Gobernador Gordillo, AR 🇦🇷 Closed Airport
AR-0744
-
1502 ft
AR-F
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Loading...GPS Code: Not available
Local Code: Not available
Location: -30.345301° N, -66.293602° E
Continent: SA
Type: Closed Airport
Keywords: SACT SACT GOR
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| Designation | Length | Width | Surface | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1/19 |
6726 ft | 98 ft | ASP | Active Lighted |
| Type | Description | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| RDO | GORDILLO RDO | 118.5 MHz |
Not applicable in the traditional sense. The airport identified by the coordinates and name is the Base Aérea Militar Chamical (Chamical Military Air Base), which has never been a public commercial airport and remains an active military installation. The 'closed' status in some unofficial databases refers to its lack of public access, not a cessation of operations. The ICAO code AR-0744 is an unofficial, non-standard identifier; the official ICAO code for the active military base is SACT.
The facility was established and has always operated as a military base. It was never intended for regular civilian or commercial air traffic, so it was not 'closed' to the public but rather has always been restricted. Its primary purpose has consistently been for military and aerospace research operations under the control of the Argentine Air Force.
The site is an active military installation known as Base Aérea Militar Chamical (ICAO: SACT). It is operated by the Argentine Air Force. While the large-scale rocket launch activities of the Cold War era have ceased, the base remains operational for tactical air force operations, training exercises, and logistical support. It hosts various air force units and continues to be a strategic asset for the Argentine military in the region.
The site has immense historical significance for Argentina's military and space programs.
1. **Establishment:** It was created as a strategic air base for the Argentine Air Force (Fuerza Aérea Argentina) in the 1940s.
2. **Aerospace Research (CELPA):** Its most famous role was as the home of the 'Centro de Experimentación y Lanzamiento de Proyectiles Autopropulsados' (CELPA), established in 1961. This made Chamical the primary center for Argentina's rocket and missile development for several decades. Numerous sounding rockets (like the Orion, Canopus, Rigel) and prototypes for military missiles, including the controversial Cóndor missile program, were tested and launched from here.
3. **'Dirty War' Era:** During Argentina's last military dictatorship (1976-1983), the Chamical Air Base was used as a clandestine detention, torture, and extermination center. It is notoriously linked to the murder of French priests Gabriel Longueville and Carlos de Dios Murias in 1976, who were abducted and held at the base before their deaths.
There are no known plans or prospects for reopening the site for public or commercial civilian use. Its status as an active and strategic military installation under the control of the Argentine Air Force precludes any civilian operations. Its function is exclusively military.
This airport is no longer operational. Cause, its runway have asphalt layer detachment or releases.