Selaru Airstrip

The closure was due to a combination of economic obsolescence and strategic military redevelopment.
1. **Redundancy:** The opening of Mathilda Batlayeri Airport on the neighboring island of Yamdena provided a modern, paved runway capable of handling larger aircraft like the ATR 72. This made the small, unpaved pioneer airstrip on Selaru economically unviable and operationally obsolete for civilian transport.
2. **Military Conversion:** The Tanimbar Islands, including Selaru, are of high strategic importance to Indonesia due to their proximity to the Timor Sea and Australia. The Indonesian Air Force (TNI-AU) has been developing a new forward operating base in the region. The site of the old Selaru airstrip was incorporated into this strategic military development, effectively preventing any future civilian use.

The site is now part of a restricted military area under the control of the Indonesian National Armed Forces, specifically the Air Force (TNI-AU). The original runway is no longer maintained and is likely overgrown and unusable. The area has been repurposed for military installations and strategic defense purposes as part of the new air force base development in the Tanimbar Islands. Public access is prohibited.

Selaru Airstrip was a classic 'pioneer' (perintis) airfield. Its primary role was to connect the isolated community on Selaru Island with the regional administrative center, Saumlaki, and other islands in the Tanimbar archipelago.
- **Operations:** It handled small, STOL (Short Takeoff and Landing) capable propeller aircraft, such as the de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter and Cessna 208 Caravan.
- **Infrastructure:** The airstrip was very basic, featuring a short, unpaved runway likely made of compacted coral, gravel, or grass, with minimal to no terminal facilities.
- **Importance:** It was a vital lifeline for the local population, facilitating essential transport for medical emergencies, government officials, mail, and critical supplies to a location that was otherwise only accessible by a long sea journey.

There are no plans or prospects for reopening Selaru Airstrip for public or civilian use.
- **Lack of Need:** All regional civilian air traffic is now efficiently served by Mathilda Batlayeri Airport (WAPS).
- **Military Control:** The site's current status as a strategic military zone makes its return to civilian aviation authority virtually impossible. Any future aviation activity at or near this location will be exclusively military in nature.