Borkheide Airfield

The closure was a direct result of political and economic changes following the reunification of Germany. The airfield was operated by the East German state-sponsored paramilitary sports organization, 'Gesellschaft für Sport und Technik' (GST). With the dissolution of the GST in 1990, the state funding and organizational structure that supported the airfield vanished. A viable private or civil operator failed to materialize to take over the costs and responsibilities, leading to its official de-licensing and subsequent closure.

The former airfield is no longer used for any aviation activities. The site has been returned to nature and is now a large, open meadow designated as a protected landscape area ('Landschaftsschutzgebiet'). Most infrastructure, including hangars and buildings, has been removed, though the outline of the former grass runway is still vaguely discernible. A memorial stone, the 'Grade-Gedenkstein', has been erected on the site to commemorate the historic first flights by Hans Grade. The area is now used by locals for recreation like walking and dog-walking. The rich history of the airfield is preserved and documented in the nearby Hans-Grade-Museum located within the town of Borkheide.

Borkheide Airfield holds a paramount place in German aviation history as a cradle of powered flight. Its significance is primarily tied to the aviation pioneer Hans Grade. In 1910, Grade established Germany's first certified airfield and flight school on this site. He manufactured and flew his 'Grade' monoplanes here, making significant contributions to early aviation. The airfield was a hub of flight training and innovation before World War I. During the German Democratic Republic (GDR) era, it continued its legacy as a training facility, serving the GST for pre-military flight education, primarily focusing on gliding and basic powered flight for youths.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening Borkheide Airfield. Its current legal status as a protected landscape area presents a significant legal barrier to any redevelopment for aviation purposes. Furthermore, the lack of any remaining infrastructure and the growth of the surrounding residential community make a return to flight operations both financially and politically unfeasible. Its value is now seen as historical and ecological rather than operational.