Sangir Airport

The primary reason for closure was redundancy and economic non-viability. The development and continued upgrades of the nearby Sultan Muhammad Salahuddin Airport (IATA: BMU, ICAO: WADB) in Bima made this small, basic airstrip obsolete. As the main regional hub, BMU could handle larger aircraft and more significant passenger and cargo volumes. Improved road networks connecting the Sape district (where the airstrip is located) to the city of Bima further reduced the need for a local pioneer airstrip.

The airport is completely abandoned and non-operational. Satellite imagery of the coordinates (-8.36667, 118.333359) clearly shows the faint outline of the former runway. The land has been partially reclaimed by nature and is now used for small-scale agriculture by local villagers. The path of the former runway is also used as a local road or track for foot and motorbike traffic. There are no remaining airport structures such as a terminal, tower, or hangars.

Sangir Airstrip, more accurately known as Sangari Airstrip, served as a vital local transport link for the remote coastal communities in the Sape district of Sumbawa Island. In an era of limited road access, it was a 'pioneer' or 'missionary' type airfield. Its operations were critical for:
- **Medical Evacuations:** Providing rapid transport for medical emergencies.
- **Government & Administrative Access:** Allowing government officials and supplies to reach the remote district.
- **Missionary & NGO Work:** Supporting the activities of non-governmental and religious organizations in the area.

Operations were limited to small, Short Take-Off and Landing (STOL) capable aircraft, such as the Pilatus PC-6 Porter, Britten-Norman Islander, and various Cessna models, which could operate from its short, unpaved grass/dirt runway (approx. 650 meters / 2,100 feet).

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening Sangir/Sangari Airstrip. The aviation needs of the entire Bima Regency and eastern Sumbawa are adequately served by the far superior Sultan Muhammad Salahuddin Airport (BMU). Re-establishing a small airstrip at this location would have no economic or logistical justification. Its reopening is considered highly improbable.