Manega Airport

While not officially documented, the closure was almost certainly for economic reasons. Manega Airport was a simple, unpaved bush strip characteristic of those built to support specific, localized industrial activities. Its most probable purpose was to serve a logging camp, mining exploration site, or agricultural plantation. Such airstrips are typically abandoned once the associated commercial operation is completed, becomes unprofitable, or relocates. There is no evidence to suggest it was closed due to a specific accident or for military conversion.

The airport is completely abandoned and defunct. Current satellite imagery shows the former runway is entirely overgrown with dense forest vegetation and is no longer distinguishable from the surrounding landscape except by a faint outline. The site is unusable for any aviation purposes and has effectively been reclaimed by nature.

Manega Airport held no major national or historical significance. Its importance was purely logistical and confined to the local area it served. When active, it would have been a vital lifeline for a remote commercial site, enabling the transport of personnel, essential supplies, and light cargo. Operations would have been limited to small, rugged, Short Take-Off and Landing (STOL) capable aircraft, such as the Cessna Caravan, de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter, or Britten-Norman Islander, connecting the remote location to larger towns and cities in Gabon.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening Manega Airport. The cost to clear the land, rebuild the runway, and restore any infrastructure would be significant. Given the lack of any apparent economic activity in the immediate vicinity and the existence of other regional airports like Fougamou Airport (FOGF), there is no current economic or logistical justification for its reconstruction. The prospects for reopening are considered virtually nonexistent.