It consisted of all aviation units from western part of Yugoslavia at military airports Pleso, Lučko, Cerklje, Bihać, Pula and Zemunik.

In this period commanders of 5th Aviation Corps were Viktor Bubanj, Enver Čemalović, Radoje Ljubičić, Slobodan Alagić, Anton Tus, Čedomir Kovačević, Nikola Benić and Đorđije Zvicer.

Due to the withdrawal of Yugoslav People's Army units from hostile territory of Slovenia and Croatia, the area of responsibility has been reduced and some military airports, barracks and bases have been abandoned.

The units of 5th Corps have been intensively engaged in combat due they were located at the territory affected by wars in Slovenia, Croatia and later in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

It is notable that units of 5th Corps had only Yugoslav Air Force air-to-air victory and that four pilots of Croatian nationality have defected with their MiG-21 fighters.