Ilkena Airstrip

The primary reasons for closure were economic and infrastructural. The expansion and improvement of the Highlands Highway and local feeder roads provided a more affordable, albeit slower, transportation alternative for the community. This reduced the demand for expensive air travel. Concurrently, maintaining a grass airstrip to the safety standards required by aviation operators (like MAF) and the Civil Aviation Safety Authority of Papua New Guinea (CASA PNG) became an unsustainable burden for the local community without consistent external support.

The airstrip is completely abandoned and non-operational. Satellite imagery confirms that the runway is heavily overgrown with tall grass, shrubs, and other vegetation. While the faint outline of the strip is still visible from the air, it has effectively reverted to nature and is unusable for any type of aircraft. The land is likely used as a footpath or open grazing/community space by local villagers.

Ilkena Airstrip was a classic 'bush strip' vital to the local Alkena community, which is associated with a Lutheran mission. During its operational years, it served as a critical lifeline, connecting this remote area in the Western Highlands to larger centers like Mount Hagen. Operations were handled by third-level airlines and missionary aviation groups using STOL (Short Take-Off and Landing) aircraft, such as the Cessna 206, Pilatus Porter, and Britten-Norman Islander. The airstrip facilitated medical evacuations, the delivery of mail, medicine, and other essential supplies, and provided transport for church, school, and government personnel. It also enabled local farmers to transport cash crops like coffee to market.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening Ilkena Airstrip. A reopening would be a major undertaking, requiring significant capital investment for clearing the vegetation, re-grading and compacting the runway surface, establishing proper drainage, and undergoing a rigorous safety inspection and recertification process by CASA PNG. Given the existence of road access and the absence of a strong economic driver like a major mining or agricultural project, the high cost of restoration and ongoing maintenance makes a reopening highly improbable.