Açude Araras Airport

Economic and logistical obsolescence. The airstrip was built for a specific purpose: to support the construction and maintenance of the nearby Araras Dam. As major construction phases ended and road access to the region improved, the need for a dedicated airstrip diminished, making its maintenance and operation no longer necessary or cost-effective.

The site is completely abandoned. The former unpaved runway is still visible in satellite imagery but is heavily overgrown with grass and shrubs, rendering it unusable for any type of aircraft. There are no remaining airport facilities or buildings. The land appears to be used informally as a path or track by locals.

The airstrip's significance is directly tied to the construction of the Açude Araras (Araras Dam), a critical piece of water infrastructure in the state of Ceará, built by the DNOCS (Departamento Nacional de Obras Contra as Secas - National Department of Works Against Droughts). The dam's construction was completed in 1958. The airstrip served as a vital logistical hub, facilitating the transport of engineers, technicians, officials, and light cargo via small, general aviation aircraft to the then-remote project site. It was never a commercial airport serving the general public.

There are no known plans, discussions, or prospects for reopening or rehabilitating the Açude Araras Airport. Given its state of extreme disrepair, its rudimentary original design (unpaved runway), and the presence of more modern, larger airports in the region (such as Sobral Airport - SSNB), there is no practical or economic incentive for its reactivation.