Overview
Avon Park Air Force Range (APAFR) consists of approximately 106,000 acres of which about 82,000 acres are open to the public for recreation. APAFR includes Avon Park Air Force Auxiliary Field, also known as MacDill Air Force Base Auxiliary Field, which consists of an 8,000 foot main runway, an operational control tower, an aircraft rescue and firefighting facility, and limited ramp and hangar facilities. There are no published instrument approach procedures and the airfield is limited to Visual Flight Rule (VFR) operations only.
APAFR serves as the primary training range for Homestead Air Reserve Base, and also is an important range for Patrick, MacDill, and Moody Air Force Bases, routinely hosting numerous squadron/unit level deployments from across the country. Training requirements include low level flights, night vision training, and the firing of many different types of weaponry across the full spectrum of Air Force assets.
Due to deferred airfield maintenance issues, the airfield is currently closed to all flight operations other than light general aviation aircraft used by APAFR personnel for range monitoring issues and to military jet or rotary-wing aircraft experiencing in-flight emergencies on or in the vicinity of the Avon Park Military Operations Area (Avon Park MOA) for which an emergency divert to MacDill AFB is not practical.
Read more about this topic: Avon Park Air Force Range