West Kentucky Airpark

While no single official reason is cited, the closure is directly linked to the airport's location on the grounds of the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant. The closure was likely due to a combination of factors: 1) Diminished operational need for the airfield as the plant's mission changed over the decades. 2) Heightened security concerns at the sensitive nuclear-related federal site, making a public-use airport a liability. 3) Economic factors, as the cost of maintaining the airport likely outweighed its benefits, especially with the larger Barkley Regional Airport (KPAH) located just a few miles away.

The airport is permanently closed to all air traffic. The site has been fully absorbed into the secure perimeter of the Department of Energy's Paducah Site. The original runway is still clearly visible in satellite imagery, but it is marked with large, painted 'X's to indicate its closed status. The pavement is now used as an access road and a staging and storage area for equipment and materials related to the massive, ongoing environmental cleanup and decommissioning of the former Gaseous Diffusion Plant.

West Kentucky Airpark, which had the FAA identifier M33, was established in the early 1950s. Its creation was directly tied to the construction of the massive Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant, a facility built to produce enriched uranium for nuclear reactors and weapons. The airport, owned by the Atomic Energy Commission (a predecessor to the DOE), was a vital logistical asset during the plant's construction and peak operational years, facilitating the transport of personnel, government officials, and high-priority cargo. It later opened for public use, serving the local general aviation community with its single, 3,200-foot paved runway, while remaining under federal ownership.

There are no plans or prospects for reopening West Kentucky Airpark. Its location within a secure federal environmental remediation site makes its conversion back to an active airfield infeasible. The region's aviation needs are fully met by the nearby Barkley Regional Airport (KPAH).