Bonavista Airport

Little Catalina, CA 🇨🇦 Closed Airport

ICAO

CA-0055

IATA

-

Elevation

151 ft

Region

CA-NL

Local Time

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Airport Information

GPS Code: Not available

Local Code: Not available

Location: 48.566931° N, -53.057238° E

Continent: NA

Type: Closed Airport

Keywords: DB4

Terminal Information Not Available
Terminal arrivals and departures are only available for airports with scheduled commercial service and IATA codes.
Nearby Points of Interest

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Airport Information

Airport Closure Information

Last updated: Jul 24, 2025
Closure Date

Approximately 2005-2006. The official decision to close the airstrip was part of a strategic review by the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, with a report finalized in 2005 recommending the closure of several underutilized provincial airstrips.

Reason for Closure

The closure was for economic reasons. A 2005 government report titled 'Provincial Airstrips - A new strategic direction' concluded that the Bonavista (Little Catalina) airstrip, along with others, had extremely low usage and incurred significant operational and capital costs for the province. With improved road networks and the proximity of the larger, better-equipped Clarenville Airport (CCZ3) about an hour's drive away, the airstrip was deemed financially unsustainable and no longer essential.

Current Status

The airport is permanently closed and abandoned. Satellite imagery of the coordinates clearly shows the 2,500-foot gravel runway is still intact but unmaintained and deteriorating. Large white 'X' markings are painted at the runway ends, which is the standard international visual signal indicating that a runway is closed to all aircraft operations. The site is undeveloped and is not being used for any other official purpose.

Historical Significance

The Bonavista (Little Catalina) airstrip was constructed by the provincial government, likely in the 1970s, as part of a network of small, unpaved airfields designed to connect remote communities. Its most critical function was providing access for air ambulance services, enabling rapid medical evacuations from the Bonavista Peninsula to larger hospitals. It also supported general aviation, including private pilots and charter flights. The airport was never intended for, nor did it handle, scheduled commercial passenger services. It was a vital piece of infrastructure for emergency services before the region's highway system was significantly upgraded.

Reopening Prospects

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening the Bonavista Airport. The economic and logistical factors that led to its closure remain unchanged. The region is adequately served by the Clarenville Airport for aviation needs, and the significant investment required to restore and certify the old airstrip for modern use is considered prohibitive and unnecessary.

Nearby Airports

Catalina Harbour Water Aerodrome
CA-0695
Catalina, CA
Closed Airport
~7 km away
Clarenville Airport
CCZ3
Clarenville, CA
Small Airport
~72 km away
Thorburn Lake Seaplane Base
CCW5
Thorburn Lake, CA
Seaplane Base
~88 km away
Harbour Grace Airport
CHG2
Harbour Grace, CA
Small Airport
~99 km away
Distances are approximate and calculated as straight-line distances.

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