Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields:
Northwestern New Mexico
© 2002, © 2009 by Paul Freeman. Revised 9/15/09.
Acomita Intermediate Field (revised 9/15/09) - Dulce Airport (added 12/30/03) - Greater Grants Airport (added 4/10/05)
Transwestern #5 Airfield (revised 9/15/09) - Transwestern #6 Airfield (revised 3/28/04)
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Acomita Intermediate Field, Acomita, NM
35.05 North / 107.71 West (Northwest of Albuquerque, NM)
Acomita Intermediate Field, as depicted on the April 1941 Albuquerque Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
The Acomita Intermediate Field was one of the network of airfields established by the Department of Commerce
for the emergency use of commercial aircraft flying along airways between major cities.
The Acomita Intermediate Field was evidently established at some point between 1929-33,
as it was not yet listed among active airfields in the 1929 Union Oil Airport Directory (according to Chris Kennedy).
The earliest reference to the field which has been located
was in The Airport Directory Company's 1933 Airport Directory (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
It described Acomita as the Department of Commerce's Site 63 on the Los Angeles – Amarillo airway.
The field was described as a 176-acre sod & dirt field,
with three runways (4,130' north/south & northeast/southwest, and 3,360' east/west).
The earliest depiction which has been located of the Acomita Intermediate Field
was on the April 1941 Albuquerque Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
It depicted the field as Site 63.
The 1945 Haire Publishing Company Airport Directory (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
described Acomita as the Civil Aeronautics Adminstration's Site #63.
The field was characterized as “Class 2”, privately owned, but operated by the CAA.
It was said to have three “sod” runways (which were almost certainly not sod),
with the longest being the 4,130' north/south strip.
The designation of the Acomita field has evidently changed at some point between 1945-48 to Site 64,
as that is how it was labeled on the September 1948 Albuquerque Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
The most detailed depiction which has been located of the Acomita Intermediate Field
was in the November 1949 USAF Pilot's Handbook (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
It depicted the field a having three unpaved runways, with the longest being the 4,130' northeast/southwest strip.
No buildings were depicted at the field.
An undated (circa late 1940s – early 1950s?) photo of several buildings & the beacon tower at Acomita (courtesy of Trey Brandt).
An undated (circa late 1940s – early 1950s?) photo of a navigational aid at Acomita (courtesy of Trey Brandt).
The Acomita Intermediate Field was evidently closed at some point between 1949-54,
as it was no longer depicted at all on the September 1954 Albuquerque Sectional Chart (according to Chris Kennedy).
Advances in the range & reliability of commercial aircraft
had obviated the need for the system of Intermediate Fields by that point.
Even though the Acomita airfield had been abandoned for over 47 years,
it was still depicted as an “Abandoned Airfield” on the 1991 USGS topo map.
Note that its former airway beacon was also still depicted, to the southeast of the airfield.
The outline of the former Acomita Intermediate Field was still quite recognizable on the 1991 USGS aerial photo.
Note that the former airway beacon also still appeared to remain, just southeast of the airfield.
The site of the former Acomita Intermediate Field is located a half-mile south of Interstate 40,
8 miles west of Acomita, NM.
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Greater Grants Airport, Grants, NM
35.23 North / 107.85 West (West of Albuquerque, NM)
The Greater Grants Airport, as depicted on the September 1960 Albuquerque Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
Photo of the airfield while in use has not been located.
This fairly large airport was located 5 miles north of Grants.
The Greater Grants Airport was evidently established at some point between 1958-60,
as it was not yet depicted on the May 1958 Albuquerque Sectional Chart (according to Chris Kennedy).
The earliest depiction of the field which has been located
was on the September 1960 Albuquerque Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
It depicted the field as having a 5,300' unpaved runway.
The reason for the town of Grants having a second fairly large airport
(in addition to the Grants Airport just northwest of the town) has not been determined.
According to Chris Kennedy, “Grants was apparently something of a boom town
at the time the airport was open, due to uranium mining.
Maybe somebody got the idea there was a market for an airline there,
or maybe the airport supported the mining activities.”
The 1960 Jeppesen Airway Manual (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
depicted the Greater Grants Airport as having two unpaved runways: 5,300' Runway 1/19 & 4,800' Runway 7/25,
each with parallel taxiways.
A ramp southeast of the runway intersection had three buildings.
The 1963 AOPA Airport Directory (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
described the Greater Grants Airport as having two dirt runways: 6,500' Runway 18/36 & 5,000' Runway 9/27.
The field was said to offer minor repairs, fuel, hangars, tiedowns, charter,
and was operated by Uranium Frontier Airways.
Greater Grants Airport evidently gained a longer paved runway but lost its crosswind runway at some point between 1963-65,
as the 1965 Jeppesen Airway Manual (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
depicted the field as having a single 6,500' paved Runway 1/19.
A ramp on the east side had three buildings.
The last depiction which has been located of the Greater Grants Airport as an active airfield
was on the December 1968 Albuquerque Sectional Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
It depicted Greater Grants as having a single 6,400' paved runway.
The Greater Grants Airport was evidently abandoned (for reasons unknown) at some point between 1968-76,
as it was no longer listed among active airfields in the 1976 AOPA Airports USA Directory (according to Chris Kennedy).
The 1978 USGS topo map still depicted the outline of the two former runways,
as well as four buildings at the site of the Greater Grants Airport, which was labeled simply as “Landing Strips”.
The 1997 USGS aerial photo showed that much of the former east/west runway & its parallel taxiway still remained intact.
Traces of the former northeast/southwest runway were still recognizable, but the southwest portion of it had been covered by a street grid.
The former airport buildings also remained standing.
The present status of the airfield is unknown.
The site of the former Greater Grants Airport is located northeast of the intersection of Route 605 & Tumbleweed Road.
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Transwestern #5 Airfield (97E), Thoreau, NM
35.4 North / 108.25 West (West of Albuquerque, NM)
Transwestern Pipeline #5 Airfield,
as depicted on the August 1962 USAF Operational Navigation Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
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 #5 Airfield has not been determined.
The earliest depiction of the field which has been located
was on the August 1962 USAF Operational Navigation Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
It described the field as having a 6,700' runway.
Transwestern #5 was depicted on the July 1977 World Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
as having a single 5,000' paved runway.
The 1980 USGS topo map still depicted the runway, labeled simply as "Landing Strip".
Transwestern #5 was still listed as a private airfield in the 1982 AOPA Airport Directory (courtesy of Ed Drury).
The Transwestern airfields were still depicted on the 1994 CG-19 Regional Aeronautical Chart (according to David Brooks),
but apparently were closed at some point between 1995-97, when they were no longer depicted on aeronautical charts.
The Transwestern #5 airfield was apparently closed by 1997,
as the 1997 USGS aerial photo depicted the runway as being painted with "X" closed runway markings.
The runway had also apparently been lengthened at some point between 1977-97,
as the aerial photo depicted the runway as being 7,000' long.
A circa 2007 aerial view looking west at the remains of the Transwestern #5 airfield showed the field to remain intact,
with closed runway “X” symbols visible along the runway pavement.
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Transwestern #6 Airfield (70E), New Laguna, NM
35.02 North / 107.42 West (West of Albuquerque, NM)
Transwestern #6, as depicted on the July 1977 World Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
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 #6 Airfield has not been determined.
The earliest depiction of the field which has been located
was on the July 1977 World Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
It described the field as having a single 5,000' paved runway.
It was listed as an active private airfield in the 1982 AOPA Airport Directory (courtesy of Ed Drury).
The Transwestern airfields were still depicted on the 1994 CG-19 Regional Aeronautical Chart (according to David Brooks),
but apparently were closed at some point between 1995-97, when they were no longer depicted on aeronautical charts.
The Transwestern #6 airfield was apparently closed by 1997,
as the 1997 USGS aerial photo depicted the 5,300' paved runway
as being painted with "X" closed runway markings.
The present status of the airfield is unknown.
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Dulce Airport, Dulce, NM
36.93 North / 106.99 West (North of Albuquerque, NM)
Dulce Airport,
as depicted on the October 1963 Sangre De Christo Mountains World Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of Donald Felton).
The date of construction of the Dulce Airport at this location has not been determined.
The earliest reference to a Dulce Airport which has been located
was on the October 1963 Sangre De Christo Mountains World Aeronautical Chart (courtesy of Donald Felton).
It was depicted as a private airfield with a 3,600' unpaved runway.
Dulce Airport, as depicted on the January 1966 USAF Operational Navigation Chart (courtesy of Chris Kennedy).
The "Low Use" airfields section of the 1967 Flight Guide (according to Chris Kennedy)
described Dulce Airport as having a single 3,200' unpaved Runway 13/31.
The runway at Dulce was apparently paved at some point between 1967-72,
as the 1972 Flight Guide (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
depicted the field as having a single 5,000' paved Runway 15/33,
with a small ramp at the northwest end of the runway.
Dulce Airport depicted in the 1993 Flight Guide (courtesy of Chris Kennedy)
as having a 4,800' paved Runway 15/33.
In the 1997 USGS aerial photo, the ramp at the northwestern end of the runway
appeared to have a single small building (a hangar?),
but there was no other sign of any aircraft based at the field.
Dulce Airport was listed as being owned by the Jicarilla Apache Tribe in its later years.
Matt Franklin recalled in 2004, "I remember was driving past the airport in Dulce,
and I remember there being only one plane, which looked like a dumped Piper Navajo with wheel pants."
Dulce Airport was still depicted as an active airfield on the 1998 World Aeronautical Chart.
But it apparently was closed at some point between 1998-2000,
as it was not listed among active airfields in the 2000 AOPA Airport Directory.
Dulce Airport had apparently been replaced by the larger Jicarilla Apache Nation Airport,
which was built at some point between 1983-97, at a less constrained site 10 miles south of Dulce.
Dulce Airport is located southeast of the intersection of Route 64 & Airport Road, appropriately enough.
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