s missions extend beyond rescue. Crews conduct homeland-security patrols, fisheries enforcement, maritime law enforcement, environmental protection, pollution surveillance, medical evacuations, logistical support, and post-disaster assessment. The station’s operating area contains three of the United States’ four Strategic Petroleum Reserve facilities, the South Texas Project nuclear generating facility, major oil and gas platforms, refineries, terminals, and the Houston Ship Channel. The ports and waterways of Freeport, Sabine, Lake Charles, and Houston create a demanding operating environment in which aviation assets can be used for surveillance, emergency response, and protection of critical infrastructure. Environmental stewardship is another important part of the station’s identity. Aircraft patrol fisheries and sensitive marine areas in the Gulf of Mexico, including the Flower Garden National Marine Sanctuary, and have repeatedly supported responses to tanker collisions, offshore-platform accidents, refinery fires, chemical releases, and oil spills. The unit’s history includes major responses to the Burmah Agate collision and fire, the Mega Borg casualty, the Shinoussa-Apex barge incident, and other industrial emergencies. The station began operations with HH-52A Sea Guard helicopters and a small complement of pilots, aircrew, mechanics, and support personnel. It later transitioned to HH-65A Dolphin helicopters, became operational with dedicated rescue swimmers in 1990, and subsequently adopted the MH-65 Dolphin series. In June 2020, Air Station Houston became the first operational Coast Guard unit to transition from the MH-65D to the MH-65E configuration. The station currently operates three MH-65E Dolphin helicopters according to the referenced unit description. Its record includes responses to Hurricane Betsy, Hurricane Beulah, Hurricane Alicia, Tropical Storm Allison, Hurricane Ike, Hurricane Harvey, and numerous other severe-weather events. The station also supported the Cuban refugee exodus, Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm, overseas maritime exercises, and deployments aboard Coast Guard cutters. Although it is not a commercial consumer brand, CGAS Houston functions as a recognizable public-service identity within the Coast Guard system, associated with rapid aviation response, Gulf Coast resilience, maritime safety, and protection of people, infrastructure, and the marine environment.
History
Coast Guard Air Station Houston was commissioned on December 23, 1963, at Ellington Air Force Base, southeast of Houston. The original facility occupied approximately one acre and used a World War II-era hangar constructed in 1942. Its initial equipment consisted of two HH-52A Sea Guard helicopters, supported by seven officer pilots and 18 enlisted mechanics and aircrew members. A site at Scholes Field in Galveston had also been considered, but Ellington was selected as the station’s operating location. During its first decades, the station became a central aviation resource for the upper Texas coast and western Louisiana. In 1964, its helicopters assisted the Texas Department of Health during an encephalitis outbreak by dispersing more than 10,000 pounds of insecticide. The unit also supported astronaut water-escape training associated with the Gemini program and responded to major hurricanes, including Betsy and Beulah. During Hurricane Beulah in 1967, crews rescued 451 people from exposed or flooded locations. The station’s responsibilities grew with the expansion of Gulf offshore energy, petrochemical manufacturing, and commercial shipping. It received additional helicopters during the 1970s and increasingly supported pollution patrols, maritime law enforcement, and shipboard deployments. Major incidents included the 1975 collision and fire involving the tanker Globtik Sun and an unmanned oil rig, the 1979 collapse of the Ranger I drilling platform, and the Burmah Agate-Mimosa collision near Galveston. In the latter case, station aircraft rescued 27 crew members and flew extensive search and pollution-monitoring missions while the tanker fire continued for weeks. Severe weather remained a defining part of the station’s operational history. Crews flew flood-relief missions after Tropical Storm Claudette in 1979 and assisted during the 1980 Cuban refugee exodus. Hurricane Alicia in 1983 caused substantial damage in the Houston-Galveston area and contributed to the decision to improve the station’s facilities. After studies considered renovation, relocation to Scholes Field, or construction at Ellington, the Coast Guard selected a new-hangar project at the north end of Ellington Field. Construction began in 1985, beneficial occupancy was achieved in 1987, and the facility was dedicated in June of that year. The unit modernized its aviation fleet in the late 1980s. The first HH-65A Dolphin arrived in November 1988; by March 1989 the station was operational with four HH-65A helicopters, and the last HH-52A left in April. Dedicated rescue swimmers became operational in February 1990. That year also brought intensive responses to the Mega Borg tanker explosion and the Apex-Shinoussa casualty, requiring additional aircraft, pollution monitoring, and extended flight operations. In the early 1990s, Air Station Houston supported Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm through surveillance of loading areas, the Houston Ship Channel, and the strategic petroleum reserve. It also conducted flood-response flights during the 1992 Texas floods, assisted during the March 1993 Gulf Coast storm, and evacuated more than 450 people during flooding associated with the remnants of Hurricane Rosa in 1994. From April to September 1997, a station helicopter and crew deployed aboard USCGC Legare for a multinational naval exercise involving Baltic, Mediterranean, and Black Sea operations. The unit continued to expand its operational reach. It recorded 301 search-and-rescue cases during fiscal year 1999 and supported a temporary search-and-rescue detachment near Muskegon in 2000. During Tropical Storm Allison in 2001, crews conducted more than 80 hoists in a 24-hour period and performed a medevac in winds exceeding 65 knots. Following Hurricane Ike in 2008, the station saved 59 people before conditions became too severe for continued flight and then contributed more than 115 hours to recovery missions. Between 2009 and 2013, Air Station Houston developed airborne-use-of-force compliance, giving its crews additional means to counter maritime threats. The station was heavily involved in the response to Hurricane Harvey in 2017, supporting more than 3,000 air rescues and accommodating aircraft from other Coast Guard air stations. In June 2020, it became the first operational Coast Guard unit to transition from the MH-65D to the MH-65E Dolphin. Today, the station operates three MH-65E helicopters and provides continuous coverage for search and rescue, homeland security, fisheries enforcement, environmental protection, and maritime law enforcement across a strategically important section of the Gulf Coast.
- 2020
First operational MH-65E transition
[1]Air Station Houston became the first operational Coast Guard unit to transition from MH-65D to MH-65E aircraft.
- 2017
Hurricane Harvey response
[1]The unit supported more than 3,000 air rescues and hosted aircraft from other Coast Guard air stations.
- 2016
Coast Guard Aviation centennial observed
[1]The station participated in the Coast Guard’s 100th anniversary of aviation.
- 2008
Hurricane Ike response
[1]The station saved 59 people and later supported extensive recovery and assessment operations.
- 2001
Tropical Storm Allison response
[1]Crews conducted more than 80 hoists during catastrophic Houston-area flooding.
- 1999
Annual search-and-rescue record
[1]The station responded to 301 search-and-rescue cases during fiscal year 1999.
- 1990
Rescue swimmers added to operational capability
[1]Five rescue swimmers were assigned and the capability became operational.
- 1989
HH-65A Dolphin fleet becomes operational
[1]The station moved from the HH-52A to four HH-65A Dolphin helicopters.
- 1987
New hangar dedicated
[1]A new facility at the north end of Ellington Field was completed and dedicated.
- 1967
Hurricane Beulah rescue response
[1]Station helicopters rescued 451 people from rooftops, trees, and other dangerous locations.
Products and positioning
A specialized Coast Guard aviation unit positioned as a dependable, continuously available emergency-response and maritime-security capability for the industrial and environmentally sensitive Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast.
Search-and-rescue and maritime-security aviation · 2020
MH-65E Dolphin helicopter operations
The station’s current aviation capability is based on MH-65E Dolphin helicopters. These aircraft support hoist rescues, medical evacuations, maritime surveillance, fisheries enforcement, pollution assessment, law-enforcement missions, and disaster response. The unit description identifies three MH-65E helicopters assigned to the station.
Emergency response · 1963
Search-and-rescue service
CGAS Houston provides continuous search-and-rescue coverage across a coastal area extending from Matagorda Bay to western Louisiana. Missions include rescues of mariners and offshore workers, assistance to recreational boaters, flood evacuations, and medical transport.
Environmental response · 1963
Environmental protection and pollution response
Station aircraft patrol Gulf fisheries and sensitive marine areas and support aerial assessment of oil spills, chemical releases, tanker casualties, offshore-platform incidents, and other threats to coastal and marine environments.
Marketing campaigns
- 2017Hurricane Harvey response
Houston · Texas Gulf Coast
The station supported a large multi-agency rescue effort after Hurricane Harvey, operating its own aircraft and hosting helicopters from other Coast Guard air stations.
Outcome. The response included more than 3,000 air rescues and broad mutual aid across the affected region.
- 2008Hurricane Ike response
Eastern Texas · Houston-Galveston area
All available station helicopters were committed to rescue work around the Bolivar Peninsula and surrounding coastal areas before winds became too dangerous.
Outcome. Flight crews saved 59 people and later flew more than 115 hours in recovery support.
- 2001Tropical Storm Allison flood response
Houston · Southeast Texas
Station crews used helicopters for hoist rescues and medical evacuation during catastrophic flooding in the Houston area.
Outcome. More than 80 hoists were conducted during a 24-hour period.
- 1990Mega Borg pollution response
Gulf of Mexico · Galveston
The station provided aviation support after the tanker Mega Borg exploded in the Gulf south of Galveston.
Outcome. The operation involved extended overflights, additional aircraft, and pollution-abatement support.
Brand decisions
2020
Transition to MH-65E Dolphin helicoptersGeneration changeBackground
The Coast Guard was modernizing the Dolphin fleet and introducing the MH-65E configuration for operational units.
Action taken
Air Station Houston transitioned from MH-65D to MH-65E aircraft in June.
Aftermath
The station became the first operational Coast Guard unit to complete the transition.
1990
Introduction of dedicated rescue swimmersStrategyBackground
The station’s coastal, offshore, and flood-rescue workload required a stronger capability for direct recovery of people from water and hazardous locations.
Action taken
Five rescue swimmers were assigned and the capability became operational on February 1.
Aftermath
The station gained an enhanced ability to conduct hoist rescues in difficult maritime and disaster environments.
1988
Transition from HH-52A to HH-65A helicoptersGeneration changeBackground
The station required a modernized helicopter fleet to support its expanding search-and-rescue, law-enforcement, and environmental missions.
Action taken
The first HH-65A Dolphin arrived in November 1988; the station became operational with four aircraft in March 1989.
Aftermath
The final HH-52A departed in April 1989.
1984
Construction of a new Ellington Field hangarStrategyBackground
Facility studies considered renovation, relocation to Scholes Field, or construction of a new hangar after years of operating from an older facility and following severe-weather impacts.
Action taken
The Coast Guard selected a new-hangar project on government property at the north end of Ellington Field.
Aftermath
Construction began in 1985, with beneficial occupancy in 1987 and a formal dedication that June.
Sources2 sources
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