Petrich Air Base

Primarily economic reasons. The airfield was purpose-built for agricultural aviation and was operated by the state-owned company 'Selskostopanska Aviatsiya' (Agricultural Aviation). Following the political changes in 1989, the collective farming system was dismantled and the state enterprise was dissolved. This eliminated the demand for large-scale, state-run crop-dusting operations, rendering the airfield economically unviable and obsolete.

The site is completely abandoned and in a state of dereliction. The paved runway is severely cracked, with significant vegetation growing through the surface, making it unusable for any aviation purposes. The land is now privately owned. It is informally used by locals for recreational activities such as driving practice, drone flying, and motorbiking. The former hangars and support buildings are either derelict or used for private agricultural storage by local farmers.

Despite some databases referring to it as an 'Air Base', its primary and sole function was as an agricultural airfield ('селскостопанско летище'). It was a crucial piece of infrastructure for the highly productive agricultural region of the Petrich-Sandanski Valley during the socialist period. The airfield served as a base for a fleet of aircraft, most notably the Antonov An-2, which were used for crop dusting, fertilization, and pest control over the vast collective farms. Its significance was entirely utilitarian, supporting the region's economy which was heavily based on producing vegetables, fruits, and tobacco.

There are no official or credible plans for reopening the airport. The runway and infrastructure would require a complete and costly reconstruction to meet modern standards. Given the lack of commercial or strategic demand for an airport in this specific location and the proximity of larger airports like Sofia (SOF), there is no economic incentive for its revival. Any speculation about its potential use as a private airstrip for ultralights or general aviation has not materialized into a concrete project. The prospects for reopening are considered nonexistent.