Generalissimo Francisco de Miranda Airbase

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Generalisimo Francisco de Miranda Airbase
IATA: N/A - ICAO: SVFM
Summary
Airport type Military
Operator Military of Venezuela
Serves Caracas
Elevation AMSL 2,739 ft (835 m)
Coordinates 10°29′06″N, 66°50′37″W
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
11/29 6,475 1,974 Asphalt

Generalisimo Francisco de Miranda Airbase (IATA: N/AICAO: SVFM) is located in Caracas, Venezuela. The airport is named for Francisco de Miranda a South American revolutionary, though most people refer to this airport as La Carlota. On November 27, 1992, the airport was bombed during a coup attempt led by future President Hugo Chavez against then President Carlos Andrés Pérez. In 2006, Leopoldo López, mayor of the Chacao Municipality (where La Carlota is located), has proposed demolishing the airport and building homes and businesses on the land. This airport is now closed to public use (since 2005). It is used only for military purposes and aeromedic flights (EMS).

[edit] Controversy

Opponents of President Hugo Chavez have claimed that private use of the airfield is allowed for people who get individual permission from the government. Direct observation of the airfield shows several landings per day by the kinds of small jets used for general aviation. No planespotter information is available for this airport, so it is difficult to determine whether these jets are military, government or private.

[edit] External links