BKV Brooksville-Tampa Bay Regional Airport and Technology Center

06/10/2026

Hernando County and BKV are excited and proud to be the place where people can train, live and work!

Today, Hernando County was proud to welcome Governor Ron DeSantis for a press conference announcing a $3 million award through the Florida Job Growth Grant Fund to Pasco-Hernando State College (PHSC).

This investment will strengthen workforce education opportunities in our region by funding a new Airframe and Powerplant Aviation Maintenance Program, expanding pilot training opportunities, and consolidating drone maintenance instruction at the BKV Brooksville-Tampa Bay Regional Airport and Technology Center.

These initiatives will help prepare students for high-demand careers in aviation and advanced technology while supporting economic growth and workforce development throughout Hernando County.

We were honored to have Florida Representatives Jeff Holcomb and Samantha Scott, and Hernando County Commissioner John Allocco, who serves on the PHSC Board of Trustees, in attendance for this important announcement.

Thank you to Governor DeSantis, PHSC, and all our state and local partners for their continued commitment to creating opportunities for students, strengthening our workforce, and investing in the future of Hernando County.

06/08/2026

The Brooksville Gunnery Backstop looks amazing with its new flag! It perfectly balances the Memorial Site and its message.

04/22/2026

01/26/2026

14 BKV EAA MEMBERS ACHIEVE MASTER PILOT STATUS

Named in honor of the Wright Brothers, only pilots who complete 50 or more years of safe civil and military piloting experience are eligible.

The Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) Chapter 1298 at Brooksville–Tampa Bay Regional Airport (BKV) recently marked an extraordinary aviation achievement by honoring fourteen local pilots with the Federal Aviation Administration’s Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award.

Together, the honorees represent more than 700 years of cumulative flight experience, reflecting an exceptional record of safety, skill, and professionalism. Chapter leadership praised the group’s collective commitment to aviation excellence and lifelong dedication to safe flight.

The recognized pilots bring a wide range of backgrounds and experience, including military aviation, airline operations, flight instruction, and decades of recreational flying.

Several have played roles in preserving the airport’s World War II heritage, spearheading the design and restoration of the recently completed BKV WWII Gunnery Backstop Memorial.

Others remain actively engaged in shaping the future of aviation through education and mentorship. Through EAA programs such as Young Eagles and other hands-on youth initiatives, these seasoned aviators help introduce students to aviation, engineering, and the fundamentals of flight, inspiring curiosity and career pathways in aerospace.

Collectively, EAA Chapter 1298’s Master Pilots represent a living legacy at Brooksville–Tampa Bay Regional Airport—honoring aviation’s past, strengthening the community today, and inspiring the next generation of pilots.

11/18/2025

Visit anytime! Find this unique Memorial at the main entrance to BKV Brooksville-Tampa Bay Regional Airport and Technology Center off of Spring Hill Drive at the intersection of Sam Pearson Way and Aviation Loop Drive. Free and open to the public.

View the incredible transformation that now visibly preserves an extraordinary piece of the airport’s origins as a World War II bomber training base. At its heart stands the original concrete gunnery backstop, once used by trainee airmen who calibrated their weapons by firing into the reinforced structure and sand berm from aircraft parked nearby.

The memorial is the result of the vision, passion, and determination of BKV pilot and historian Don Etchison, together with project partner and architect Ed Hoffman. Their dedication has transformed this distinctive structure into a meaningful place of remembrance and education.

Visitors will find several historically rich features, including an authentic B-17 propeller monument that includes a plaque honoring the 33 airmen who lost their lives here during training.

The site also includes an official Historical Marker, a restored inert bomb monument, framed vintage photographs of the bomber aircraft that trained on this ground, and a display case showcasing wartime memorabilia.

Generously funded exclusively through community donations and in-kind contributions, the WWII Gunnery Backstop Memorial stands at the airport’s main entrance on Spring Hill Drive at Sam Pearson Way and Aviation Loop Drive—welcoming all who wish to remember, reflect, and learn.

11/18/2025

A wonderful and unique memorial unveiled!

11/15/2025

What a wonderful day for this extraordinary milestone🙌

11/15/2025

11/15/2025

*REMINDER* Join us for the official unveiling of the new World War II Memorial at the BKV Brooksville-Tampa Bay Regional Airport and Technology Center.

🔹 Saturday, November 15, 2025 at 10:00am
🔹 Gunnery Backstop Site: Intersection of Sam Pearson Way & Aviation Loop Drive
🔹 Parking available in designated areas. Please follow event signage.

Come honor the legacy of our World War II heroes and celebrate this important addition to our community. Hernando County Government will be going Facebook Live at 10:00am

11/13/2025

Join us for the official unveiling of the new World War II Memorial at the BKV Brooksville-Tampa Bay Regional Airport and Technology Center.

🔹 Saturday, November 15, 2025 at 10:00am
🔹 Gunnery Backstop Site: Intersection of Sam Pearson Way & Aviation Loop Drive
🔹 Parking available in designated areas. Please follow event signage.

Come honor the legacy of our World War II heroes and celebrate this important addition to our community. Hernando County Government will be going Facebook Live at 10:00am