Yichang Tumenwu Airport

The airport was closed due to its replacement by the new, larger, and more modern Yichang Sanxia International Airport (IATA: YIH, ICAO: ZHYC). The Tumenwu Airport was located too close to the expanding city center, which restricted its potential for expansion to accommodate larger aircraft and increased passenger traffic. Its proximity to urban areas also raised safety and noise pollution concerns. The opening of the Sanxia Airport provided the necessary capacity to support the region's growth, particularly in relation to the Three Gorges Dam project.

The former airport site has been completely redeveloped and is now fully integrated into the urban fabric of Yichang's Wujiagang District. The land has been repurposed for extensive urban development. The former runway has been converted into a major thoroughfare, a section of Yiling Avenue (夷陵大道). The area is now occupied by a mix of high-rise residential buildings, commercial centers, public parks, and educational institutions, including the Yichang Foreign Language School. There are no physical remnants of the original airport infrastructure visible today.

Yichang Tumenwu Airport (former ICAO: ZHYC) was the primary airport for the city of Yichang before 1996. Originally constructed as a military airfield, it was expanded and opened for dual military-civilian use in the mid-1980s. It played a vital role in connecting Yichang to major Chinese cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou. The airport was instrumental during the construction of the Gezhouba Dam and the early stages of the massive Three Gorges Dam project, facilitating the transport of engineers, officials, and specialized personnel. However, its relatively short runway (approximately 1,800 meters) limited operations to smaller aircraft, such as the BAe 146 and Yunshuji Y-7.

There are zero prospects for reopening Yichang Tumenwu Airport. The land has been permanently and completely redeveloped for urban use. The city of Yichang is now served by the far superior Yichang Sanxia International Airport, which is located further from the city center and continues to undergo expansion to meet growing demand. Reopening an airport at the old Tumenwu site is logistically impossible and strategically unnecessary.