Zheglitsa Cropduster Strip

Primarily economic reasons following the political and economic changes in Bulgaria after 1989. The strip was part of a large network supporting the state-owned 'Selskostopanska Aviatsiya' (Agricultural Aviation) enterprise. With the dissolution of the socialist-era large-scale collective farms (TKZS) and the transition to a market economy, the centralized model for agricultural aviation collapsed, rendering hundreds of these specialized airfields obsolete and economically unviable.

The airfield is completely abandoned and in a state of decay. Satellite imagery of the coordinates shows the clear outline of a former grass or dirt runway surrounded by active farmland. The land of the runway itself shows signs of being plowed and is slowly being reclaimed by the adjacent agricultural fields. There are no remaining structures such as hangars, sheds, or administrative buildings on the site. It exists only as a faint scar on the landscape, visible from the air.

Zheglitsa Cropduster Strip was a vital component of Bulgaria's centrally-planned agricultural infrastructure during the socialist period (1946-1990). As a designated agricultural airfield, its sole purpose was to serve the collective farms in the fertile Vidin Province. Operations consisted of aerial application of pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers (crop dusting), and sometimes aerial seeding. The primary aircraft used for these tasks would have been the rugged and versatile Antonov An-2, a staple of agricultural aviation throughout the Eastern Bloc. The strip represents a now-vanished era of large-scale, state-controlled agriculture.

There are no known or credible prospects for reopening the Zheglitsa Cropduster Strip. The economic model that necessitated its existence is gone. Modern agricultural needs in the region are met by private companies using ground-based equipment, smaller and more efficient aircraft, or increasingly, agricultural drones, none of which require a dedicated airfield of this type. The cost to restore, certify, and maintain the strip would be substantial with no foreseeable return on investment.