Begovo Airstrip

The closure was primarily due to economic reasons. Begovo Airstrip was part of a large network of agricultural airfields operated by the state-run 'Selskostopanska Aviatsiya' (Agricultural Aviation). This entity provided aerial services like crop dusting, seeding, and pest control for the large, state-owned collective farms of the socialist era. After 1989, the transition to a market economy, the privatization of land, and the breakup of collective farms led to the collapse of this centralized agricultural model. The demand for large-scale aerial spraying plummeted, making the operation of hundreds of small airstrips like Begovo economically unviable. The state-run company was dismantled, and the infrastructure was abandoned.

The site is completely abandoned for aviation purposes. The former runway and surrounding areas have been repurposed and are now occupied by a large-scale photovoltaic power plant, known as the Begovo Solar Park. Satellite imagery clearly shows rows of solar panels covering the land where the airstrip once was. Any remaining aviation infrastructure, such as buildings or hangars, is in a state of advanced decay or has been demolished. The runway is no longer visible or usable.

Begovo Airstrip held local and sectoral significance as a vital component of Bulgaria's agricultural infrastructure during the socialist period (approx. 1946-1989). It was not a public airport for passenger or cargo transport, nor did it have a significant military role. Its sole purpose was to support intensive agriculture in the fertile Plovdiv Province. Operations were typically seasonal and involved fleets of utility aircraft, most notably the Antonov An-2 biplane, which was the workhorse for crop dusting across the Eastern Bloc. The airstrip featured a grass or unpaved runway and basic facilities for aircraft maintenance, loading of chemicals, and housing for pilots and ground crew.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening the Begovo Airstrip for aviation. The reopening is considered highly improbable for several reasons: 1) The original economic purpose for the airstrip no longer exists. 2) The land has been repurposed for a significant industrial installation (the solar park), which represents a major financial investment and a long-term land use commitment. 3) The aviation infrastructure has been either removed or has deteriorated beyond repair. Re-establishing an airstrip would require a complete reconstruction and a new, viable business case, neither of which is foreseeable.