Estle Field

Replacement by a superior facility. Estle Field was a relatively small airport with unpaved runways and limited infrastructure. It was deemed inadequate for the growing needs of the community and modern general aviation aircraft. The city of Fairfield constructed the new Fairfield Municipal Airport (KFFL) with longer, paved runways and more modern facilities, rendering Estle Field obsolete and leading to its closure.

The site of the former Estle Field is now private property and is used primarily for agriculture. Satellite imagery of the coordinates clearly shows the faint but distinct outline of the former north/south runway as a grass strip within a cultivated farm field. Several farm buildings and grain silos are located at the northern end of the former runway area. All airport infrastructure, such as hangars or service buildings, has been removed.

Estle Field served as the original municipal airport for Fairfield, Iowa, from approximately the 1930s until its closure in 1968. Established sometime between 1934 and 1941, it was named after its manager, B.F. Estle. The airport was a hub for local general aviation, supporting private pilots, flight training, and agricultural aviation. Early records indicate it had two turf runways, though by the 1960s it was depicted as having a single unpaved north/south runway of approximately 2,200 feet. For over three decades, it was the primary air link for the city of Fairfield before being superseded.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening Estle Field. Its function was permanently replaced by the Fairfield Municipal Airport (KFFL), which continues to serve the region. The land has been fully repurposed for agricultural use for over 50 years, making any potential reactivation of the airfield extremely improbable from both a logistical and economic standpoint.