Kauhava Airfield (KAU)

Kauhava Airfield (KAU) is a significant regional aviation and business facility located in the Southern Ostrobothnia region of Finland. Historically serving as the home base for the Finnish Air Force Training Air Wing until 2014, the site has been transformed into the LSK Business Park, a sprawling industrial and event hub. The facility operates from a functional terminal building that preserves its professional military heritage while providing modern administrative and processing services for general aviation, private charters, and technical personnel moving through this productive part of the Finnish interior. The technical infrastructure at Kauhava is exceptional for a regional airfield, featuring one of the longest asphalt runways in Finland (17/35) that measures approximately 2,700 meters (8,858 feet) in length. This runway capacity allows the airfield to handle large aircraft, including heavy military transports and cargo jets, making it a critical logistical node for the LSK Business Park. The airfield is a vibrant hub for gliding, paragliding, and aero-modeling, and serves as an important base for private business aviation in the Ostrobothnia corridor. Due to its status as a private airfield, pilots are required to maintain high levels of situational awareness and coordinate with the local flying club for access, as winter maintenance is not guaranteed. Passenger and business amenities at Kauhava are uniquely integrated into the LSK Business Park complex. The facility offers a wide range of services, including modern meeting rooms, an auditorium, and the Lentohotelli (Flight Hotel), which provides comfortable accommodation directly within the historic airbase area. While the airfield lacks the large-scale retail malls of Helsinki's hub, it provides high-quality catering services and remote workstations for business travelers. Its strategic location, just 3 kilometers north of the Kauhava town center and near major rail links, ensures that arriving visitors can reach central hotels and industrial sites in less than 10 minutes via a well-organized local transport network.