The single runway of Tenerife South almost perfectly aligns with the towns of El Médano and Los Abrigos. It is dedicated to the Queen of Spain, Reina Sofía, and started operating in 1978, a year after one of the world’s worst air accidents. In 1977, a Pan Am and a KLM 747 collided during take-off in very foggy conditions in what is now Tenerife North.

El Médano is best known for its tight knit surfing community. The view from its small beaches is almost always littered with the sails of wind and kite surfers as they battle the strong, predominantly north-easterly wind. In the far distance, you can just about make out the approaching planes as they make their turn and final approach over Los Abrigos.

The area a bit further inland around the airport is pretty raw. Here you can find burned-out cars and scattered building supplies alongside faintly visible paths. Visitors include dog walkers and mountain bikers chasing trails, their silhouettes spread across the vastness of the mostly unfriendly terrain.

The landscape is unpolished, unlike the resorts or the jets that land and take off, which are all so chiseled and fine-tuned. From a distance, you wouldn't even know that there was an airport here. It almost melts into the surrounding terrain. It sits on a long stretch of relatively flat terrain, with mountains in the far distance and the sea a few kilometres away. A good place for an airport: plenty of space, no big towns, and it connects seamlessly with a major trunk road that runs the length of the island.

There is a makeshift plane-spotting platform on a path that runs parallel to the runway. Constructed of leftover concrete and wooden cargo pallets, it is a precarious place to stand for any length of time, especially in windy conditions. It feels like you're skating the law right next to an airfield, which is heavily policed — but for those reasons exactly, it's exhilarating.

Tenerife South is an going project. This is but a short edit of all the many photos and short films clips I have made.