The
Avon Park Executive Airport opened as a civil airport in April 1940. The facility was then known as Avon Park Municipal Airport. Flying training was performed with
Fairchild PT-19s as the primary trainer. Also had several
PT-17 Stearmans assigned. The airfield had three 4'000 hard surfaced for landings and takeoffs. In addition, Avon Park MAP had four auxiliary airfields for emergency and overflow landings: • Avon Park Auxiliary Field #1 • Avon Park Auxiliary Field #2 • Avon Park Auxiliary Field #3 • Avon Park Auxiliary Field #4 All of the Auxiliary airfields were grass all-way runways and not manned. After the war they were returned to their owners and today are indistinguishable from the surrounding landscape.
Closure Training Command inactivated the military flying school on 16 October 1944 as part of the drawdown of AAFTC's pilot training program. Declared surplus and turned over to the
Army Corps of Engineers on 30 September 1945. Eventually discharged to the
War Assets Administration and returned to previous status as a civil airport. ==See also==