Los Chinos Airport

No single official reason for the closure has been published. The most likely reasons, common for small, private airstrips in this remote region of Mexico, are a combination of factors: 1) **Economic Abandonment:** The airstrip likely served a private enterprise, such as a local mine or a large ranch, and was abandoned when that operation ceased. 2) **Counter-Narcotics Operations:** The Sierra Madre Occidental region is known for illicit trafficking. It is highly probable that the airstrip was intentionally rendered unusable by Mexican military (SEDENA) or law enforcement authorities to prevent it from being used as a clandestine logistics point for drug trafficking.

The site is completely abandoned and derelict. Recent satellite imagery confirms that the former runway is unmaintained, heavily overgrown with vegetation, and eroded, making it completely unusable for any type of aircraft. There are no remaining buildings, hangars, or any other aviation infrastructure at the location. The land has effectively reverted to undeveloped rural terrain.

Los Chinos Airport was a small, private-use dirt airstrip with no significant national or regional historical importance. Its function was purely utilitarian and local. When active, it would have handled small, single-engine aircraft with Short Takeoff and Landing (STOL) capabilities, such as Cessna or Piper models. Operations were likely limited to supporting remote activities in the rugged terrain, including personnel and supply transport for mining explorations, large-scale ranching, or other private ventures. Given its isolated location, it is also plausible that it was used for illicit air logistics.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening Los Chinos Airport. The reopening is considered extremely unlikely due to a complete lack of economic incentive, the absence of any nearby population center or industry to support it, and the high cost of rebuilding the runway and securing the remote site. Any attempt to reactivate the airstrip would likely face significant scrutiny from Mexican authorities due to the region's security profile.