Chart Wise: Tucson (KTUS) VOR or TACAN Rwy 12

Essential knowledge decodes stepdowns, radar requirements, and missed approach segment.

Jason Blair

Wednesday, March 04, 2026 at 08:00 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

There are a variety of great things to do once on the ground in Tucson, Arizona. [Credit: Tucson Airport Authority]

Key Takeaways:

The VOR or TACAN RWY 12 approach in Tucson, AZ, is a nonprecision instrument approach usable by both civilian (VOR) and military (TACAN) aircraft, with specific entry methods potentially requiring radar or GPS.
Pilots navigate the approach using a series of stepdown altitudes determined by DME from the VOR, aiming for a Visual Descent Point (VDP) at 3.5 DME for a stabilized landing.
The missed approach point is located at 2.4 DME, initiating a complex procedure involving an initial climb, a right turn to a specific heading, and then intercepting a radial to a holding point.

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Headed to Tucson, Arizona, for some warmer winter weather? To see nearby national parks or even to visit the Pima Air & Space Museum? If you fly in yourself, you might just use the VOR or TACAN RWY 12 for an approach.

This Article First Appeared in FLYING Magazine

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