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 serves both civilian (VOR) and military (TACAN) aircraft, involving various entry methods and precise DME-based altitude stepdowns during descent.
Pilots must note the missed approach point is at 2.4 DME, not at zero, and requires a specific climb to 4,000 feet followed by a multi-stage right turn and radial intercept to the MADSS holding fix.
A Visual Descent Point (VDP) is provided at 3.5 DME, indicating the optimal point for a normal visual descent to the runway if the environment is in sight, aiding in go-around decisions.

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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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