In addition to the airfield operations, Mainz Finthen offers instructional training for helicopters, ultralight aircraft and gyrocopters.

In 1992, the military airfield was returned to the Federal German government, which made it available to private operators as a civil aerodrome.

During the early part of World War II, the Luftwaffe stationed several combat units at Ober-Olm during April and May 1940 in preparation for the attack in the West, those being:[1] From Ober-Olm JG 52 and 76 were involved in the air fighting during the Battle of France, both units moving west along with the advancing German forces.

[2][3] After the combat in France ended, Ober-Olm became a "Defense of the Reich" airfield, with numerous night fighter units (NJG) moving in and out until the spring of 1945.

Allied Army units moved into the Mainz area in mid-March 1945 as part of the Western Allied invasion of Germany and Ober-Olm airfield was attacked by Ninth Air Force B-26 Marauder medium bombers and P-47 Thunderbolt fighter-bombers to deny the retreating German forces use of the facility.

The airfield was taken by elements of the XII Corps, 90th Division, of the Third United States Army under the command of General George S. Patton, Jr. on 22 March 1945.

On 8 April, P-47 Thunderbolts of the 354th Fighter Group moved in and attacked German army units, bridges and other ground targets of opportunity throughout Germany.

In the spring of 1949, the French withdrew from the Rhineland (Rhineland-Palatinate after 30 August 1946) as part of the establishment of the Federal Republic of Germany (German: Bundesrepublik Deutschland, BRD) on 23 May 1949.

As a result of the establishment of the United States Air Force in 1947, the Army could use the airfield for helicopters, light LSO[clarification needed] and observation aircraft only.

The 2 attack companies, with 42x AH-1S Cobra/Tow, 6x UH-1 Utility, and 28x OH-58's observation helicopters, gave the division a mobile and flexible anti-armor capability.

Supporting units: - US Army 66th Aviation Company Air Traffic Control - USAF 7th Weather Squadron, Detachment 12 On 16 and 17 November 1980, Holy Mass was celebrated by Pope John Paul II during his first major pastoral visit to Germany on the airfield with thousands of believers attending.

In the course of the war of the United States against Libya in 1986/87, the area was cordoned off because of the increased need for security fencing and militarily.

With the end of the Cold War and the subsequent reorganization of U.S. forces, Finthen Army Airfield began to be closed down beginning in December 1991.

[9] The fastest official race lap records at the Mainz-Finthen Airport circuit are listed as: This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency