Here is a long, dead end road. When the pavement ends it turns to dirt and then continues on. Then, just before it ends- going to nowhere- is 4,000 feet of straight pavement. Story has it that drugs were smuggled in back in the '60's and '70's' by large cargo planes landing here in the middle of nowhere.

Where is this located?

Let me guess, Arkansas?

Arkansas would be a good guess, but its actually Steinhatchee Florida and is known as "The Road To Nowhere".

It kind of reminds me of the road from Opalaka to Dade Collier; it was long, straight as an arrow but littered with gators, kind of like speed bumps in the dark

We used roads like that near fields we wanted to treat. One of the pilots picked one that hadn't been trimmed recently, like that one. Took most of the fabric off the wings. Oh yeah, in Arkansas.

There’s a long stretch of jungle road that looks identical to that picture just south of Mahahual down near the Mexico Belize border. The road ends in a little place called Xcalak. I’ve been chasing permits there for the last handful of years with an American ex-pat who’s been there since the 70s. For a town of 350 people, they sure have a long runway. I can only imagine what’s gone down here over the years.

Near Othón P. Blanco, Quintana Roo, Mexico
https://goo.gl/maps/iz1t3idMLH9KRxJ96.

Edit: it’s no surprise the lagoon to the east of the runway is called the cemetery lagoon.

Let me guess, Arkansas?

Why use the road when the Mena airport worked so much better? Some of our very honorable gov't at work!!! Also, back in the 80's my Dad owned the airport at Mound City MO and the runway looked like a service road next to Interstate 29. One day a Cherokee was sitting in one stall of an open front hangar with two 40 ft stalls. Dad was friends with the local state trooper and had him look into it. Later the ST told Dad not to confront anybody that might show up for that airplane but to block it. Dad parked a 40 ft semi van trailer so it was half and half. It was watched for days and I happened to be visiting one weekend. On a Sunday after church we were having a picnic north of town a couple of miles when a twin Aero Commander flew in and a bunch of guys picked the plane up and got it out and flew it away. The word was it was connected to people in Omaha but nothing ever happened. A year or more later that same plane made a night landing in a cornstalk field a few miles north of town and I think wiped the nose gear out but the pilot was never found.

You looking into new business opportunities, Phil?

MTV

If you’re ever down in Central American just beware of cables or chains strung across the grass/dirt runways. A lot of these plantations have Ag strips and they don’t like uninvited guests flying in.

Nushi wrote:There’s a long stretch of jungle road that looks identical to that picture just south of Mahahual down near the Mexico Belize border. The road ends in a little place called Xcalak. I’ve been chasing permits there for the last handful of years with an American ex-pat who’s been there since the 70s. For a town of 350 people, they sure have a long runway. I can only imagine what’s gone down here over the years.

Near Othón P. Blanco, Quintana Roo, Mexico
https://goo.gl/maps/iz1t3idMLH9KRxJ96.

I'm in Huatulco at the moment. Would be interesting to fly there and check it out. From where I am I would have to transition Belize airspace on the way, adding to the adventure...

rw2 wrote:I'm in Huatulco at the moment. Would be interesting to fly there and check it out. From where I am I would have to transition Belize airspace on the way, adding to the adventure...

Sounds like fun. From what I know the airstrip is controlled by the Mexican army which has a small outpost on the south side of town. They “guard” the canal that separates Mx from Belize as well as the airstrip. Our ex-pat friend says that folks can land there depending on what Mexican army official is there at the time. Seems sketchy to me but I’m a waspy gringo.

Great fishing in the bay and diving on the reef out front. The town itself is super chill.

Nushi wrote:Our ex-pat friend says that folks can land there depending on what Mexican army official is there at the time.

Got it. I'll work it from my side also, but if you're willing to send contact info for your buddy in PM, I would welcome it.

There was a time in the late '80's when a Skydiving Caravan was trying to fly on molasses in that region, worked poorly. Then the owners tried skydiving with parachutes inexplicably sewn shut, with a bunch of nose candy strapped to themselves. Fun loving group. I think they kind of pissed off somebody somewhere. Like the dinosaurs, they left footprints for future generations.

https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/fl-xpm-1985-10-07-8502130424-story.html

dogpilot wrote:There was a time in the late '80's when a Skydiving Caravan was trying to fly on molasses in that region, worked poorly. Then the owners tried skydiving with parachutes inexplicably sewn shut, with a bunch of nose candy strapped to themselves. Fun loving group. I think they kind of pissed off somebody somewhere. Like the dinosaurs, they left footprints for future generations.

https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/fl-xpm-1985-10-07-8502130424-story.html

Cowboy's caravan