Fazenda Santa Helena I Airstrip

The closure was most likely due to a combination of economic and regulatory factors. As a private airstrip serving a farm ('Fazenda'), its existence was tied to the owner's specific needs and financial ability to maintain it. Common reasons for the closure of such airstrips in Brazil include:
1. **Regulatory Non-compliance:** The owner may have chosen not to invest in meeting updated and potentially stricter safety and registration requirements mandated by ANAC.
2. **Economic Reasons:** The operational costs (maintenance, fuel, aircraft) may have become prohibitive, or the farm's owner may have changed, with the new owner having no need for an airstrip.
3. **Cessation of Use:** The airstrip may have simply fallen into disuse, becoming overgrown and unsafe for operations, leading to its eventual removal from official records.
There is no evidence to suggest it was closed due to a major accident or for military conversion.

Based on recent satellite imagery, the site is completely defunct as an airfield. The faint outline of the former unpaved runway is still visible as a scar on the landscape. However, the area is overgrown with vegetation and appears to be used as pasture for livestock, consistent with the surrounding agricultural land. There are no buildings, hangars, or any remaining aviation infrastructure at the site. It is not maintained and is unusable for any type of aircraft.

The airstrip's significance was purely local and private. It served the 'Fazenda Santa Helena', a large farm or ranch, in a relatively remote rural area. Its operations would have been typical for a private agricultural airstrip:
- **Private Transport:** Used by the farm's owner, family, and managers for quick travel to and from larger cities.
- **Logistical Support:** Facilitated the transport of urgent supplies, small equipment, spare parts, and personnel to the farm.
- **Agricultural Aviation:** Potentially used for crop dusting or aerial surveying of the property, a common practice in Brazil's agricultural heartland.
It held no public or commercial significance, never handled scheduled flights, and was not open to the public. The identifier 'BR-0303' is not an official ICAO code (which start with 'S' in Brazil) but rather an unofficial designator used by some third-party aviation databases to track smaller or de-registered airfields.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening the Fazenda Santa Helena I Airstrip. Reopening would be a private initiative solely dependent on the current landowner's desire and financial capacity. The process would be substantial, requiring:
- Significant groundwork to clear, level, and prepare the runway surface.
- A full certification process with Brazil's ANAC to ensure compliance with modern safety regulations.
Given that the airstrip has been defunct for many years and the land has reverted to agricultural use, the likelihood of it being reopened is extremely low.