Vlorë Air Base

Vlorë air base (IATA: LAVL) lies south of, and close to, the city of Vlorë. The city is located on the Adriatic coast, in the south of the country. It was constructed in the 1950s. It is the home base for the Air Academy, which was first established in 1962. Since the base was occupied by rioters in 1997, the educational facilities have been refurbished. In 2001 the Air Academy merged with the airbase at Kuçovë to form the Akademia e Forcave Ajrore (Air Force Academy). Pilot training resumed in April 2004, with all aircraft flying from Kuçovë. There is also a large naval base on Sazan Island, off Vlorë.^[1]

Runways

• Main Runway: Rwy 16/34, Size: 2813 x 195 ft (857 x 59 m), Elev: 3 ft (1 m), N40 28 33.78 E019 28 27.04, grass airfield.

Accidents and incidents

• On 16 August 1969, a Douglas DC-3 of Olympic Airways was hijacked on a domestic flight from Ellinikon International Airport, Athens, Greece to Agrinion Airport. The aircraft, possibly registered SX-BBF, landed at Vlorë.^[2]

References