Uralsk West Airport

The primary reason for its closure as a primary airport was obsolescence. The construction of the new, current Uralsk Ak Zhol Airport (IATA: URA, ICAO: UARR) with a longer, concrete runway capable of handling larger jet aircraft (like the Tupolev Tu-134 and Yak-40) made this older, smaller airfield redundant for scheduled passenger services. Following the transfer of commercial flights, its remaining functions (training and general aviation) ceased due to economic reasons, particularly the decline in state funding for aviation clubs after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

The site is currently abandoned and inactive for any official aviation purposes. The asphalt runway and some taxiways are still visible on satellite imagery but are in a state of significant disrepair, with cracks, vegetation growth, and erosion. The area is reportedly used informally by locals for activities such as driver training and amateur auto racing. The associated airfield buildings are largely derelict or have been dismantled.

This was the original primary airport for the city of Uralsk during the Soviet era. It handled regional passenger and cargo flights, primarily operated by smaller propeller aircraft such as the Antonov An-2. A crucial part of its history was its role as a major training center for the DOSAAF (Voluntary Society for Cooperation with the Army, Aviation, and Fleet), a Soviet paramilitary sports organization. The airfield was used extensively for initial pilot training, glider flights, and parachute jumping. It also served as a base for agricultural aviation (crop dusting) for the surrounding region.

There are no known official plans or credible prospects for reopening Uralsk West Airport. The city and region are adequately served by the modern and fully operational Uralsk Ak Zhol Airport, which has undergone its own recent renovations. Given the poor condition of the infrastructure at the old site and the lack of economic or logistical need for a second airport, its revival as an aviation facility is highly unlikely. The land is more likely to be repurposed for future urban or industrial development.