Tri-County Airport (FAA LID: KBCR, formerly 1J0), also referred to in connection with Graceville, Florida, is a public-use general aviation airport in the western Florida Panhandle.
It is located at 1983 Tri-County Airport Road, Bonifay, FL 32425 (Holmes County), approximately 6 miles northeast of Bonifay, 6 miles northwest of Chipley (Washington County), and 11 miles southwest of Graceville (Jackson County).
It covers about 304 acres at an elevation of roughly 85 feet and features a single asphalt runway (01/19) measuring 5,398 by 75 feet, a certified helipad, taxiways, self-serve fuel facilities, various hangars (T-hangars, shade hangars, box/commercial hangars up to King Air/Citation size), tie-downs, and a terminal building open 24/7.
The airport was established in 1969 by an act of the Florida Legislature as an independent public entity (special-use district). It serves northwest Florida and southeast Alabama as a general aviation facility and feeder airport for larger nearby airports such as those in Panama City, Florida, and Dothan, Alabama.
What It Does:
It supports general aviation operations including private and business flying, flight instruction (private, commercial, single- and multi-engine), limited maintenance and repairs, and self-serve 100LL avgas and Jet A fuel available 24/7. The terminal includes a pilot lounge, conference room, break room with snacks, restrooms (one with shower), free WiFi, and manager’s office (staffed weekdays).
Aircraft operations average dozens per day (historically around 78 daily in older data), with a significant portion (historically ~70%) involving military flight training (helicopters and fixed-wing from Army, Navy, and Air Force units).
Other activity includes occasional ultralights, powered parachutes, and crop-dusting aircraft. Based aircraft have numbered around 40 (mostly single-engine, some multi-engine, with occasional corporate jets).
A skydiving operation (Skydive Panama City / related drop zones) is based on the field and operates most weekends year-round in good weather, offering tandem jumps (up to 14,000 feet) and training that draws participants from the Panhandle, nearby Alabama, and beyond.
The airport generates an estimated $5 million in annual economic impact (per state study references and authority presentations) through aviation activity, jobs, and related spending.
How It Is Funded:
It operates as a not-for-profit enterprise (proprietary/enterprise fund) with no reliance on general local tax revenues for day-to-day operations. Primary operating revenues come from aviation fuel sales and hangar/tie-down rental income.
Capital improvements and infrastructure projects (runway/taxiway work, electrical upgrades, security/access improvements, obstruction removal, hangar sites, utilities, etc.) are funded mainly through Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Airport Improvement Program grants and Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) Aviation Development Grants.
Minor local contributions (e.g., from Holmes County) occasionally support specific compliance or related costs. Financial reports show operating revenues in the hundreds of thousands of dollars annually (fuel and rents), supplemented by hundreds of thousands in grants for capital work.
Under Whose Auspices It Operates:
It is owned and operated by the Tri-County Airport Authority, an independent special-use district/public entity created by the Florida Legislature.
Governance is by a nine-member unpaid volunteer Board of Directors (three appointed by the County Commissioners of each of Holmes, Jackson, and Washington Counties for staggered three-year terms). The board includes pilots and community members; it elects officers (chair, vice-chair, etc.) and meets monthly (typically the second Tuesday at 5 p.m. in the airport conference room; meetings are open to the public, with agendas and minutes published).
Day-to-day management is handled by Airport Manager Mark Wilson. The Authority is regulated by the FAA, FDOT, and the State of Florida and complies with public records and other statutory requirements for special districts.
Clientele Targeted:
It primarily serves general aviation pilots and aircraft owners (based tenants living in surrounding communities including areas toward Destin and Panama City, plus transients), business and corporate aviation (hangars suitable for turboprops and light jets), military training units, skydivers and recreational jumpers, and local/regional travelers or visitors needing fuel, services, or a convenient stop in the rural Panhandle. It also supports commerce and economic development for the three counties.
Activities Promoted Throughout the Year:
- Year-round skydiving via the based operator (most weekends in suitable weather; tandem and training jumps).
- Flight training and instruction.
- Support for military training flights (ongoing, all hours).
- Hangar leasing, tie-downs, and fuel services for private and business users.
- Infrastructure and development projects (recent parking/security upgrades, runway remarking; ongoing electrical, stormwater, hangar site, and related work under “Vision 2028,” a board-led planning effort for sustainable growth started in 2026).
- Community engagement, such as hosting local chamber or economic development meetings/events at the terminal.
- Public access to facilities and promotion of the airport as a resource for the three-county region.
No large-scale annual airshows are prominently documented in recent sources, but the airport emphasizes accessibility for general aviation, recreational flying (including skydiving), and supporting local economic activity.
Official information is available at kbcr.gov; the Authority also maintains a Facebook presence, and the skydiving operator promotes jumps from the field.
Additional context appears in public financial audits filed with the state, FAA/AirNav data, Wikipedia summaries, and local reporting on economic impact presentations to county commissions.
