Buffalo Range Airport
Airport in Zimbabwe
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Buffalo Range Airport (IATA: BFO, ICAO: FVCZ), designated as Forward Air Field 7 (FAF) during the Rhodesian Bush War, is an airport serving Chiredzi, Masvingo Province, Zimbabwe. It is 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) northwest of the town.
Buffalo Range Airport | |||||||||||
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| Summary | |||||||||||
| Airport type | Public / military | ||||||||||
| Serves | Chiredzi | ||||||||||
| Built | 1976 | ||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 1,421 ft / 433 m | ||||||||||
| Coordinates | 21°00′29″S 31°34′43″E | ||||||||||
| Map | |||||||||||
  BFO Location of the airport in Zimbabwe | |||||||||||
| Runways | |||||||||||
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| Sources: World Aero Data[1] | |||||||||||
History
Chiredzi Air Force based was opened in c1976. It was large enough for operations involving the Douglas C-47 by September 1979. Around the early 1980s, runway 14/32 opened replacing the older runway, and it was converted for use as a taxiway. These upgrades were to enlargen the airport to strategic airfield status. Upgrades of the existing facilities were not carried out. As of 2004, it is a joint public-military airfield housing the School of Military Training.[2]
Facilities
The Chiredzi non-directional beacon (Ident: CZ) is located 3.75 nautical miles (6.95 km) off the threshold of runway 14. The Chiredzi or Buffalo Range non-directional beacon (Ident: BI) is located on the field.[3][4]
Accidents and incidents
- 6 January 1977: A Rhodesian Air Force Douglas C-47B, tail number R7034, hit overhead conveyor steel cables, across the Lundi River on return from Malapati airfield, crashing and killing three occupants, pilot, co-pilot and Despatcher. Three Despatcher passengers survived.[5]
