Tuzla Airstrip

Military operational changes and urban development. The airstrip is located within the Turkish Naval Academy. Its primary function for manned aircraft training became redundant as the Turkish Armed Forces consolidated flight training at larger, better-equipped airbases like Topel Naval Air Station (LTFQ). Furthermore, the rapid urban growth of the Tuzla district in Istanbul made frequent flight operations from this short runway increasingly impractical and unsafe.

The site is an active and high-security military installation, serving as the campus for the Turkish Naval Academy. The runway pavement is still physically intact. It is now primarily used as a parade ground for military ceremonies, for drills, and potentially for driver training. It may also be used for the operation and training of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), a common modern use for such legacy military airstrips.

The airstrip's sole significance was as a training facility for the Turkish Naval Academy (Deniz Harp Okulu). It served as an on-site runway for basic flight training, aviation familiarization for naval cadets, and potentially for operating light aircraft and helicopters associated with the academy. It was an integral part of the practical military education provided at the institution, giving cadets direct exposure to an aviation environment.

There are zero prospects for this airstrip to reopen for any public or commercial aviation use. Its location inside a critical military academy, its short runway length, and its position within a densely populated urban area make it completely unsuitable for civilian operations. Its future use will remain exclusively military.