Nikolayevka-1 Airfield

The primary reason for closure was economic. The airfield was operated by DOSAAF (Voluntary Society for Assistance to the Army, Air Force, and Navy), a Soviet paramilitary sports organization. With the collapse of the Soviet Union, state funding for DOSAAF was drastically cut, leading to the abandonment of most of its infrastructure, including small airfields like Nikolayevka-1. There was no longer a financial basis to maintain the runway, aircraft, and training programs.

The airfield is completely abandoned and non-operational. Satellite imagery shows a clearly visible but unmaintained dirt/gravel runway, which is heavily overgrown with vegetation and crossed by vehicle tracks. The runway is unusable for aviation purposes. Any associated buildings, such as hangars or administrative offices, are in a state of advanced decay or have been repurposed for local agricultural or storage use. The site is effectively a relic of the Soviet era.

During the Soviet era, Nikolayevka-1 Airfield was a significant local center for aviation sports and pre-conscription military training. Its primary operator, DOSAAF, used the airfield for:
- **Initial Flight Training:** Aspiring civilian and military pilots would receive their first flying lessons here, typically on light aircraft such as the Antonov An-2 and Yakovlev Yak-52.
- **Parachute Training:** The airfield was a base for parachute jumping clubs, serving both sports parachutists and military trainees.
- **Local Utility:** While its main purpose was training, its An-2 aircraft were likely also used for occasional local utility tasks, such as light cargo transport or connecting with nearby remote areas in the Kamchatka region. It was an integral part of the Soviet system for mass military and technical preparedness.

There are no known official plans or prospects for reopening the Nikolayevka-1 Airfield. The regional government's focus for aviation development in Kamchatka Krai is on the main Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky (Yelizovo) Airport and maintaining a few key airstrips for essential transport to remote communities. The cost of restoring the runway and infrastructure for modern use would be substantial, and there is no current economic or strategic demand to justify such an investment.