Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields:
Central New Mexico
© 2002, © 2008 by Paul Freeman. Revised 6/16/08.
Transwestern #7 Airfield (added 3/29/04) - Transwestern #8 Airfield (revised 6/16/08)
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Transwestern #7 Airfield (77E), Mountainair, NM
34.32 North / 106.27 West (South of Albuquerque, NM)
"Landing Strip", as depicted on the 1972 USGS topo map.
Photo of the airfield while in use has not been located.
Transwestern #7 was apparently one of a string of former private airfields owned by the Transwestern pipeline company,
whose pipeline runs adjacent to the airfield to the north.
Each of the Transwestern airfields were constructed adjacent to one of a series of compressor stations
located along the pipeline (according to a map located by David Brooks).
The date of construction of the Transwestern #7 Airfield has not been determined.
It may have been built at some point between 1970-72,
as it was not yet depicted on the 1970 USGS topo map (but it is also possible that it was simply overlooked by the mapmakers).
The earliest depiction of the Transwestern #7 Airfield which has been located
was on the 1972 USGS topo map,
which depicted a single 7,600' east/west runway, labeled simply as "Landing Strip".
The July 1977 World Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
depicted "Transwestern #7" as a private field having a single 7,300' paved runway.
"Transwestern Pipeline #7" was listed as an active private airfield
in the 1982 AOPA Airport Directory (courtesy of Ed Drury).
It was described as having a single 7,300' asphalt Runway 8/26,
and the remarks said "Private. Use at own risk."
The Transwestern airfields were still depicted on the 1994 CG-19 Regional Aeronautical Chart (according to David Brooks).
The Transwestern #7 airfield was evidently abandoned at some point between 1994-97,
as it was no longer depicted on the 1997 Sectional Chart.
The Transwestern #7 airfield was apparently closed by 1997,
as the 1997 USGS aerial photo depicted the runway as being painted with "X" closed runway markings.
No buildings or other aviation facilities were visible at the airfield.
The Transwestern #7 Airfield was depicted as an abandoned airfield on the 1998 World Aeronautical Chart.
The present status of the airfield is unknown.
The Transwestern #7 Airfield is located 15 miles southwest of the intersection of Route 60 & Route 55.
Thanks to Chris Kennedy for pointing out this airfield.
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Transwestern #8 Airfield (62E), Laguna, NM, Corona, NM
33.92 North / 105.34 West (Southeast of Albuquerque, NM)
The 1981 USGS topo map depicted the Transwestern #8 Airfield as having a single runway,
labeled simply as “Landing Strip”.
Photo of the airport while open has not been located.
Transwestern #8 was apparently one of a string of former private airfields owned by the Transwestern pipeline company,
whose pipeline runs adjacent to the airfield to the south.
Each of the Transwestern airfields were constructed adjacent to one of a series of compressor stations
located along the pipeline (according to a map located by David Brooks).
The Transwestern #8 Airfield was apparently built at some point between 1966-81,
as it was not depicted at all on the 1966 Roswell Sectional Chart (courtesy of John Voss).
The earliest depiction of the airfield which has been located is the 1981 USGS topo map,
which labeled it simply "Landing Strip".
The July 1977 World Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
depicted "Transwestern #8" as a private field having a single 5,000' paved runway.
Transwestern Pipeline #8 Airfield was listed as an active private airfield
in the 1982 AOPA Airport Directory (courtesy of Ed Drury),
with a single 5,000' asphalt Runway 9/27.
In the 1996 USGS aerial photo the Transwestern #8 runway was clearly marked with closed runway “X” symbols.
Transwestern Pipeline #8 was apparently kept open somewhat longer than the rest of the Transwestern airfields,
as the 1998 World Aeronautical Chart still depicted it as an active private airfield,
with a 5,000' paved runway.
It apparently closed at some point between 1998-2003,
as it was depicted as an abandoned airfield on 2003 aeronautical charts.
Bill Suffa overflew the Transwestern #8 airfield in 2003 and remarked,
"The airfield has big X's along the runway,
but otherwise looks in good condition (as best I could tell at 17,000 ft)."
A circa 2006 aerial view looking northwest along the Transwestern #8 runway.
The airfield is located in an extremely remote & desolate area, 30 miles southeast of Corona, NM.
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