Saratov South Airport

The primary reason for closure was economic. The airfield was operated by the Saratov Aeroclub under the DOSAAF (Volunteer Society for Cooperation with the Army, Aviation, and Navy), a paramilitary sports organization. Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, many such clubs faced severe financial difficulties. The closure of Saratov South was a result of chronic underfunding, leading to the inability to maintain the runway, aircraft, and ground infrastructure, ultimately making flight operations unsafe and unsustainable.

The site is abandoned and defunct as an airfield. Satellite imagery shows the asphalt runway is still visible but is cracked, weathered, and overgrown in places, making it unusable for aviation. The associated buildings, including hangars and administrative offices, are in a state of disrepair or have been demolished. The land is unused for its original purpose and shows no signs of active maintenance. Given its location on the southern edge of the city, adjacent to industrial and developing residential areas, the land is likely to be repurposed for urban development in the future.

Saratov South Airport was a significant center for general aviation, flight training, and parachuting in the Saratov region. Its primary operator was the Saratov Aeroclub, which has a storied history. Notably, the first man in space, Yuri Gagarin, famously received his initial flight training at the Saratov Aeroclub in the 1950s (though his training took place at the club's previous location before it operated from Saratov South). The airfield was a successor facility for this historic club. Operations primarily involved light aircraft like the Antonov An-2 for parachute drops and the Yakovlev Yak-52 for pilot training. It was a grassroots aviation hub, not a commercial or major military airport.

There are no known official plans or prospects for reopening Saratov South Airport. The region's aviation needs are now served by the new Saratov Gagarin Airport (UWSG/GSV), which opened in 2019 and replaced the old in-city commercial airport, Saratov Tsentralny. With a modern, large-capacity airport now serving the region, there is no strategic or economic incentive to restore a small, dilapidated general aviation field. The land's value for real estate or industrial development far outweighs its potential as a revived airfield, making its reopening highly improbable.