Acopiara Airport

The closure was a result of economic factors and a lack of public investment. As a small, unpaved municipal airstrip ('campo de pouso'), it required constant maintenance which was not provided. Without funding for upkeep and upgrades, the runway deteriorated, became overgrown with vegetation, and was rendered unsafe for any aircraft operations, leading to its eventual abandonment.

The site is completely abandoned and derelict. Satellite imagery confirms the faint outline of the original dirt runway, but it is heavily overgrown with scrub and grass, crossed by dirt tracks, and unusable for aviation. There are no remaining buildings or facilities. The land is unused for any formal purpose, with some local reports mentioning it is occasionally used for animal grazing.

Acopiara Airport was a local general aviation airfield. Its primary role was to connect the municipality of Acopiara with larger urban centers in the state of Ceará, such as Fortaleza. It handled small, private propeller aircraft, air taxi services, and likely served a critical function for medical evacuation (aeromedical) flights. It was never a commercial airport with scheduled passenger services but was a vital piece of local infrastructure for business and emergency transport in an era of less-developed road networks.

There are no plans to reopen or restore the original, abandoned airfield. However, there are active government plans to build a *new* regional airport for Acopiara. The Government of the State of Ceará has included Acopiara in its regional aviation development plan. As of 2022-2023, discussions have taken place between state and municipal officials to construct a new, modern facility with a paved runway (planned for 1,200 meters), taxiway, and a small passenger terminal. The project remains in the planning and feasibility study phase, and a definitive timeline for construction has not yet been announced.