Collier-Pine Barren Airport: Private Aviation at the Escambia-Santa Rosa County Line
Collier-Pine Barren Airport is located in the McDavid area near the Escambia-Santa Rosa County boundary in extreme northwest Florida, situated within the longleaf pine flatwoods and wire grass savannas that define the historic Pensacola hinterland. The "pine barren" designation refers to the open, fire-maintained longleaf pine ecosystem that covered vast areas of the Gulf Coastal Plain before European settlement — and which is now one of the most endangered ecosystems in North America. Private airstrips like Collier-Pine Barren Airport serve the timber operations, turpentine farms, and rural estates that have occupied this landscape since the late 19th century.
Aviation in the Escambia County hinterland operates near the complex airspace of Pensacola Naval Air Station (NPA) and Pensacola International Airport (PNS), both of which generate significant Class C and special-use airspace requirements. Pilots flying in the Collier and Pace areas of Escambia County must be aware of the NAS Pensacola Class C airspace, which extends outward from the base and affects VFR operations across a broad area. The flat longleaf pine terrain provides excellent visual navigation references, with the Escambia River corridor and Blackwater River providing orientation landmarks.
Where is Collier-Pine Barren Airport located?
Collier-Pine Barren Airport is in the McDavid community near the Escambia-Santa Rosa County line in northwest Florida's Pensacola hinterland. McDavid is an unincorporated community north of Pensacola in one of the region's most rural agricultural areas.
Is Collier-Pine Barren Airport a public-use facility?
Collier-Pine Barren Airport is a private-use facility. Pilots require prior permission from the landowner before using this strip. It is not listed as a public-access airport for transient general aviation.
How does NAS Pensacola airspace affect flying near McDavid?
NAS Pensacola (NPA) operates Class C airspace extending significantly north of the base. Pilots flying VFR north of Pensacola toward the McDavid area should carefully review the current sectional chart and be prepared to communicate with Pensacola Approach Control if their route or altitude brings them within the Class C veil.
Collier/Pine Barren Airport Contact Information
Address, Phone Number, and Hours for an Airports in McDavid, Florida.
| Name | Collier/Pine Barren Airport |
| Address | 3251 South Pine Barren Road, McDavid FL 32568 Map |
| Phone | (904) 256-4045 |
| Website | |
| Hours |
Map of Collier/Pine Barren Airport
About Collier-Pine Barren Airport in McDavid, Florida — Escambia County Pine Flatwoods Aviation
McDavid and the pine barren country north of Pensacola represent one of Florida's least-changed agricultural and ecological landscapes. The longleaf pine ecosystem that once covered 90 million acres from Virginia to Texas now persists in significant patches in this part of Escambia County, supported by landowners who maintain the prescribed fire management essential to its survival. Private airstrips like Collier-Pine Barren Airport serve the timber and agricultural operators who manage this land, providing efficient access to properties where road networks may not reach every corner.
Escambia County's aviation system is shaped primarily by its military heritage — Pensacola Naval Air Station has been training naval aviators since 1914, making it the oldest naval air station in the United States. The private rural aviation facilities in the county's north and east, including strips like Collier-Pine Barren, represent a different dimension of the county's aviation history rooted in agricultural and forestry use rather than military training. Together, these facilities tell the full story of aviation's role in Escambia County from the Pensacola Bay waterfront to the pine barrens of the Alabama border.