Lieutenant Vicente Landaeta Gil Air Base

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Lieutenant Vicente Landaeta Gil Air Base, BALANDA, is a Venezuelan military air base located inside Jacinto Lara International Airport in Barquisimeto, Lara state. It is part of the Bolivarian Military Aviation of Venezuela and is operated by the National Bolivarian Armed Forces. The base sits at 622 metres above sea level and uses Runway 09/27, which is 2,850 metres long and asphalt. Its codes are IATA: VLGAB and ICAO: SVBME.

The base was created on December 10, 1963, and officially opened on February 14, 1964. It is named after Vicente Landaeta Gil, a Venezuelan pilot who died in an early aviation accident in 1931. The facility was built to support air operations and was originally home to the B-25 Mitchell bomber squadron (Air Bombardment Group No. 13) and a Police Air Squadron. The first commander was Major (Av) Juan Ignacio Leyzeaga (1964–1965).

Over the years, the base has hosted fighter units, including Fighter Group No. 12, Fighter Squadrons 35 and 36, and Maintenance Squadron 127. It has operated aircraft such as the Canberra, F-86K, and F-86F, and later CF-5 (VF-5) fighters. In 1974, the Air Fighter Group No. 12 moved here permanently, making CF-5 the main fighter aircraft. A training squadron (T-2D) joined in 1987 to train pilots for other fighter units. In 1997, the base became the Headquarters of Air Zone II.

In 2010, the base received the Chinese Hongdu K-8W trainer aircraft, with President Hugo Chávez present at the arrival. On February 14, 2014, the base celebrated its 50th anniversary. The base also carries the motto “Insurance for tomorrow.”