Area 51 Torre Santa Susanna Airfield

The closure was not due to a major event like a military conversion or a significant accident. As a private 'aviosuperficie' (an Italian designation for an airfield for ultralight and general aviation), its closure was likely due to private economic factors, such as lack of funding, the owner ceasing operations, or regulatory issues. It essentially fell into disuse and was abandoned.

The site is currently abandoned and in a state of complete disrepair. Satellite imagery clearly shows the paved runway is still intact but is heavily cracked, faded, and significantly overgrown with weeds and grass, rendering it unusable for any aviation activity. The associated buildings on the site also appear to be derelict. The land is unused and slowly being reclaimed by nature.

The airfield's primary significance is local. It was never a major military or commercial airport. Its most notable feature is its colloquial name, 'Area 51,' which was a humorous nickname adopted by the local pilots and aviation community, playing on the famous secretive US base. It has no actual connection to any military or clandestine activities. When active, it served as a 'campo di volo' for the Salento region, handling private ultralight aircraft and general aviation planes for recreational purposes. The ICAO code 'IT-0563' is a non-official identifier, often used in flight simulator databases and unofficial airport directories, not by official aviation authorities.

There are no known or published plans to restore or reopen the Area 51 Torre Santa Susanna Airfield. The significant cost required to resurface the runway, refurbish the facilities, and obtain the necessary permits makes a future reopening highly unlikely without a major private investment or a new initiative from a local aviation group. It is currently considered permanently closed.