Rinnsaal Airfield

Environmental protection regulations. The airfield was located within the Rheindelta Nature Reserve, a protected Natura 2000 site. After a lengthy legal and environmental review process, authorities determined that the noise and activity from the model aircraft were incompatible with the conservation goals for the sensitive wetland habitat, particularly the protection of breeding and migratory birds. The operating permit was consequently not renewed by the district authority (Bezirkshauptmannschaft Bregenz).

The site has been fully decommissioned and renaturalized. The asphalt runway, taxiways, and all club buildings have been removed. The area has been restored to a meadow and is now fully integrated into the Rheindelta Nature Reserve. The land is managed for conservation purposes and is accessible to the public for low-impact recreation like walking and nature observation.

Rinnsaal Airfield was never a conventional airport for manned aircraft. It was a dedicated and well-known model aircraft airfield (in German: Modellflugplatz) operated by the Modell-Flugsport-Club Rheindelta from 1974 until its closure. For over 40 years, it was a central hub for the radio-controlled (RC) aircraft hobby in the Vorarlberg region, featuring a paved runway and club facilities. It hosted numerous club events and competitions. The ICAO code 'AT-0013' was an unofficial identifier used in some non-governmental aviation databases to catalog such sites, not an official code assigned by Austro Control for manned aviation.

There are zero plans or prospects for reopening the airfield at this location. The definitive and legally binding environmental protection status of the Rheindelta Nature Reserve permanently prohibits the resumption of flight operations. The former club, MFC Rheindelta, has successfully relocated to a new approved site in the nearby municipality of Hohenems.