Opole-Polska Nowa Wieś Airport

Opole-Polska Nowa Wieś Airport (IATA code: QPM, ICAO code: EPOP) is a sports airfield operated by the Opole Aero Club named after the Warsaw Uprising Aviators, featuring a natural grass runway. Registered since 1971, it is located in Polska Nowa Wieś, approximately 15 km from Opole. The airfield has three grass runways: a central one measuring 750 x 100 m and two parallel runways, each 650 x 100 m. It operates seasonally, from Monday to Friday. The facility includes a hangar and the aero club’s offices, as well as a Forest Air Base where aircraft and helicopters related to medical rescue operations are stationed. Notably, in 2016, a base for the Helicopter Emergency Medical Service was established at the airport, enhancing its role in rescue operations. Historically, the airfield was established in 1936 as Fliegerhorst Neudorf O/S., part of German military strategy, which involved intensive pilot training during World War II. In 1939, the nearby railway station was bombed, and the airfield was visited by Adolf Hitler and Hermann Göring. During the war, it served military purposes and was linked to local areas, including a former peat bog used for military training. After the war, the site was transformed into a sports airfield, with some historical buildings still preserved, including a wooden hangar now used for civilian purposes. Interestingly, in 1984, a plane crash occurred at the airport, resulting in 12 fatalities. The airfield also holds cultural significance; the plot of the novel "Modliszka" and selected short stories are set in its context, highlighting its historical importance and developmental trajectory. Modern transport connections, such as city buses, provide easy access to the airport, which remains an important regional hub.