# German Olano Air Base (PAL)

> La Dorada, CO · IATA: PAL · ICAO: SKPQ · Medium Airport

## Quick Facts

| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| IATA | `PAL` |
| ICAO | `SKPQ` |
| City | La Dorada |
| Country | CO |
| Type | Medium Airport |
| Elevation | 173 m |
| Cargo | ❌ |
| GPS | 5.48361, -74.65740 |

## Description

Opened on 27 August 1933 as La Dorada's national airfield, German Olano Air Base (PAL, SKPQ) has long since become a closed military installation rather than a commercial airport. It lies at Palanquero near Puerto Salgar, Cundinamarca, on the Magdalena River opposite La Dorada, and hosts CACOM-1, the main combat air command of the Fuerza Aeroespacial Colombiana. The 3,044-metre asphalt runway (18/36) serves military flying only: no scheduled service, no belly cargo and no freight terminal are available to shippers. Regional freight travels by road along the Ruta del Sol corridor, by rail on the La Dorada–Chiriguaná line and by barge on the Magdalena. Commercial air cargo and customs clearance are handled at Bogotá El Dorado (BOG), roughly 150 km to the south-east, with Medellín Rionegro (MDE) as the alternative for Antioquia-bound consignments. Colombia is investing about USD 91 million in runway and infrastructure work at Palanquero to prepare the base for 17 Gripen E/F fighters arriving between 2026 and 2032.

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*Freight Academy — Airport Profile: [https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/german-olano-air-base-airport-pal](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/german-olano-air-base-airport-pal)*

*Markdown mirror: [https://www.freight-academy.com/api/md/airports/en/german-olano-air-base-airport-pal](https://www.freight-academy.com/api/md/airports/en/german-olano-air-base-airport-pal)*

*LLM-Summary (JSON): https://www.freight-academy.com/api/v1/airports/german-olano-air-base-airport-pal/llm-summary*