Tucson Provides GA Gateway to Military Aviation History

Tucson, Arizona, is typically known for superb year-round weather with ample outdoor recreation, an intense night sky, and distinct Southwestern culture. But pilots should know it as one of the country’s best aviation destinations. 

Whether you are visiting via Tucson International Airport (KTUS), Ryan Airfield (KRYN), or Marana Regional Airport (KAVQ), there are a variety of great things to do once on the ground. An aviator’s short list should include one of the world’s best aviation museums, Pima Air & Space Museum, multiple aircraft boneyards, several acclaimed airport restaurants, and opportunities to fly in unique ways. 

Approximately 60 miles from Mexico, Tucson is a great stopover if you are looking to do some flying south of the border. It’s also a convenient place to begin a trip exploring some of Arizona’s many backcountry or otherwise notable airstrips.

This Article First Appeared in FLYING Magazine

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And while the scenery is perhaps best viewed from the air, it’s most certainly best enjoyed from the ground. There are several national and state parks worth checking out, with hiking, stargazing, wildlife viewing, and other recreational opportunities. 

Flying In

Tucson sits in the Sonoran Desert, about an hour and a half drive to the southeast of Phoenix. It is about the same distance from Nogales, Mexico, which is one of the country’s economic centers that straddles the U.S. border. Some other major points of interest within a few hours flight include Bisbee, Sedona, and Yuma. Consider adding those as detours when flying to Tucson.

Many will make the trip to the “Old Pueblo,” as Tucson is often referred to, by way of Phoenix, which in of itself is a great place for aviators to spend a night or two. On the way be sure to pay attention to the airspace, due to considerable military activity, and read the NOTAMs for any nearby airports if you are flying over that airspace. Due to the high level of skydiving, hot-air balloon, and glider activity in the area, exercise caution to others sharing the sky. 

While keeping your eyes peeled for other traffic, be sure not to miss the incredible views below you as the desert floor and rising terrain create one of the Southwest’s most distinct settings. There is a selection of mountains that dominate the skyline, with the highest being the Santa Catalina Mountains to the north. At 9,171 feet, Mount Lemmon is its peak. 

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While this and other nearby peaks quickly rise thousands of feet agl, the mountainous terrain overall is of little concern to inbound pilots. There are a number of cutaways for clear passage, or shorter sections to fly over. Be sure to plan routes to avoid Mount Lemmon, Rincon Peak, Mount Fagan, Keystone Peak, and Wasson Peak as you descend into the area. 

The weather is also typically a nonfactor, as precipitation is infrequent, and winds typically stay relatively calm. That said, monsoon season runs from June to September and that is when severe thunderstorms and strong winds are not uncommon, especially in the afternoons and evenings. Microbursts can also happen during this time, and there is a high-density altitude during the hot summer months. 

“The center point for the airspace around here is Tucson International, which is Charlie airspace,” said Eric Redweik, a locally based pilot. “Then just outside of the Class Charlie there is a Delta towered airport, Ryan Airfield. There is also Marana Regional Airport, north of the Tucson Charlie airspace, which is an untowered facility that’s very busy. There is a lot of student training and parachute activity in and out of that airport. Then just north of that we have Pinal Airpark (KMZJ), which is a big commercial aircraft maintenance base. We also have a lot of MOAs [Military Operations Areas] around us here.” 

Airports

Tucson International is a common choice for visiting pilots and is the closest option to the city’s center, as well as the University of Arizona. Local flight instructor Savannah Ivanitski flies from the airport frequently.

“Tucson International is a surprisingly GA friendly Charlie airport, especially being as busy as they are,” Ivanitski said. “It’s a unique experience flying here because the Air National Guard operates F-16s out of here, so you can often see fighters, airliners, and general aviation aircraft all in the pattern together.” 

Davis-Monthan Air Force Base (KDMA) is only 4 nm away, which means there are actually two separate Class C airspaces that operate under one approach control facility. Even though there is a lot of military traffic and nearby MOAs, Ivanitski notes that the airspace isn’t necessarily complicated and that the approach controllers are accommodating. They are always willing to provide flight following or help pilots find their way around. 

Like Tucson International, Ryan Airfield is also owned and operated by the Tucson Airport Authority. It serves as a reliever for its commercial service sibling and has an air traffic control (ATC) tower that is staffed between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m. MST every day. Like many of the aerodromes in the area, its origins arose from a military purpose, serving as an Army Air Corps training base in the 1940s. 

Situated on 1,876 acres, the airport sits southwest of town and has three asphalt runways, two of which are parallel to one another. The longest of the three runways comes in at 5,500 feet long and the shortest is 4,010. There are ILS and RNAV approaches on Runway 06R. Runway 06L is closed when the tower is not in operation. There is a collection of businesses based at the airport, including an FBO and restaurant, Richie’s Cafe, that is open daily until 2 p.m. 

Marana Regional is another GA-friendly option within a short drive of Tucson’s many attractions. Sitting at an elevation of 2,301 feet, the airport is about 20 minutes from downtown and sports two runways, the primary of which is a 6,901-foot-long asphalt surface. Both ends of the two runways have GPS approaches and are lighted.

The airport is served by one FBO, which offers both 100LL and jet-A fuel. Pilots can also fuel up at the airport, as Sky Rider Cafe serves breakfast and lunch seven days a week. The waitstaff may recommend the huevos rancheros, patty melt, or daily special. You won’t go wrong with whatever you choose. 

Static Aviation Artifacts 

One of the biggest draws for aviation geeks to visit Tucson is to see decommissioned or otherwise idle aircraft. Two sites have become renowned for hosting these types of airplanes from around the world. The area’s dry climate makes it the perfect spot to preserve aircraft without the need for hangars. 

Davis-Monthan Air Force Base is home to a number of units but is perhaps most notable for being home to the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group, which operates the boneyard where thousands of military aircraft are stored. Public tours are no longer available, but you may receive permission from approach to fly over the facility. 

Pinal Airpark, northwest of town, is another important site for the life cycle of the global aviation fleet. Commercial aircraft fly there for both storage and reclamation.

“When the airport was constructed in 1942 as the Marana Army Airfield, the military built five other support fields for it,” said Jim Petty, Pinal Airpark’s manager. “Three of those are in use today, and one is actually Marana Regional Airport. During World War II 10,000 pilots were trained here, and 4,000 pilots were trained here from 1951 to 1957.”

Pinal Airpark has been a destination for aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul since the 1950s. There have been many companies operating in that capacity there since, but the airport was only recently opened to the public. The county began actively managing the airport in 2012.

“The airport property is 1,680 acres, and the airside where the aircraft are stored is probably around 700 acres,” said Petty, noting that there are multiple MRO facilities at the airport. “Right now, we have probably about 260 aircraft on the field and the most we ever had was 520, which was during COVID. I try to host tours when my schedule allows it, Monday through Thursday, and average two or three a week. A tour typically lasts for about an hour, where we cover the history of the airport for about 15 minutes, then we get in my vehicle and drive around the runway.

“We have primarily Boeing and Airbus commercial aircraft, both narrowbody and widebody, and both passenger and freighter configurations. The aircraft in parking and storage will either be parted out or returned to service eventually.”

These aircraft can be easily seen from both the pattern and ramp, so you will see these parked aircraft even if you aren’t able to take advantage of a formal tour. The Arizona National Guard’s Silverbell Army Heliport sits adjacent to the facility, so you may also see a variety of helicopters and parachute operations. 

Pima Air & Space Museum 

Celebrating its 50th anniversary in May, the Pima Air & Space Museum boasts a collection of around 400 aircraft and spacecraft. It is the country’s largest nongovernment-funded aviation museum with 250,000 square feet of covered exhibits and a number of rare artifacts under its curation.

The collection spans commercial, general aviation, and military aircraft. Some highlights include an SR-71 Blackbird, B-29 Superfortress, Boeing 787 Dreamliner, Martin PBM Mariner, and Wright Flyer replica. The breadth of exhibits ranges from aerial reconnaissance to freshwater aircraft carriers to women in flight. The museum is easily enjoyed without staff support, but guided tours are available, as are three different aircraft simulators. You can also peek at the many aircraft being restored by tireless volunteers. 

In addition to the indoor collection, there are 80 acres of outdoor displays. The aircraft outside are just as noteworthy as the ones inside, with bombers and commercial airplanes too large for the facility’s hangars being popular to check out. There is a Beechcraft Starship, Boeing VC-137B “Freedom One,” North American RA-5C Vigilante, and much more. 

Be sure to include the 390th Memorial Museum on the itinerary. This is a separate on-field museum included with standard admission. The facility serves as home to the last B-17 Flying Fortress flown by any branch of the U.S. military and displays vehicles, exhibits, and artifacts that unearth WWII, specifically the efforts of the 390th Bomb Group. This group was instrumental in dropping food to the citizens of the Netherlands toward the end of the war, and its members have shared harrowing recollections of their experiences as prisoners of war. 

Titan Missile Museum

Tucson has served as an important site for the country’s national defense throughout the past century, particularly during the Cold War. 

A reminder of this secretive part of American history is preserved at the Titan Missile Museum in nearby Green Valley. The facility was constructed in 1963 and is the last of the 54 Titan II missile sites that were on alert until 1987. Visitors travel several stories underground to see how the missile complex was operated, and even view a simulated launch sequence. Not only do you take in the crew quarters and launch control facility, but you actually will also see a real Titan II missile. This 103-foot-long intercontinental ballistic missile serves as a visual reminder of a pivotal chapter in world history. 

Non-Powered Flying

There are many ways to fly without an engine in the Tucson area. Skydiving and hot-air-balloon rides are popular choices, as are gliders. The Tucson Soaring Club was formed in 1967 and  has about 120 members. The group has seven gliders of varying types and two Piper PA-25 Pawnee towplanes. 

“We operate year-round, and one of the unique things about our organization, as opposed to other clubs around the country, is that we don’t have to shut down during the winter,” said Eric Redweik, a longtime club member. “Our operation is really heavy with big cross-country soaring flights in the summertime and then training flights in the winter, when we have a lot less thermal activity that creates smoother skies and efficient training.”

When thermal activity is strong, it’s not uncommon for gliders to get right up to the lower boundary of Class A airspace. The organization operates from a private airfield, El Tiro Gliderport (AZ67), which is leased from the Bureau of Land Management and located about 20 miles northwest of Tucson International. Like many other airfields in the area, the site was once used for military aviators in training and was called Marana Auxiliary Army Airfield No. 5. 

There are five dirt runways, all of which are about a mile long. There is also a paved 5,000-foot-long runway, which is used for takeoff operations. Pilots with powered aircraft can fly themselves to visit the soaring group with prior permission. 

The airfield’s location and perfect weather has allowed it to become one of the country’s most frequently utilized facilities for soaring contests. In spring 2025 it was the site for the heavily attended Soaring Society of America’s 15-Meter Nationals, and the 2026 Region 9 contest is expected to draw roughly 40 pilots from May 25-29. 

For those who aren’t yet glider rated, the Tucson Soaring Club offers orientation flights. Depending on conditions, these typically last about 20 minutes and highlight the differences between powered and unpowered flight. 

Outdoor Recreation 

Tucson is a world-class destination when it comes to outdoor recreation, which will not come as a surprise when you see the unique terrain from above.

Bordering the town are many mountains that are as fun to explore as they are to view. Hiking in the “Sky Islands,”, as the mountains in the valley are called, is enjoyable for both beginners and experts. There are hundreds of miles of varied trails in the area. 

One of the places you will find well-worn sections to traverse is Saguaro National Park, named for the nation’s largest cacti that you can find within the park’s boundaries. Whether you are wanting to hike, bike, ride horses, camp, or take a scenic drive, this is a popular place to do all of that and more. 

Some other places to consider taking in the sights are the Coronado National Forest, Sabino Canyon, Catalina State Park, and Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. Another intriguing place is Picture Rocks Petroglyphs. 

These depictions carved into the rocks are right outside Saguaro National Park. For a better understanding of these cultural symbols, other indigenous history, and an overview of the region’s unique biome, be sure to check out the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. This facility has a zoo, botanical garden, art gallery, natural history museum, as well as an aquarium.

This feature first appeared in the February Issue 967 of the FLYING print edition.