Campo de Provas Brigadeiro Velloso

Campo de Provas Brigadeiro Velloso – CPBV (Brigadeiro Velloso Testing Range) is a large complex of the Brazilian Armed Forces located in Serra do Cachimbo (Smoking Pipe Mountains), in the southern part of Pará, Brazil. The complex includes the Cachimbo Airport operated by the Brazilian Air Force. Since January 17, 1995 the complex is named after Haroldo Coimbra Velloso (1920–1969), a military, politician and responsible for the development of the complex.

History
Campo de Provas Brigadeiro Velloso has an area of 21,588 km2 and perimeter of 653 km. It is within the limits of four municipalities: Altamira, Itaituba, Jacareacanga, and Novo Progresso, in an area comparable in size to the Brazilian state of Sergipe.

The complex has its origins on an airfield opened on September 3, 1950. With the end of World War II, the Brazilian government saw the need to a strategic support facility for the operation of aircraft flying between the Northern Region (location of the Amazon Rainforest) and the Southeast Region of Brazil (location of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo), flying on a straight route. Before the construction of the airfield the link was only possible to be operated with safety following the longer coastline route. The airfield was officially commissioned on January 20, 1954.

In the 1970s studies were made in order to upgrade the facility to a Center for Testing Weapons and Training of the Brazilian Armed Forces with the purpose of development of weapons, bomb tests, experiments, training and maneuvers of national interest. Indeed, on March 7, 1983, the Campo de Testes do Cachimbo (Cachimbo Testing Range), subordinated to the Brazilian General Command for Aerospace Technology was created. On January 17, 1995 the name of the complex was changed to Campo de Provas Brigadeiro-do-Ar Haroldo Coimbra Velloso, the commander who set the whole infra-structure of the complex. On July 30, 1997, the name was again changed to Campo de Provas Brigadeiro Velloso.

On August 18, 1979 a new renovated airfield was opened and given the name of Cachimbo Airport (Aeroporto de Cachimbo).

On September 7, 1990, President Fernando Collor symbolically sealed an underground pit that was supposedly used for testing of nuclear weapons.

The complex has several shooting exercises areas.

Near the administration there are accommodation facilities for up to 240 military personnel. The complex has also a hospital for not only the military but also civilian population that lives in the area. The Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources also has a Research facility in the complex.

Accidents and incidents

 * 7 December 1960: a Real Curtiss C-46A-60-CK Commando registration PP-AKF belonging to Transportes Aéreos Nacional, en route from Cuiabá to Manaus-Ponta Pelada crashed on Cachimbo mountains. The engine no.2 failed during the flight. Altitude was lost, the pilot jettisoned some of the cargo but the aircraft continued to lose height. It crashed and caught fire. 15 passengers and crew died.
 * 29 September 2006: a damaged executive Embraer Legacy 600 performed a successful emergency landing on Cachimbo Airport, after a mid-air collision with a Gol Transportes Aéreos Boeing 737-800 operating flight 1907. The Boeing subsequently crashed in the jungle killing all 155 people on board.

Access
The administration center of the complex approximately 8 km from the highway BR-163. And the base is the intersection with the highway BR-235 heads to the seaboard in Aracaju.