Chaikovskiy Airport

The closure was due to economic reasons. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, the airport, like many other regional airfields in Russia, became unprofitable. This was caused by a sharp decline in passenger demand, the end of state subsidies for regional aviation, and the high costs associated with maintaining the runway, terminal, and navigation equipment.

The airport is currently abandoned and in a state of severe disrepair. The runway is overgrown with grass and shrubs but its outline remains clearly visible. It is unofficially used by local residents for activities such as driving practice, drag racing, and community events. The passenger terminal building and other airport structures are dilapidated, having suffered from neglect and vandalism over the past two decades. The site is not used for any official purpose.

Chaikovskiy Airport was a vital regional air hub for the industrial city of Chaikovskiy in Perm Krai. Established to serve the city built around the Votkinsk Hydroelectric Station, it provided essential passenger and mail transport, connecting the relatively remote city to regional centers. The airport was capable of handling small to medium-sized short-haul aircraft, primarily operating Soviet-era models like the Antonov An-24, Yakovlev Yak-40, and Let L-410. It featured a single paved runway approximately 1500 meters long. Its Russian internal airport index was УСЩЙ (Latin: USSHY).

The possibility of reopening Chaikovskiy Airport has been a recurring topic of discussion among regional authorities in Perm Krai for over a decade. It is often mentioned in long-term strategic plans for the development of regional transportation and tourism. However, these discussions have not led to concrete action primarily due to the prohibitive cost of reconstruction, which is estimated to be well over 1.5 billion rubles. The project would require a complete overhaul of the runway, a new terminal, and modern navigation systems. While the regional government expresses interest, there are no funded, approved plans for its revival in the near future, making its reopening a distant and speculative prospect.