Chernogolovka Airfield

Primarily economic reasons. The airfield was a departmental facility funded by the USSR Academy of Sciences to serve the Chernogolovka scientific center (a 'Naukograd' or 'science city'). With the collapse of the Soviet Union, state funding for science and its supporting infrastructure was severely cut, making the airfield's operation financially unsustainable. There was no sufficient commercial or private demand to replace the state-sponsored traffic.

The airfield is abandoned and in a state of advanced decay. The paved runway, approximately 1200 meters long, remains visible on satellite imagery but is heavily cracked, overgrown with vegetation, and unusable for any formal aviation. Associated buildings, such as the small terminal and hangars, are derelict. The site is not officially used for any purpose, but it is known to be used by locals for unauthorized activities, including drag racing, driver training, and flying drones or model aircraft. The land is federally owned, and its future has been a subject of discussion, with past proposals for non-aviation redevelopment such as logistics or industrial parks.

The airfield was an integral part of the infrastructure for Chernogolovka, a major center for physics and chemistry research in the Soviet Union. Built in the 1960s, its primary purpose was to provide rapid and secure transportation for the scientific community. It handled passenger flights for scientists, high-ranking officials, and international delegations, as well as the transport of urgent scientific cargo, sensitive materials, and specialized equipment. It connected Chernogolovka with Moscow and other key scientific centers across the USSR, bypassing commercial routes. The airfield typically serviced small to medium-sized aircraft such as the Antonov An-2, Let L-410 Turbolet, and occasionally the Yakovlev Yak-40.

There are no known official plans or credible prospects for reopening Chernogolovka Airfield for aviation purposes. The prohibitive cost of restoring the runway, navigation systems, and ground infrastructure to meet modern safety standards, combined with the proximity of Moscow's major international airports (Sheremetyevo, Domodedovo, Vnukovo) and the nearby Chkalovsky military air base, makes its revival as an airport economically unviable. Future development plans for the valuable land are focused on commercial or industrial redevelopment rather than a return to aviation.