Pinal Airpark
Pinal Airpark Marana Army Airfield | |||||||||||
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AMSL 1,893 ft / 577 m | | ||||||||||
Coordinates | 32°30′35″N 111°19′31″W / 32.50972°N 111.32528°W | ||||||||||
Website | www | ||||||||||
Map | |||||||||||
Runways | |||||||||||
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Statistics (2020) | |||||||||||
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Source: US Federal Aviation Administration[1] |
Silver Bell Army Heliport | |||||||||||||
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Type | US Army heliport | ||||||||||||
Site information | |||||||||||||
Owner | Department of Defense | ||||||||||||
Operator | Arizona Army National Guard | ||||||||||||
Condition | Operational | ||||||||||||
Site history | |||||||||||||
In use | 1986 – present | ||||||||||||
Garrison information | |||||||||||||
Garrison |
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Airfield information | |||||||||||||
Identifiers | AMSL | ||||||||||||
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Pinal Airpark (IATA: MZJ, ICAO: KMZJ, FAA LID: MZJ), also known as Pinal County Airpark, is a non-towered, county-owned, public-use airport located 8 miles (7.0 nmi; 13 km) northwest of the central business district of Marana, in Pinal County, Arizona, United States.[1] Silverbell Army Heliport (FAA LID: 02AZ)[3] is co-located with Pinal Airpark. The heliport is a private-use military facility operated by the Arizona Army National Guard.
Pinal Airpark's primary function is to serve as a
Aircraft at Pinal Airpark include those formerly operated by
]History
Built in 1942 by the Sundt and Del Webb Construction Companies and opened in March 1943, the facility was known as Marana Army Air Field. During World War II, the airfield was under the command of the 389th Army Air Force Base Unit, AAF West Coast Training Center and used as a training base, as part of the 50,000 Pilot Training Program.
Marana conducted basic flight training and the training of transport pilots in instrument flying and navigation, being the home of the 3024th (Pilot School, Basic). Chinese pilots were also trained there. Five satellite airfields were established for Marana during World War II:
- Picacho Field Aux #1 (currently Picacho Stagefield ARNG Heliport (ICAO: KPCA))
- : KAVQ))
- Coronado Field Aux #3[6]
- Avra Field Aux #4[6]
- : AZ67))
The infrastructure installed at Marana during World War II was extensive. This included water, sewer, and gas systems that were still used until some problems developed in the 1990s. There was also a massive storm drain system. The airfield also had a railroad spur line and railroad station.
Marana was closed after World War II and in 1948, after the establishment of the
Marana became the headquarters of all
Current usage
Pinal Airport
The airport is home to many private companies including: Ascent Aviation Services and Jet Yard Solutions,[8][9] Aircraft Demolition, and Jet Yard.[10]
Since the early 2010s, airport economic development director Jim Petty has opened the facility to the public, giving free tours of the airport and the airplanes stored there.[11]
Silverbell Army Heliport
Pinal Airpark is co-located with Silverbell Army Heliport (SAHP). The 98th Aviation Troop Command, the Western Army National Guard Aviation Training Site (WAATS) and other numerous
Pinal Airpark and SAHP also hosts the
Facilities and aircraft
Pinal Airpark covers an area of 1,508
Notable aircraft
One of the notable aircraft assigned to Marana during its CIA years was a Boeing
Gallery
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1945 Phoenix Sectional Chart showing Marana Army Air Field and Marana Auxiliary Army Airfield No. 2, No. 4, No. 5
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Vultee BT-13 Valiant in hangar at Marana AAF
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Boeing 777-200salvage, Pinal Air Park, 2018
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ABoeing 767-300formerly operated by Delta Air Lines being disassembled for parts at Pinal Airpark
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ABoeing 757-200being disassembled for parts at Pinal Airpark
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2006USGSaerial image
See also
- Arizona World War II Army Airfields
- 37th Flying Training Wing (World War II)
- Pacific Corporation
- List of airports in Arizona
References
- ^ PDF. Federal Aviation Administration. Effective 8 April 2010.
- Center of Military History, http://www.history.army.mil/html/forcestruc/lineages/branches/av/285av.htm
- ^ "AirNav: 02AZ – Silver Bell Army Heliport". www.airnav.com. Retrieved 2021-03-05.
- ^ "Evergreen Maintenance Center, Inc. Appoints Colin Buxton As Vice President of Sales And Marketing". Prweb.com. Retrieved 2014-01-12.
- ^ "Photos: Boeing 747-306M Aircraft Pictures". Airliners.net. 2013-05-21. Retrieved 2016-02-14.
- ^ a b Freeman, Paul (5 May 2021). "Arizona: Northern Tucson area". Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields. Retrieved 26 September 2021.
- ^ "The Evergreen Story", Part 1, James Long and Lauren Cowen, The Oregonian, August 14, 1988
- ^ Pallini, Thomas (July 5, 2021). "Amazon and cargo airlines are scouring the Arizona desert for old and cheap passenger jets to fly packages". Business Insider. Retrieved 2021-07-11.
- ^ Services, Ascent Aviation. "Narrow & Wide Body Aircraft MRO, Storage & Reclamation Services | Ascent Aviation Services". ascentmro.com. Retrieved 2021-03-05.
- ^ "Home – JetYard". JetYard, LLC. Retrieved 2021-03-05.
- ^ "Pinal Airpark: Once-secretive aircraft boneyard slowly opens its gates". Azcentral.com. 2015-03-27. Retrieved 2016-02-14.
- ^ "Silverbell Army Heliport: Military Asset List 2015" (PDF). Luke AFB govt site.
- ^ "98th Aviation Troop Command | Department of Emergency and Military Affairs". dema.az.gov. Retrieved 2021-03-05.
- ^ "History of the Western AATS". Western ARNG Aviation Training Site. Archived from the original on June 23, 2007. Retrieved June 13, 2007.
- ^ "WAATS – Western ARNG Aviation Training Site". az.ng.mil. Archived from the original on 2022-03-29. Retrieved 2021-03-05.
- ^ Arizona Daily Star (Tucson), September 7, 2008, p. 1.
- ^ "Brett Shadle Dead: Navy SEAL Killed In Arizona Parachuting Accident". Huffingtonpost.com. 30 March 2013. Archived from the original on 2013-11-11. Retrieved 2014-01-12.
- ^ "Pinal Airpark in Arizona". www.airplaneboneyards.com. Retrieved 2021-03-05.
Other sources
- This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
- Manning, Thomas A. (2005), History of Air Education and Training Command, 1942–2002. Office of History and Research, Headquarters, AETC, Randolph AFB, Texas
- Shaw, Frederick J. (2004), Locating Air Force Base Sites, History’s Legacy, Air Force History and Museums Program, United States Air Force, Washington DC OCLC 57007862, 1050653629
External links
- Pinal Airpark (MZJ) at Arizona DOTairport directory
- Field Guide To Aircraft Boneyards: Pinal Airpark
- Map Explorer article Archived 2006-02-19 at the Wayback Machine
- Marana Army Airfield in World War II Archived 2013-01-06 at the Wayback Machine
- Resources for this airport:
- FAA airport information for MZJ
- AirNav airport information for MZJ
- ASN accident history for MZJ
- FlightAware airport information and live flight tracker
- SkyVector aeronautical chart for MZJ