A tiny airport straddling the Minnesota-Canada border will shut down for good on Friday after more than 70 years of operations. The Piney-Pinecreek Border Airport, one of only six general aviation airports in the US that share a border with Canada, will close due to maintenance costs.
The airport has a unique international agreement with its Canadian counterpart, but officials have determined it is no longer financially viable. MnDOT estimates $3.8 million in short-term updates and repairs through 2028, with almost $9.5 million over the next 20 years. With an average of 200 aircraft using the facility a year, the cost proved too high to justify.
The airport’s busiest users are fishermen and hunters, who take advantage of its summer months. It has also accommodated medical emergencies, flight training for pilots, and transfers of human organs for transplants. The closure will likely have little fanfare, but it marks the end of a rare and unique aviation experience.
Source: https://www.startribune.com/after-seven-decades-a-rare-airport-straddling-the-us-canada-border-is-closing-for-good-in-minnesota/601198757