Generalissimo Francisco de Miranda Airbase

Infobox Airport
name = Generalisimo Francisco de Miranda Airbase
nativename =
nativename-a =
nativename-r =


image-width =
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IATA =
ICAO = SVFM
type = Military
owner =
operator = Military of Venezuela
city-served =
location = Caracas
elevation-f = 2,739
elevation-m = 835
coordinates = Coord|10|29|06|N|66|50|37|W|type:airport|display=inline,title
website =
metric-elev =
metric-rwy =
r1-number = 11/29
r1-length-f = 6,475
r1-length-m = 1,974
r1-surface = Asphalt
stat-year =
stat1-header =
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Generalisimo Francisco de Miranda Airbase airport codes|N/A|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).

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.

External links

*WAD|SVFM
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SyXRTiVDMZ0 Video of the November 27, 1992, coup attempt]