El Chabacano Airport

No official reason for the closure has been published. Given its nature as a small, private airstrip in a remote region of Chihuahua, the most likely reasons are:
1. **Economic Factors:** The ranch, farm, or business that the airstrip served (likely named 'El Chabacano') may have ceased operations, been sold, or no longer had the economic need or resources to maintain and operate an airstrip.
2. **Abandonment:** The owners may have simply abandoned the strip, discontinuing maintenance until it became unusable.
3. **Government Action (Speculative):** The state of Chihuahua, particularly the Sierra Tarahumara region, has seen extensive military operations to disable clandestine or unauthorized airstrips used for illicit activities by drug cartels. While there is no specific public record of action against MX-2310, its closure fits the pattern of government crackdowns on private airfields in the area to disrupt narco-trafficking routes.

As of the latest satellite imagery, the site is an abandoned and unmaintained airstrip. The dirt runway is still clearly visible from the air, but it is overgrown with vegetation and shows signs of erosion. It is not in a condition suitable for safe aircraft operations without extensive clearing and repair. The surrounding land remains rural and agricultural, and there is no indication that the airstrip's land has been repurposed for other uses.

El Chabacano Airport was a private general aviation airstrip. Its significance was purely local, serving as a vital transportation link for a private entity, most likely a large ranch or agricultural operation, given its name ('El Chabacano' translates to 'The Apricot') and its remote location. Operations would have consisted of light, single or twin-engine propeller aircraft (e.g., Cessna, Piper) used for transporting personnel, light cargo, and supplies to and from the property. It was not a public airport and handled no commercial or scheduled flights. Its runway was an unpaved dirt strip approximately 1,100 meters (3,600 feet) long.

There are no known or published plans to reopen, repair, or re-certify El Chabacano Airport. Due to its private nature, remote location, and the likely disappearance of its original economic purpose, the prospects for reopening are considered extremely low to non-existent. Any future aviation needs in the area would likely be met by a different, officially sanctioned project.