Kisaran Airport

The closure was primarily due to economic reasons and infrastructural development. As a private airfield for a plantation, its utility diminished with the significant improvement of road networks in North Sumatra. The cost of maintaining an airstrip for limited, specialized use became unjustifiable. Furthermore, regional air transport was consolidated at larger, more modern airports like the former Polonia International Airport and later the new Kualanamu International Airport (KNO) in Medan, making small, local airstrips like this obsolete.

The site is completely abandoned as an airfield and has been reclaimed by the surrounding plantation. Satellite imagery confirms the runway outline is still visible but is heavily overgrown with grass and vegetation. It is located within the PTPN III Sei Piring Estate and is not used for any aviation activities. The land is effectively part of the palm oil plantation, and parts of the former runway may be used as an access path by plantation workers.

Kisaran Airport, more accurately known as the Sei Piring Airstrip, was not a public airport but a private airfield owned and operated by the state-owned plantation company, PTPN III (Perkebunan Nusantara III). Its historical significance is tied to the agricultural industry of the region. When active, it handled operations crucial for the vast palm oil and rubber plantations surrounding Kisaran. Operations included:
- **Agricultural Aviation:** Used for crop dusting, pest control, and aerial surveying of the plantation areas.
- **Personnel Transport:** Facilitated the rapid transport of company executives, engineers, and VIPs to and from the remote plantation estates.
- **Light Cargo:** Used for transporting essential spare parts, documents, and other light, high-value cargo.
- **Medical Evacuation:** Served as a vital point for emergency medical evacuations from the plantation to hospitals in larger cities.
The airfield was typically used by small, single-engine propeller aircraft like the Piper PA-18 Super Cub, Cessna models, or other utility aircraft suitable for short, unpaved runways.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening this airfield. The strategic and economic need for such a small airstrip no longer exists. The region is adequately served by the modern Kualanamu International Airport for passenger and cargo needs, and ground transportation is now the primary method for local transit. The land is more valuable for its agricultural use as part of the PTPN III plantation.