Nutuve Airport

The closure was primarily due to economic and logistical factors. Key reasons include:
1. **High Maintenance Costs:** The remote location in a tropical, high-rainfall environment meant constant and expensive upkeep was required to combat rapid vegetation growth and runway erosion.
2. **Economic Viability:** As with many small 'patrol post' airstrips in Papua New Guinea, the low volume of traffic and lack of a significant economic driver (like a major mine or plantation) made operations unsustainable without government or mission subsidies.
3. **Volcanic Activity:** The airstrip is located near Mount Ulamona, one of Papua New Guinea's most active volcanoes. Periodic eruptions deposit ash that can render runways unusable and pose a severe danger to aircraft engines, likely contributing to its operational challenges and eventual closure.

The airport is permanently closed and abandoned. Analysis of satellite imagery shows the runway is completely overgrown with grass, shrubs, and small trees, making it totally unusable for aircraft. The distinct straight-line clearing of the former airstrip is still visible amidst the jungle, adjacent to the small settlement of Parakaman. The site has effectively reverted to nature and is not used for any formal purpose.

Nutuve Airport was a critical lifeline for the isolated community of Parakaman and the surrounding inland areas of West New Britain Province. Its primary role was to provide essential connectivity in a region with little to no road infrastructure. When active, it handled operations for:
- **Medical Evacuations:** Transporting sick or injured individuals to hospitals in larger towns.
- **Missionary Work:** Supporting religious and humanitarian missions by transporting personnel and supplies.
- **Government Services:** Allowing access for government patrols ('Kiaps' during the pre-independence era), census takers, and election officials.
- **Essential Cargo:** Delivering mail, medicine, food, and other vital goods.
Operations were limited to STOL (Short Takeoff and Landing) aircraft, such as the Pilatus Porter, Britten-Norman Islander, and various Cessna models, which are capable of operating from short, unpaved runways.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening Nutuve Airport. The cost to clear, regrade, resurface, and certify the airstrip for safe operations would be substantial. Given the small population it would serve and the lack of any new economic development in the immediate area, its restoration is not considered a priority by the Papua New Guinea National Airports Corporation (NAC) or the Rural Airstrip Agency (RAA). The focus of these agencies is on maintaining and restoring airstrips that serve larger populations or have greater strategic importance.