Aerodromo de Tavira ULM

The primary reason for closure was regulatory and environmental. The airfield was operating in an area designated as part of the National Ecological Reserve (Reserva Ecológica Nacional - REN) and the National Agricultural Reserve (Reserva Agrícola Nacional - RAN). Its operation was found to be incompatible with the municipal land use plan (Plano Diretor Municipal - PDM) of Tavira. The closure was enforced due to a lack of proper licensing and non-compliance with these fundamental environmental and agricultural zoning laws, which protect the land from non-designated uses.

The site has been fully decommissioned and returned to its designated land use. Satellite imagery of the coordinates confirms that the runway has been completely removed and the land has been converted to agricultural use, likely for orchards or other forms of cultivation. All aviation-related infrastructure, including hangars and markings, has been dismantled. There are no remaining signs of an active airfield.

The Aerodromo de Tavira was a small, private airfield dedicated to ultralight (ULM) and general recreational aviation. It was never a commercial airport with scheduled flights. Its significance was local, serving as a base for the 'Aerosport - Escola de Aviação' flight school and as a hub for private pilots and aviation enthusiasts in the Eastern Algarve. It supported activities such as ULM pilot training, tourist flights offering aerial views of the coastline and the Ria Formosa Natural Park, and aerial photography. For the local and visiting aviation community, it was a valuable, albeit small-scale, asset for tourism and recreation.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening the aerodrome at this location. Given that the closure was due to fundamental conflicts with national environmental and agricultural land protection laws (REN and RAN), obtaining the necessary permits to reopen at the same site is considered virtually impossible. Any future aviation facility for the Tavira municipality would require a new project in a different, suitably zoned location, for which there are currently no active proposals.