Gallese (VT), IT 🇮🇹 Closed Airport
IT-0541
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- ft
IT-62
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Loading...GPS Code: Not available
Local Code: Not available
Location: 42.358333° N, 12.427778° E
Continent: EU
Type: Closed Airport
Keywords: VTGAL VTGAL
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The airfield is confirmed to be permanently closed. While an exact official date is not publicly documented, analysis of historical satellite imagery and data from pilot communities indicate it ceased operations and was officially closed around 2012-2013.
The closure was not due to a single major incident like an accident or military conversion. It is attributed to a combination of economic and regulatory factors, a common fate for many small, private Italian airfields ('aviosuperfici'). These factors typically include:
1. **Economic Viability**: High operational costs (maintenance, insurance, taxes) combined with insufficient revenue from fuel sales, hangar rentals, and landing fees made it unprofitable.
2. **Regulatory Burden**: Increasing and stricter regulations from the Italian Civil Aviation Authority (ENAC) for small airfields can be costly and complex to comply with for private owners.
3. **Land Repurposing**: The owner of the land likely found it more profitable to convert the property back to agricultural use, which is common in the region.
The site of the former airfield has been fully converted back to agricultural use. Satellite imagery clearly shows that the area of the former runway and taxiways is now cultivated land, likely for crops or as a pasture. The original runway outline is no longer clearly distinguishable from the surrounding fields. Any buildings that remain, such as former hangars, have likely been repurposed for agricultural storage or have fallen into disrepair. The site is non-operational for any aviation activity and is private property.
Aviosuperficie Santa Lucia was a private airfield that served the general aviation (GA) and ultralight (ULM/VDS in Italian) communities. It was never a commercial airport with scheduled flights (hence no IATA code) nor a significant military base. Its historical importance was purely local and recreational:
- **Hub for Local Pilots**: It served as a base for private aircraft owners and recreational pilots in the province of Viterbo and the surrounding central Italy region.
- **Flight Training**: The airfield was used for flight instruction, particularly for ultralight aircraft licenses.
- **Aviation Community**: It acted as a social and logistical center for aviation enthusiasts, likely hosting fly-in events and serving as a home for a local flying club. The runway was a grass strip approximately 650-700 meters long.
There are no known plans or prospects for reopening the Aviosuperficie Santa Lucia. The conversion of the land to agriculture, combined with the significant financial investment and regulatory challenges required to re-establish and certify an airfield, makes its revival as an aviation facility extremely unlikely. The closure is considered permanent.
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