Hebei Airlines crew take part in the largest test to date at Beijing Daxing International Airport on Aug 30. [Photo by Chen Zebing / China Daily]

Once serving as an aircraft performance-testing venue, Nanyuan Airport in Beijing's southern suburban district of Fengtai has seen both the glories and the downside of the aviation industry.

As China's first airport, Nanyuan was mainly used by the military and served as a training center for air and ground troops. It will close by the end of this month as a new facility nearby－Daxing International Airport－opens for operations.