Jelgava

56°40'18"N 023°40'42"E

runway: 09/27 - 2500x45m - Concrete (CLOSED)
runway: 09/27 - 800x20meters/2625x..feet - Concrete

Air field Jelgava (also known as Yelgava, ICAO: EVEA) is an airfield in Latvia located 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) northwest of Jelgava, a city in Latvia.
It is not known when the airfield was built, but Air Base Jelgava was part of the first defense line of the Soviet Union. Jelgava was a back up base for Air Base Tukums with a single runway. The air base was maintained for emergency use (read: time of war) and used by helicopters and some light aircraft. In the late 80s the runway was extended to allow use by fast jet aircraft.
The 285 OVEREB (285th Independent Electronic Warfare Helicopter Squadron) was based here until the early 1990s flying Mi-8 aircraft.


Aerial overview of Jelgava in 2002 (Google Earth).

After the collapse of the Soviet Union it was used mainly by Rigas Aeroclubs for parachute dropping and general aviation activities.
The aerodrome was built with 2500m long runway, but it was gradually shortened to 800m after the aerodrome was led to privatisation.
According to MyAirfields its condition was average, the runway and taxiways have sharp edges, and there are some uneven plates on the runway.


An28 on a snow covered Jelgava in March 2006.


Jelgava airfield in August 2010 (MyAirfields)