Paso Canoas Airport

The airstrip was not closed for typical economic or operational reasons. It was rendered unusable as part of a broader Costa Rican government strategy to combat drug trafficking. The southern zone of Costa Rica, particularly near the Panamanian border, has historically been a transit area for narcotics. Authorities have systematically identified and disabled numerous clandestine or unregulated airstrips ('pistas clandestinas') to disrupt aerial smuggling routes. Due to its strategic location and lack of official oversight, the Paso Canoas airstrip was a high-risk facility and was likely disabled by authorities to prevent its use for illicit activities.

The site is abandoned and non-operational. The paved runway is still clearly visible on satellite imagery, but it is unmaintained, with faded markings and vegetation encroachment. It is completely unsuitable for aviation use. The land has no formal current function, though it may be used informally for local vehicle parking or access to adjacent properties. The surrounding area remains a mix of commercial warehouses and light industrial buildings.

The facility was a private general aviation airstrip, not a public commercial airport. The ICAO code 'CR-0008' is an unofficial identifier, likely originating from flight simulator scenery databases or non-governmental aviation catalogs; it was not officially recognized by the ICAO or Costa Rica's Dirección General de Aviación Civil (DGAC).

When active, its primary significance was logistical and economic. It served the bustling commercial hub of Paso Canoas, a major land border crossing between Costa Rica and Panama. The airstrip was used by:
- Private pilots and business owners for rapid travel to and from the region, bypassing the long drive from the Central Valley.
- Small charter operations for business or tourism.
- Potentially for the transport of high-value, low-volume goods related to the cross-border trade.
It primarily handled light single-engine and twin-engine aircraft.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening this airstrip. The likelihood of it ever being reactivated for official use is extremely low for several reasons:
1. **Security Concerns:** The government's priority in the region is to control and eliminate unauthorized airfields, not to create new, hard-to-secure ones.
2. **Lack of Need:** Regional air service needs are met by nearby official airports, primarily Golfito Airport (MRGF) and Coto 47 Airport (MRCC), which have better infrastructure, security, and official oversight.
3. **Regulatory Hurdles:** Bringing the airstrip up to modern regulatory and safety standards required by the DGAC would be a significant and costly undertaking for a facility with limited commercial potential.