Ropkey Field

The closure was a result of urban encroachment and the increasing value of the land for commercial real estate. As the suburbs of Indianapolis expanded, the property became more valuable for industrial development than for use as a small, private airfield, leading to its sale and redevelopment.

The site of the former Ropkey Field has been completely redeveloped and is now unrecognizable as an airfield. The land is occupied by the Park 100 industrial complex, a large business park containing numerous warehouses, distribution centers, and commercial office buildings. There are no remaining physical traces of the runway or any airport structures.

Ropkey Field was a privately-owned general aviation airport established by Armor Ropkey sometime between 1946 and 1949. For over two decades, it served the local aviation community on the northwest side of Indianapolis. The airport featured a single unpaved turf runway, approximately 2,200 feet long and aligned north/south (Runway 18/36). It was a typical example of the numerous small, family-owned airfields that supported the post-World War II boom in civil aviation, providing a base for private pilots, flight training, and recreational flying before being overtaken by suburban growth.

There are zero plans or prospects for reopening Ropkey Field. The land has been fully and densely developed for industrial and commercial use for over 40 years, making any return to aviation use impossible.