Vajnory Slovaki Airfield

The final closure was driven by economic reasons and urban expansion. The valuable land, located on the edge of the growing city of Bratislava, was sold to a private real estate developer (IURIS Group) for a large-scale residential and commercial development project. The continued operation of a sports airfield was incompatible with this plan.

The site of the former airfield is currently being transformed into a new urban district named 'Nesto'. The project is a multi-phase development that includes residential apartment buildings, office spaces, retail, and public amenities. Construction is underway, and the first phases are completed or nearing completion. Much of the original airport infrastructure, including the runways and hangars, has been demolished or has fallen into decay. For many years after its closure and before heavy construction began, the abandoned runways were a popular spot for locals to walk, cycle, inline skate, and fly kites.

Vajnory Airfield holds a profound place in Slovak history. It was established in 1923 as the first official airport for Bratislava.

Key historical points:
- **Štefánik's Crash:** The site is most famously associated with the tragic death of General Milan Rastislav Štefánik, a co-founder of Czechoslovakia, whose plane crashed here on May 4, 1919, upon his return to his homeland. A monument to this event stands nearby.
- **Interwar Hub:** From its opening until the end of World War II, it served as Bratislava's main airport, handling domestic flights operated by Československé štátne aerolínie (Czechoslovak State Airlines) to Prague, as well as international connections.
- **Post-WWII Role:** After the new, larger airport (now M. R. Štefánik Airport, LZIB) opened in 1951, Vajnory (which formerly used the ICAO code LZVB) was repurposed for general aviation. It became the home of the local aeroclub, Aeroklub Vajnory, and was used extensively for sport flying, gliding, pilot training, and parachuting for over 50 years.

There are zero prospects for reopening the site as an airport. The land has been irrevocably sold, rezoned, and is undergoing large-scale, permanent construction. The development of a dense urban district makes any future aviation activity impossible.