Guanhães Airport

The primary reason for closure was the airport's failure to meet minimum operational and safety standards required by ANAC. Specific issues included: 1) A short (approximately 1,200 meters) and unpaved (dirt/gravel) runway, unsuitable for modern aircraft and unsafe during adverse weather. 2) A lack of essential infrastructure, such as proper fencing, runway lighting, and terminal facilities. 3) Unresolved land ownership and legal disputes that prevented the municipal government from making the necessary investments to upgrade and regularize the facility.

The site of the former airport is no longer an aviation facility. The land has been sold and is being completely redeveloped into a new urban neighborhood called 'Loteamento Bairro Aeroporto' (Airport Neighborhood Allotment). Satellite imagery and local reports confirm that the area has been divided into residential and commercial lots, with new streets and construction underway. The original runway is gone.

For decades, Guanhães Airport was a crucial transportation hub for this relatively isolated region of Minas Gerais. Its primary operations consisted of general aviation, including air taxi services, private aircraft, and critical medical evacuation flights. In the 1970s and 1980s, it played a role in regional commercial aviation, with airlines like VOTEC operating flights using small aircraft (e.g., Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander) that connected Guanhães to the state capital, Belo Horizonte, and other regional towns. As the aviation industry moved towards larger aircraft, the airport's utility diminished, and it was primarily used for essential services before its closure.

There are zero prospects for reopening the original airport, as the land has been repurposed for urban development. However, there are active plans to build a new airport for Guanhães at a different location. The state and municipal governments have identified the need for a modern facility to support the region's economic growth (mining, agribusiness) and healthcare needs. The project for a new regional airport is in the advanced planning and land study phase, but as of early 2024, a definitive timeline for construction and completion has not been announced, pending factors like funding and environmental licensing.