Villa Pesquería (Mátape) Airport

While no official reason has been published, the closure was most likely due to a combination of economic factors and obsolescence. Small, rural airstrips like this often close due to:
1. **Economic Non-viability:** Insufficient air traffic to justify the costs of maintenance, security, and potential certification.
2. **Lack of Demand:** Improved road infrastructure (like Highway 14 connecting to the state capital, Hermosillo) reduced the need for local air travel.
3. **Cessation of Primary Use:** The airstrip may have been primarily used by a specific private entity, such as a large ranch or agricultural business, that no longer required it.

The airport is abandoned and non-operational. Satellite imagery from the coordinates (29.10756, -109.97117) clearly shows the remnant of a dirt runway. The surface is heavily eroded, overgrown with desert scrub and vegetation, and is not maintained for aviation. While the outline of the runway is still visible, it is unsafe and unusable for any aircraft landings or takeoffs. The land appears to have reverted to natural scrubland, with some evidence of occasional use by ground vehicles.

The airport's significance was purely local. It served as a basic general aviation airstrip for the small community of Villa Pesquería (historically known as Mátape). When active, its operations would have included:
- **Private Transportation:** Used by local ranchers, business owners, and private pilots for transport to and from larger cities like Hermosillo.
- **Agricultural Aviation:** Potentially used for crop-dusting or other agricultural support activities in the surrounding region.
- **Air Taxi and Charter:** Provided on-demand air links for passengers and light cargo.
- **Emergency Access:** Could have been used for medical evacuation (medevac) flights, providing a critical link to advanced medical facilities.
It was a simple, unpaved dirt/gravel strip with no terminal, hangars, or fueling services, designed to handle light single-engine and twin-engine propeller aircraft.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening the Villa Pesquería (Mátape) Airport. The small population of the municipality, coupled with its relatively easy road access to the state capital, makes the redevelopment of an airport economically unfeasible. Significant investment would be required to clear, grade, and maintain the runway, and there is no apparent public or commercial demand to support such a project.