Serui, ID 🇮🇩 Closed Airport
ID-0328
-
50 ft
ID-PA
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Loading...GPS Code: Not available
Local Code: Not available
Location: -1.87438° N, 136.23946° E
Continent: AS
Type: Closed Airport
Keywords: ZRI WABO
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Designation | Length | Width | Surface | Status |
---|---|---|---|---|
18/36 |
2133 ft | 66 ft | ASP | Active |
Type | Description | Frequency |
---|---|---|
AFIS | - | 122.5 MHz |
Approximately late 2014
The airport was permanently closed following its replacement by the new, larger, and more modern Stevanus Rumbewas Airport (IATA: ZRI, ICAO: WABO). The primary reason for the replacement was the severe limitations of the old airport. Sudjarwo Tjondronegoro Airport had a very short runway (approximately 650 meters) and was constrained by surrounding terrain and urban development, making expansion impossible. This restricted operations to small STOL (Short Takeoff and Landing) aircraft and posed safety concerns. The new airport was built with a significantly longer runway (initially 1,600 meters) to accommodate larger turboprop aircraft like the ATR 72, thereby improving safety, increasing passenger and cargo capacity, and boosting the economic connectivity of the Yapen Islands Regency.
The site is no longer an active airfield. The original runway is still clearly visible on satellite imagery but is not maintained for aviation purposes. The land has been repurposed and integrated into the urban fabric of Serui. Parts of the former runway and airport grounds are now used as a public road, open space, and for local government buildings. The area is undergoing urban development, with the former aviation infrastructure being systematically replaced.
For decades, Sudjarwo Tjondronegoro Airport was the essential and sole air gateway to Serui and the Yapen Islands. It played a vital role in connecting this isolated community to the rest of Papua, particularly to major hubs like Biak and Nabire. Operations were critical for passenger transport, mail delivery, cargo shipments, and, most importantly, medical evacuations. Due to its short runway, the airport exclusively handled STOL-capable aircraft, most notably the de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter and Cessna 208 Caravan. It was a key destination for regional carriers like the now-defunct Merpati Nusantara Airlines and various missionary aviation services (e.g., MAF, AMA) that served remote Indonesian communities. The airport was named after Sudjarwo Tjondronegoro, a prominent national figure and the first governor of Irian Barat (now Papua), underscoring its historical importance to the region's administration and development.
There are no plans or prospects for reopening Sudjarwo Tjondronegoro Airport. Its closure was permanent, and its function has been entirely superseded by the superior facilities at Stevanus Rumbewas Airport. Reopening the old, constrained, and less safe airfield would be illogical from an economic, logistical, and safety standpoint. The land is now considered more valuable for the urban expansion of Serui.
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