Hernando County Airport
Encyclopedia
Hernando County Airport is a joint civil-military public airport
located 6 NM southwest of the central business district
of Brooksville
, a city in Hernando County, Florida
, United States. It is owned by Hernando County and is 45 miles (72.4 km) north of Tampa
. While having consistent growth in its traffic rate, the Hernando County Airport does not yet serve the public through commercial airline
s, but does have charter and executive service.
Although most U.S. airports use the same three-letter location identifier
for the FAA
and IATA
, Hernando County Airport is assigned BKV by the FAA but has no designation from the IATA.
. Known as Brooksville Army Airfield, it was used as part of the Air University's Army Air Forces School of Applied Tactics (AAFSAT) tactical combat simulation school in Central and Northern Florida
.
Headquartered at Orlando Army Air Base, AAFSAT's mission was to develop tactics and techniques of aerial warfare and to establish technical and tactical proficiency requirements for combat units to effectively engage and defeat enemy air forces. This was done with a wide variety of aircraft, including heavy strategic bombers, tactical fighters, medium and light bombers, reconnaissance aircraft and dive bombers, based at different airfields of the school.
AAFSAT used Brooksville as a heavy and medium bomber training base, assigning the following squadrons to the airfield:
In March 1944, Brooksville was reassigned to Third Air Force
and it became an auxiliary airfield of MacDill Field
(now MacDill AFB) and Drew Field
(now Tampa International Airport
).
In late 1945, the field was reported to the War Assets Administration
(WAA) as being in surplus and between April 1946 and June 1947, the WAA sold or moved the on-site equipment to military locations where it could be better utilized. The land and left-over facilities were sold to the city of Brooksville by a General Services Administration
(GSA) quitclaim deed
s which contained clauses that limited the property to be used for a public airport only. Some of these clauses have since been modified by the Federal Aviation Administration
.
Within a few years, the city of Brooksville transferred the property to Hernando County, which remains the current owner. Two small sections of the land have been sold to private interests and the rest is currently used by the county for an airport, 155 acre (0.6272633 km²) industrial park, prison, land rentals, and tree farming.
's Army Aviation Support Facility #2 and the Florida Army National Guard
's 171st Aviation Battalion (171 AVN BN), which relocated from their previous facility at Lakeland Linder Regional Airport
, occupying newly constructed facilities adjacent to an existing Florida Army National Guard Armory housing the 3rd Battalion, 20th Special Forces
. The 171 AVN BN flies UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters and C-23 Sherpa
fixed-wing cargo aircraft.
paved runway
s: 9/27 measuring 7,002 x 150 ft (2,134 x 46 m) and 3/21 measuring 5,015 x 150 ft (1,529 x 46 m).
For the 12-month period ending November 7, 2001, the airport had 49,000 aircraft operations, an average of 134 per day: 98% general aviation
, 1% military and 1% air taxi
. There are 108 aircraft based at this airport: 83% single engine, 7% multi-engine, 5% helicopter
s, 3% ultralights and 2% jet aircraft.
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
located 6 NM southwest of the central business district
Central business district
A central business district is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city. In North America this part of a city is commonly referred to as "downtown" or "city center"...
of Brooksville
Brooksville, Florida
Brooksville is an incorporated city in Hernando County, Florida, in the United States. It is the county seat of Hernando County. It is a suburban city included in the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
, a city in Hernando County, Florida
Hernando County, Florida
Hernando County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 130,802. The U.S. Census Bureau 2006 estimate for the county is 165,409 . Its county seat is Brooksville, Florida. The majority of the county's population is in Spring Hill, west portion of Hernando...
, United States. It is owned by Hernando County and is 45 miles (72.4 km) north of Tampa
Tampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
. While having consistent growth in its traffic rate, the Hernando County Airport does not yet serve the public through commercial airline
Airline
An airline provides air transport services for traveling passengers and freight. Airlines lease or own their aircraft with which to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for mutual benefit...
s, but does have charter and executive service.
Although most U.S. airports use the same three-letter location identifier
Location identifier
A location identifier is a symbolic representation for the name and the location of an airport, navigation aid, or weather station, and is used for manned air traffic control facilities in air traffic control, telecommunications, computer programming, weather reports, and related services.-ICAO...
for the FAA
Federal Aviation Administration
The Federal Aviation Administration is the national aviation authority of the United States. An agency of the United States Department of Transportation, it has authority to regulate and oversee all aspects of civil aviation in the U.S...
and IATA
International Air Transport Association
The International Air Transport Association is an international industry trade group of airlines headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, where the International Civil Aviation Organization is also headquartered. The executive offices are at the Geneva Airport in SwitzerlandIATA's mission is to...
, Hernando County Airport is assigned BKV by the FAA but has no designation from the IATA.
History
Hernando County Airport was opened in November 1942 by the United States Army Air ForcesUnited States Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces was the military aviation arm of the United States of America during and immediately after World War II, and the direct predecessor of the United States Air Force....
. Known as Brooksville Army Airfield, it was used as part of the Air University's Army Air Forces School of Applied Tactics (AAFSAT) tactical combat simulation school in Central and Northern Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
.
Headquartered at Orlando Army Air Base, AAFSAT's mission was to develop tactics and techniques of aerial warfare and to establish technical and tactical proficiency requirements for combat units to effectively engage and defeat enemy air forces. This was done with a wide variety of aircraft, including heavy strategic bombers, tactical fighters, medium and light bombers, reconnaissance aircraft and dive bombers, based at different airfields of the school.
AAFSAT used Brooksville as a heavy and medium bomber training base, assigning the following squadrons to the airfield:
- 1st Bombardment Squadron1st Reconnaissance SquadronThe 1st Reconnaissance Squadron is a United States Air Force reconnaissance training unit based at Beale Air Force Base, near Marysville, California. It is the oldest squadron in the Air Force, and the first organization to be established as a U.S. military flying unit...
, 15 December 1942-25 February 1944 (B-17 Flying Fortress) - 5th Bombardment Squadron5th Reconnaissance SquadronThe 5th Reconnaissance Squadron is part of the 9th Reconnaissance Wing at Beale Air Force Base, California but is geographically separated.-Mission:The 5th Reconnaissance Squadron conducts operations from Osan Air Base, South Korea...
, 6 January-25 February 1944, (B-24 LiberatorB-24 LiberatorThe Consolidated B-24 Liberator was an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and a small number of early models were sold under the name LB-30, for Land Bomber...
), (B-25 MitchellB-25 MitchellThe North American B-25 Mitchell was an American twin-engined medium bomber manufactured by North American Aviation. It was used by many Allied air forces, in every theater of World War II, as well as many other air forces after the war ended, and saw service across four decades.The B-25 was named...
) - 99th Bombardment Squadron99th Reconnaissance SquadronThe 99th Reconnaissance Squadron is part of the 9th Reconnaissance Wing at Beale Air Force Base, California. It operates U-2 Dragon Lady aircraft flying reconnaissance missions around the world.-Mission:...
, 5 January-25 February 1944 (B-25 MitchellB-25 MitchellThe North American B-25 Mitchell was an American twin-engined medium bomber manufactured by North American Aviation. It was used by many Allied air forces, in every theater of World War II, as well as many other air forces after the war ended, and saw service across four decades.The B-25 was named...
), (B-26 MarauderB-26 MarauderThe Martin B-26 Marauder was a World War II twin-engine medium bomber built by the Glenn L. Martin Company. First used in the Pacific Theater in early 1942, it was also used in the Mediterranean Theater and in Western Europe....
) - 430th Bombardment Squadron430th Bombardment SquadronThe 430th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the 502d Bombardment Group, based at Northwest Field, Guam. It was inactivated on 15 April 1946.-History:...
, 6 January-25 February 1944 (B-24 LiberatorB-24 LiberatorThe Consolidated B-24 Liberator was an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and a small number of early models were sold under the name LB-30, for Land Bomber...
), (B-25 MitchellB-25 MitchellThe North American B-25 Mitchell was an American twin-engined medium bomber manufactured by North American Aviation. It was used by many Allied air forces, in every theater of World War II, as well as many other air forces after the war ended, and saw service across four decades.The B-25 was named...
), (B-26 MarauderB-26 MarauderThe Martin B-26 Marauder was a World War II twin-engine medium bomber built by the Glenn L. Martin Company. First used in the Pacific Theater in early 1942, it was also used in the Mediterranean Theater and in Western Europe....
)
In March 1944, Brooksville was reassigned to Third Air Force
Third Air Force
The Third Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Forces in Europe . It is headquartered at Ramstein Air Base, Germany....
and it became an auxiliary airfield of MacDill Field
MacDill Air Force Base
MacDill Air Force Base is an active United States Air Force base located approximately south-southwest of downtown Tampa, Florida...
(now MacDill AFB) and Drew Field
Tampa International Airport
Tampa International Airport is a major public airport located six nautical miles west of the central business district of Tampa, in Hillsborough County, Florida, United States. This airport is publicly owned by Hillsborough County Aviation Authority...
(now Tampa International Airport
Tampa International Airport
Tampa International Airport is a major public airport located six nautical miles west of the central business district of Tampa, in Hillsborough County, Florida, United States. This airport is publicly owned by Hillsborough County Aviation Authority...
).
In late 1945, the field was reported to the War Assets Administration
War Assets Administration
The War Assets Administration was established in the Office for Emergency Management, effective March 25, 1946, by EO 9689, January 31, 1946. American factorieshad produced massive amounts of weaponry during the World War II...
(WAA) as being in surplus and between April 1946 and June 1947, the WAA sold or moved the on-site equipment to military locations where it could be better utilized. The land and left-over facilities were sold to the city of Brooksville by a General Services Administration
General Services Administration
The General Services Administration is an independent agency of the United States government, established in 1949 to help manage and support the basic functioning of federal agencies. The GSA supplies products and communications for U.S...
(GSA) quitclaim deed
Quitclaim deed
A quitclaim deed is a legal instrument by which the owner of a piece of real property, called the grantor, transfers his interest to a recipient, called the grantee. The owner/grantor terminates his right and claim to the property, thereby allowing claim to transfer to the...
s which contained clauses that limited the property to be used for a public airport only. Some of these clauses have since been modified by the Federal Aviation Administration
Federal Aviation Administration
The Federal Aviation Administration is the national aviation authority of the United States. An agency of the United States Department of Transportation, it has authority to regulate and oversee all aspects of civil aviation in the U.S...
.
Within a few years, the city of Brooksville transferred the property to Hernando County, which remains the current owner. Two small sections of the land have been sold to private interests and the rest is currently used by the county for an airport, 155 acre (0.6272633 km²) industrial park, prison, land rentals, and tree farming.
Army National Guard
Since 2000, the Hernando County Airport has been a joint civil-military airfield, home to the Florida Army National GuardFlorida Army National Guard
The Florida Army National Guard is a component of the United States Army and the United States National Guard. Nationwide, the Army National Guard comprises approximately one half of the US Army's available combat forces and approximately one third of its support organization...
's Army Aviation Support Facility #2 and the Florida Army National Guard
Florida Army National Guard
The Florida Army National Guard is a component of the United States Army and the United States National Guard. Nationwide, the Army National Guard comprises approximately one half of the US Army's available combat forces and approximately one third of its support organization...
's 171st Aviation Battalion (171 AVN BN), which relocated from their previous facility at Lakeland Linder Regional Airport
Lakeland Linder Regional Airport
Lakeland Linder Regional Airport is a public airport located four miles southwest of the central business district of Lakeland, a city in Polk County, Florida, United States...
, occupying newly constructed facilities adjacent to an existing Florida Army National Guard Armory housing the 3rd Battalion, 20th Special Forces
United States Army Special Forces
The United States Army Special Forces, also known as the Green Berets because of their distinctive service headgear, are a special operations force tasked with six primary missions: unconventional warfare, foreign internal defense, special reconnaissance, direct action, hostage rescue, and...
. The 171 AVN BN flies UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters and C-23 Sherpa
C-23 Sherpa
|-C-23B/C:-See also:-External links:*****...
fixed-wing cargo aircraft.
Facilities and aircraft
Hernando County Airport covers an area of 2498 acres (1,010.9 ha) which contains two concreteConcrete
Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
paved 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...
s: 9/27 measuring 7,002 x 150 ft (2,134 x 46 m) and 3/21 measuring 5,015 x 150 ft (1,529 x 46 m).
For the 12-month period ending November 7, 2001, the airport had 49,000 aircraft operations, an average of 134 per day: 98% general aviation
General aviation
General aviation is one of the two categories of civil aviation. It refers to all flights other than military and scheduled airline and regular cargo flights, both private and commercial. General aviation flights range from gliders and powered parachutes to large, non-scheduled cargo jet flights...
, 1% military and 1% air taxi
Air taxi
An air taxi is an air charter passenger or cargo aircraft which operates on an on-demand basis.-Regulation:In the United States, air taxi and air charter operations are governed by Part 135 of the Federal Aviation Regulations , unlike the larger scheduled air carriers which are governed by more...
. There are 108 aircraft based at this airport: 83% single engine, 7% multi-engine, 5% helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
s, 3% ultralights and 2% jet aircraft.
See also
- Army Air Force School of Applied TacticsArmy Air Force School of Applied TacticsThe Army Air Forces School of Applied Tactics was a military training organization of the United States Army Air Forces during World War II...
- Florida World War II Army Airfields
- List of airports in the Tampa Bay area
External links
- Hernando County Airport at Hernando County website
- American Aviation, the fixed base operatorFixed base operatorA Fixed-base operator or commonly abbreviated FBO is a term developed in the United States after the passage of the Air Commerce Act of 1926...
(FBO)