Targovishte Airport / Buhovtsi Airfield

The closure was primarily due to economic reasons following the political and economic transition in Bulgaria after 1989. The two main functions of the airport, military pilot training and state-sponsored agricultural aviation, were drastically downsized or eliminated. The restructuring of the Bulgarian Air Force post-Cold War led to the consolidation of training activities at other bases, making Buhovtsi redundant. Simultaneously, the state-owned agricultural aviation enterprise collapsed with the privatization of land and the shift to a market economy, rendering the airfield economically unviable.

The airport is completely abandoned and in a state of advanced decay. The runway, taxiways, and aprons remain visible but are severely cracked, weathered, and being reclaimed by nature with extensive vegetation growth. All buildings, including the control tower, administrative blocks, and large hangars, are derelict, heavily vandalized, and have been stripped of any valuable materials. The site is now unofficially and often illegally used for various non-aviation activities. It is a popular local spot for drag racing, car drifting, driver training, and drone flying. Due to its abandoned state, it is also a destination for urban explorers and photographers.

Targovishte Airport was a significant dual-use airfield during the socialist era. Its primary military role was as a forward training base for the Bulgarian Air Force, closely associated with the main pilot school, the Georgi Benkovski Air Force Academy in Dolna Mitropoliya. Cadets would conduct extensive training flights here on jet trainer aircraft, most notably the Aero L-29 Delfín and later the L-39 Albatros. Its civil function was as a major base for the national agricultural aviation fleet ('Селскостопанска авиация'). A large fleet of aircraft, predominantly the Antonov An-2, operated from Buhovtsi for crop dusting, pest control, and fertilization across the agriculturally rich region of Northeastern Bulgaria. The airport's infrastructure, including a robust concrete runway of approximately 2,450 meters (8,040 feet), extensive taxiways, and numerous hangars, reflects the scale of these past operations. It did not handle regular commercial passenger traffic.

There are no current, credible, or funded plans for the reopening of Targovishte Airport. Over the past two decades, the idea of its revival has been periodically floated by local politicians and business circles, typically proposing its conversion into a cargo hub, a center for light aviation, or a logistics park. However, these discussions have never progressed beyond the conceptual stage. The primary obstacles are the prohibitive costs required to completely rebuild the runway, construct modern terminal and navigation facilities to meet current safety and security standards, and the lack of a strong economic case for its operation, given its proximity to the large, international airports in Varna (VAR) and Burgas (BOJ).