CFB Wainwright Airfield 18

The airfield was not closed due to a single event but rather became obsolete or was repurposed. The primary reasons include: 1) Military Conversion/Repurposing: The strip is located within the vast CFB Wainwright live-fire training range and has been integrated into the ground maneuver training area. 2) Evolving Training Needs: The requirement for numerous dispersed, unprepared landing strips for specific types of STOL (Short Take-Off and Landing) aircraft diminished over time. 3) Consolidation: Air operations for the base were consolidated at the main, fully-equipped Wainwright Airport (CYBF/YBF).

The site is part of the restricted CFB Wainwright Range and Training Area, one of the busiest training facilities for the Canadian Armed Forces. Satellite imagery confirms the faint outline of the runway is still visible at coordinates 52.64618, -110.62916. However, it is unmaintained, has no markings or facilities, and is not suitable for conventional aircraft. The land is actively used for ground-based military maneuvers, including live-fire exercises and armoured vehicle training. It may also be used for Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) operations.

CFB Wainwright Airfield 18 was one of several austere, unpaved landing strips built within the massive Canadian Forces Base Wainwright training area. Its significance was purely military. During its active period, it was used to support large-scale army and air force exercises, particularly during the Cold War. Operations would have included: practice landings and take-offs for STOL transport and observation aircraft (like the de Havilland Canada DHC-5 Buffalo), simulating operations from forward operating bases, practicing air resupply missions, and supporting army co-operation training. Its existence allowed for realistic, dispersed, and challenging training scenarios that could not be replicated at a main, paved airport.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening CFB Wainwright Airfield 18 as a conventional airfield. Its location deep within a highly active and dangerous live-fire military range makes it completely unsuitable for any civilian or general aviation use. While the military could theoretically regrade it for a specific training exercise if needed, its formal reactivation as a designated airfield is extremely unlikely.