Kurtamysh Airfield

The airfield's closure was a direct result of the economic turmoil following the dissolution of the Soviet Union. The centralized and heavily subsidized Aeroflot system, which operated all civilian aviation, was broken up. The newly formed regional airlines could not afford to maintain unprofitable local routes. The sharp decline in passenger demand and the high operational costs for these small airfields made them economically unviable, leading to a mass closure of similar local airfields across Russia during this period.

The airfield is completely abandoned and non-operational. Satellite imagery shows the unpaved runway is heavily overgrown with grass and shrubs, though its outline is still clearly visible. The former terminal and service buildings, located to the southwest of the runway, are derelict and in a state of advanced decay. The site is not maintained and is being slowly reclaimed by nature. It is not used for any official or commercial purpose.

Kurtamysh Airfield was a typical Class 4 local airport (аэродром местных воздушных линий) within the Soviet transportation network. Its primary role was to connect the district center of Kurtamysh with the regional capital, Kurgan, and potentially other nearby settlements. Operations were handled by the Kurgan United Air Detachment of Aeroflot. The airfield primarily serviced light utility aircraft, most notably the Antonov An-2 biplane. These aircraft were workhorses for short-haul passenger transport, mail delivery, cargo, and agricultural aviation (crop dusting). For many rural communities in the Soviet era, these air links were a vital and often the fastest connection to regional centers.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening Kurtamysh Airfield. The infrastructure has deteriorated beyond repair, and the economic rationale for re-establishing a short-haul air link to Kurtamysh does not exist in the current transportation landscape. Road transport has become the primary means of connection. Any future development of regional aviation in the Kurgan Oblast would likely focus on modernizing the main Kurgan Airport (KVX) or potentially constructing new facilities if a specific, high-demand need were to arise, which is considered highly unlikely for this location.