Furnas Airport

The closure was primarily due to economic factors and operational obsolescence. The airport was a private facility built and maintained by the power company Furnas Centrais Elétricas to support the massive construction and subsequent operation of the Furnas Hydroelectric Dam in the 1960s. As road infrastructure in the region improved over the decades, the necessity and cost-effectiveness of maintaining a private airport for corporate and logistical flights diminished. The company eventually deemed it a non-essential asset and deactivated it.

The airport site is currently abandoned and in a state of disrepair. Satellite imagery clearly shows the paved 1,500-meter (approx. 4,900 ft) runway, taxiway, and apron are still visible but are cracked, weathered, and significantly overgrown with vegetation. The former terminal and hangar buildings are still standing but appear derelict. The entire area is fenced off and unused, remaining the property of the Furnas company (a subsidiary of Eletrobras).

The airport, officially Aeroporto de Furnas (ICAO: SNFU), was historically significant as a critical piece of infrastructure for one of Brazil's largest engineering projects. Its primary role was to provide rapid transportation for engineers, technicians, executives, and government officials to the remote dam construction site. It also facilitated the urgent delivery of specialized parts and equipment. The airport primarily handled private and charter flights using small to medium-sized aircraft, serving as a vital link between the project site and major urban centers during its most active years. The identifier 'BR-1959' is a non-standard code, likely from an unofficial database; its official ICAO designation was SNFU.

There are significant and ongoing discussions regarding the reopening of Furnas Airport. The nearby city of Capitólio has become a major national tourist destination, and the lack of air access is seen as a major obstacle to further growth. Local business leaders and politicians from Capitólio and surrounding municipalities have been actively lobbying for the airport's reactivation to serve regional tourism. Meetings have been held with Furnas and state government officials to study the viability of transferring the airport's control to the municipality or creating a public-private partnership. While it is considered the most viable option for a regional airport due to the existing core infrastructure, no definitive plan, budget, or timeline for its renovation and reopening has been officially announced as of early 2024.