Patuxent River Naval Air Station (Trapnell Field)

Naval Air Station Patuxent River, commonly known as NAS Pax River, is a major U.S. Navy installation located in St. Mary's County, Maryland, along the Patuxent River near its confluence with the Chesapeake Bay. The airfield, officially named Trapnell Field in honor of Rear Admiral Frederick M. Trapnell, serves as the home of the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) and is the Navy's primary aircraft research, development, test, and evaluation facility. The station hosts the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School, one of the most prestigious military aviation training programs in the world, and has been central to the development and testing of virtually every major Navy and Marine Corps aircraft since World War II. It is also home to the Patuxent River Naval Air Museum, which preserves the history of naval aviation and flight testing. As a military installation, NAS Patuxent River is not open to commercial air traffic. The airfield supports military operations, government contractors, and official aircraft only, with access strictly controlled.