Welch Municipal Airport

The primary reason for the airport's closure was land redevelopment. The site was selected for the construction of a new federal prison. The airport's challenging operational characteristics—a short, unpaved runway on a flattened mountaintop with difficult approaches—likely contributed to its limited use and made it a viable candidate for repurposing.

The site of the former Welch Municipal Airport is now occupied by the Federal Correctional Institution, McDowell (FCI McDowell). The entire airport infrastructure, including the runway and any support buildings, was demolished to construct the medium-security federal prison and its associated facilities, which opened in 2010. The prison complex completely covers the footprint of the former airfield.

Welch Municipal Airport was a classic example of an Appalachian 'ridge-top' airfield, constructed by leveling a mountaintop to create a usable landing strip. It served the general aviation needs of Welch and the surrounding McDowell County, a historically significant coal mining region. The airport, sometimes referred to as Welch Emergency Field, featured a single turf runway approximately 2,500 feet long. It was known among pilots as a particularly challenging airport due to its high elevation relative to the surrounding terrain, short runway, and often 'one-way-in, one-way-out' operations dictated by wind and terrain. Operations were limited to small, single-engine aircraft and pilots experienced in mountain flying.

There are zero prospects for reopening the airport. The site has been permanently and irrevocably redeveloped with the construction of a large, high-security federal prison. The original land is no longer available, and there are no known plans to establish a new airport for Welch.