Mascioni Airfield

The airfield was closed by order of ENAC (Ente Nazionale per l'Aviazione Civile) due to non-compliance with updated and stricter national safety regulations for 'aviosuperfici' (small airfields). The closure was not due to a specific accident or economic failure, but rather the inability or unwillingness of the management to perform the required and costly upgrades to meet the new safety standards concerning infrastructure, obstacle clearance, and operational procedures.

The site of the former airfield is no longer used for aviation. The land, including the entire length of the former runway, has been completely repurposed and is now occupied by a large ground-mounted solar panel farm (photovoltaic plant). Satellite imagery clearly shows the area covered with solar arrays, making the original purpose of the site unrecognizable from the ground.

Mascioni Airfield was a private general aviation airfield with a unique history. It was established and operated by the Mascioni family, world-renowned builders of pipe organs based in the nearby village of Azzio. The airfield was born from the family's passion for aviation. For decades, it served as a vital hub for local pilots, recreational flying, and ultralight aircraft in the Valcuvia region, north of Varese. It featured a single grass runway (approximately 650 meters long, runway 18/36) and was appreciated by the aviation community for its scenic location nestled near the Italian Prealps and Lake Maggiore.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening Mascioni Airfield. The permanent and significant change in land use—the construction of a large solar farm—makes a return to aviation activities virtually impossible. Re-establishing the airfield would require the complete removal of the photovoltaic plant and a new, costly certification process to meet the very ENAC regulations that led to its initial closure, making any such project economically and logistically unfeasible.