Captain Germán Olano Moreno Air Base
Encyclopedia
Captain Germán Olano Moreno Air Base is a Colombian military base assigned to the Colombian Air Force
(Fuerza Aérea Colombiana or FAC) Combat Air Command No. 1 (Comando Aéreo de Combate No. 1 or CACOM 1). The base is located in Palanquero, near Puerto Salgar
, in the Cundinamarca
department of Colombia
. It is named in honor of Captain Germán Olano Moreno.
of 566 feet (173 m) above mean sea level. It has one runway
designated 18/36 with an asphalt
surface measuring 9987 by 164 ft (3,044 by 50 ).
, as the nacional airport of La Dorada.
In 1932, due to the conflict with Peru, the idea to create a base in a central strategic location was gaining hold. Back then the Hacienda Palanquero was already in use as an airport by the Colombian-German airline Scadta
since 1919.
Colombian Air Force
The Colombian Air Force or FAC is the Air Force of the Republic of Colombia.The Colombian Air Force is one of the three institutions of the Armed Forces of Colombia, charge according to the 1991 Constitution of the work to exercise and maintain control of Colombia's airspace to defend the...
(Fuerza Aérea Colombiana or FAC) Combat Air Command No. 1 (Comando Aéreo de Combate No. 1 or CACOM 1). The base is located in Palanquero, near Puerto Salgar
Puerto Salgar
Puerto Salgar is a municipality and town of Colombia in the department of Cundinamarca. It has come to international attention since the US ambassador in Colombia announced the Palanquero Air Base had entered a recertification process, possibly in order to host US military personnel as a...
, in the Cundinamarca
Cundinamarca Department
- Origin of the name :The name of Cundinamarca comes from Kundur marqa, an indigenous expression, probably derived from Quechua. Meaning "Condor's Nest", it was used in pre-Columbian times by the natives of the Magdalena Valley to refer to the nearby highlands....
department of Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
. It is named in honor of Captain Germán Olano Moreno.
Facilities
The air base resides at an elevationElevation
The elevation of a geographic location is its height above a fixed reference point, most commonly a reference geoid, a mathematical model of the Earth's sea level as an equipotential gravitational surface ....
of 566 feet (173 m) above mean sea level. It has one runway
Runway
According to ICAO a runway is a "defined rectangular area on a land aerodrome prepared for the landing and take-off of aircraft." Runways may be a man-made surface or a natural surface .- Orientation and dimensions :Runways are named by a number between 01 and 36, which is generally one tenth...
designated 18/36 with an asphalt
Asphalt
Asphalt or , also known as bitumen, is a sticky, black and highly viscous liquid or semi-solid that is present in most crude petroleums and in some natural deposits, it is a substance classed as a pitch...
surface measuring 9987 by 164 ft (3,044 by 50 ).
History
Officially inaugurated August 27th, 1933 by the president of the republic Enrique Olaya HerreraEnrique Olaya Herrera
Enrique Alfredo Olaya Herrera was a Colombian journalist and politician, President of Colombia from August 7, 1930 until August 7, 1934 representing the Colombian Liberal Party.- Early years :...
, as the nacional airport of La Dorada.
In 1932, due to the conflict with Peru, the idea to create a base in a central strategic location was gaining hold. Back then the Hacienda Palanquero was already in use as an airport by the Colombian-German airline Scadta
SCADTA
The Colombian-German Air Transport Society , or SCADTA, was the world's second airline, and the first airline of the American continent, operating from 1919 until World War II. After the war, SCADTA merged with Colombian regional carrier Colombian Air Service , or SACO. Together, SCADTA and SACO...
since 1919.
Accidents and incidents
- On 18 February 2009, Basler BT-67Basler BT-67-See also:-External links:* * * * *...
FAC 1670 of the Fuerza Aérea ColombianaColombian Air ForceThe Colombian Air Force or FAC is the Air Force of the Republic of Colombia.The Colombian Air Force is one of the three institutions of the Armed Forces of Colombia, charge according to the 1991 Constitution of the work to exercise and maintain control of Colombia's airspace to defend the...
crashed near the base on a local training flight. All five crew were killed.
- On 15 May 2009, FAC 3031 Dassault Mirage 5Dassault Mirage 5The Dassault Mirage 5 is a supersonic attack aircraft designed in France by Dassault Aviation during the 1960s, and manufactured in France and a number of other countries. It was derived from Dassault's popular Mirage III fighter, and spawned several variants of its own.-Early development:The...
of the Colombian Air Force crashed above the 36 heading after a failed take-off. The pilot made the emergency procedures and ejected, leaving unharmed.