Suswa Airstrip

While no single official reason has been documented, the closure is almost certainly due to a combination of factors common for remote airfields in West Papua. These include:
1) **Economic Viability:** The high cost of maintaining a remote, unpaved runway for a very small population became unsustainable.
2) **Infrastructure Development:** The gradual development of the regional road network, as part of the broader Trans-Papua Highway project, provided an alternative (though slower) means of transport, reducing the airstrip's critical importance.
3) **Shifting Priorities:** The specific activities that necessitated the airstrip (e.g., missionary outreach, logging projects, or a specific government administrative post) may have ceased or relocated, removing its primary reason for existence.

The airstrip is currently abandoned and completely reclaimed by nature. Satellite imagery confirms that the former runway and parking area are entirely overgrown with dense grass, shrubs, and young trees, making it indistinguishable from the surrounding jungle except for its linear shape. The site is not used for any aviation purposes and is not maintained. It exists only as a clearing in the forest, visible from above but completely unusable by aircraft.

Suswa Airstrip was a vital logistical link for the remote village of Suswa and its surrounding communities. In a region characterized by dense jungle and historically limited road access, the airstrip served as a lifeline. Its operations would have exclusively involved small, STOL (Short Take-Off and Landing) propeller aircraft, such as the Pilatus PC-6 Porter or Cessna 208 Caravan, which are workhorses in Papua. These flights, likely operated by missionary aviation groups (like Mission Aviation Fellowship - MAF), government entities, or private charters, were essential for transporting personnel, medical supplies, food, mail, and other critical goods. Its significance was not in large-scale commercial or military operations, but in its role connecting an otherwise isolated community to the outside world.

There are no known official plans or prospects for reopening Suswa Airstrip. The Indonesian government's current infrastructure strategy for the region prioritizes the development of larger, centralized regional airports (such as Werur Airport in the same regency) and the expansion of the road network. As road access improves, small, high-maintenance airstrips like Suswa are generally considered obsolete. Reopening is highly unlikely due to the significant cost of clearing, restoring, and maintaining the facility for the very limited traffic it would serve.