Nicolás Bravo Airport

Military Conversion. The airport was closed to civilian traffic and completely repurposed by the Mexican Secretariat of National Defense (SEDENA) to become Military Air Base No. 13 (Base Aérea Militar No. 13, BAM-13). This was a strategic decision to establish a permanent air force presence in the Sierra Tarahumara region to combat organized crime, drug trafficking, and illegal logging in the area known as the 'Golden Triangle' (a region spanning parts of Chihuahua, Sinaloa, and Durango).

The site is an active and fully operational military installation: Base Aérea Militar No. 13 (BAM-13) of the Mexican Air Force (Fuerza Aérea Mexicana). The facility was significantly upgraded with new hangars, barracks, a command center, and improved runway and apron infrastructure. It houses aircraft, including helicopters (like the Bell 412) and surveillance planes, and serves as a forward operating base for security and reconnaissance missions. The base is strictly controlled by the military and is closed to all public and civilian air traffic.

Prior to its military conversion, Nicolás Bravo Airport was a small regional aerodrome (aeródromo) serving the municipality of Madera and the surrounding remote, mountainous region. Its primary function was to support general aviation. Operations included private aircraft, air taxi services providing crucial transportation for residents, and logistical flights for local industries like logging and mining. It was an important, albeit small-scale, infrastructure asset for connecting this isolated part of Chihuahua, but it did not handle scheduled commercial flights from major airlines.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening the airport to civilian use. Given its current role as a strategic military base established to address long-term national security challenges in the region, it is extremely unlikely that it will be converted back to a civilian facility in the foreseeable future. Its military function is considered a permanent and vital asset for the Mexican Armed Forces.