Santa Ana Viejo Airport

Replacement and obsolescence. The old airport was a basic, unpaved dirt strip. A new, superior facility, Santa Ana Airstrip (MM34), was constructed nearby with a paved asphalt runway, better lighting, and improved facilities to accommodate larger, faster aircraft and provide more reliable, all-weather operations. The 'Viejo' (Old) airport was then decommissioned as it was redundant.

The airport is permanently closed and abandoned. Satellite imagery shows the faint outline of the former dirt runway, but it is heavily weathered and overgrown with vegetation. The land has been repurposed for agricultural use, likely grazing or farming, and is crisscrossed by farm tracks. There are no remaining airport structures such as hangars or terminal buildings on the site.

Santa Ana Viejo Airport served as the primary air access point for the town of Santa Ana and the surrounding agricultural region for several decades. As a simple dirt airstrip, it primarily handled light general aviation aircraft. Operations included:
- **Private Aviation:** Use by local ranchers and business owners.
- **Air Taxi Services:** Connecting Santa Ana with regional hubs like Hermosillo.
- **Agricultural Aviation:** Supporting local farming through crop dusting and aerial surveying.
- **Medical Evacuation:** Providing a vital link for emergency medical transport.
It was a fundamental piece of local infrastructure before being replaced by the modern MM34 airstrip.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening Santa Ana Viejo Airport. Its reopening is considered highly improbable for the following reasons:
1. **Redundancy:** The community is adequately served by the nearby, modern Santa Ana Airstrip (MM34).
2. **Land Use:** The site has been reclaimed for agricultural purposes.
3. **Economic Feasibility:** It would be economically unjustifiable to restore the old, abandoned airstrip when a superior facility is already operational just a few kilometers away.