Crater Airport

The primary reason for closure was the end of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP) after WWII. As a designated Relief Landing Field, its purpose was directly tied to the wartime training program. With the program's termination, the airfield became redundant and was decommissioned. The land was subsequently returned to civilian use, primarily agriculture.

The site is currently private agricultural land and is actively farmed. All airport infrastructure, including runways, taxiways, and buildings, has been removed. However, the faint outline of the original triangular runway layout is still visible from satellite imagery as crop marks or variations in soil color, a ghostly reminder of its past use.

Crater Airport, more formally known as Douglas Relief Landing Field, was a key component of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan during World War II. It served as a Relief Landing Field (RFL) for No. 3 Bombing and Gunnery School, which was based at the nearby main station, RCAF Macdonald. RFLs were crucial for handling overflow air traffic and providing practice areas for takeoffs and landings, preventing congestion at the main training schools. Its colloquial name, 'Crater', likely derives from its close proximity to the vast training ranges of Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Shilo, which were used for artillery and bombing practice. The airfield featured the standard triangular runway pattern common to BCATP airfields of that era.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening Crater Airport. The land is privately owned and fully integrated into the local agricultural economy. There is no strategic or commercial need for an airfield at this location, especially with other established airports in the region.