Our new WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW!  &  Arizona Airport Guide

Airports each are unique; each has a different set of individual factors that drive the operations to/from and at the airport.

Our goal is to publish that data often known only by the local pilots, so that visitors can be equally informed and plan their flights more effectively.  Certainly, there is a plethora of standardized information available, but most publications often don't paint the "rest of the story."

What are the common mistakes pilots often make?  Is there a noise abatement policy?  Where is the best place to land if one experiences an engine failure during take off, or near the airport?  From which direction do most arrivals come from?  What are the common aircraft position reporting points? Transient parking? Where is the airport management office?  Are there particular airport "hot spots" that have been causing troublesome incursions? Is airport signage and runway/taxiway marking up to date? Are there local pilot associations and/or events that pilots might find attractive?  Do airport FBOs offer unique and specialized types of flight instruction? How about seasonal weather conditions?

Do you have the answers to these and other questions with regard to your favorite airport?  Are you willing to write a few paragraphs and share your tips and suggestions?

10/11/2020:  We are currently building this page. YOU are invited to help us grow this section!   Experienced folks that have insightful info about their favorite airports, particularly if it might not be available via the regular sources, are invited to contribute here!  Send what you would like to share to: scauwg@earthlink.net  Thanks!

NOTE:  FAA.Gov has an Airport Data & Contact Info page.  Up to date Access to Airport Data Importer Tools, Airport Data Dictionaries,  Airport Data Query Sites, FAA Form 5010 - Airport Master Record and Modification Reports are made available. This page also allows you to select view many other airport information categories e.g. airshows, ARFF Airport Rescue and Firefighting and other pertinent topics.  A LINK to the AIRPORT DATA & CONTACT INFO PAGE follows:  FAA AIRPORT DATA & CONTACT INFO PAGE

Another WONDERFUL RESOURCE - In 2012 the FAA published, GENERAL AVIATION AIRPORTS: A NATIONAL ASSET.  "A fresh look at the many roles General Aviation Plays in the National Airspace System"  This is a detailed description of the benefits that GA Airports offer, and a compliment to the communities that support them.  You can view this .pdf file HERE.

As members of the pilot community we all need to help ensure the safety and security of our airports and aircraft.  You can read more about just how to do that in the TSA SECURITY GUIDELINES for GENERAL AVIATION AIRPORT OPERATORS & USERS .pdf file.  READ IT HERE.

Arizona Flight Training Workshop

Are you planning a FLIGHT to ARIZONA?  Visit this Vital RESOURCE FIRST!  Arrival/Departure Info, Airport Info, Practice Area Overlays for ForeFlight and Garmin Pilot, New ATC Procedures, and safety training material as well. CLICK HERE for the Arizona Flight Training Workgroup site powered by their FAASTeam.

Arizona Aviation Safety Advisory Group (ASAG)  https://asagaz.org/

and on Facebook as Aviation Safety Advisory Group

2/07/22  New ASAG brochure - Click Here

CURRENT and ARCHIVED MINUTES from the regularly scheduled ASAG monthly meetings (very complete) are available HERE.

Arizona Pilot's Association  (APA)https://azpilots.org/
and on Facebook as Arizona Pilot's Association

Las Vegas Metroplex began in February 2021:

"Implementation of the Las Vegas Metroplex initiative, including 45 new or changed procedures, will begin later this month, creating efficiencies and deconflicting airspace around McCarran International Airport (LAS), Henderson Executive Airport (HND) and North Las Vegas Airport (VGT)." Continue HERE to read about it from NBAA.

2021 - Presidential TFRs Possible - Wilmington, Delaware  Area  -     Notice: CHECK NOTAMS

"The TSA began identifying and planning the gateways after receiving the draft restrictions prepared by the FAA. AOPA has been working with the FAA and other agencies since October to gather information about how future presidential TFRs might impact general aviation operations, part of a years long effort spanning many administrations to mitigate the economic damage and inconvenience that these restrictions can cause." - AOPA

Of Note to ALL PILOTS:  A Guide to Airparks: "Erik McCormack, a realtor and real estate developer from Arizona, created AirparkMap.com, which also proved helpful in adding to the Living With Your Plane dataset."  Continue Reading about the Guide HERE.  View the Guide HERE.

Excerpts From the Chart Supplement APR 21 2021 Special Notices:

AEROBATIC OPERATIONS NORTHWEST OF TUCSON, AZ.
Practice and competitive aerobatic maneuvers are regularly scheduled on the Tucson VORTAC 295 radial at 25 miles and Tucson
VORTAC 308 radial at 22 miles, sunrise to sunset, up to 5,000 MSL.

EXTENSIVE FLIGHT TRAINING IN VICINITY OF
ERNEST A. LOVE FIELD, PRESCOTT, ARIZONA
Extensive flight training activity in areas 5 to 38 miles from the Prescott Airport 14,000 MSL and below. These areas are in use from
sunrise to sunset daily. Participating traffic reports on 123.5.

EXTENSIVE FLIGHT TRAINING IN VICINITY OF
THE GREATER PHOENIX BASIN
When planning for flight in the Phoenix area, please be aware of the extensive flight training activity in the area enclosed by a
perimeter line from: Marana Regional Airport (KAVQ) to Gila Bend Municipal (E63) to the Wickenburg (E25) to Lake Pleasant (4AZ5)
to Sky Ranch at CareFree (AZ18) to VPREN (11 mi east of KIWA) back to KAVQ.
Within this training area are the following special practices:
1. Parachuting in the vicinity of: Marana (KAVQ), Pinal (KMZJ), Eloy (E60), Coolidge (P08), and Estrella Sailport (E68)
2. Instrument procedures at Lufthansa private airport – Mobile (1AZ0)
3. Instrument procedures at Luke AUX-1 in the Northwest Practice Area
4. IFR holding and approaches in a stack over Stanfield VOR (TFD) between 3500 to 6500 feet msl (Stanfield Traffic 122.7)
5. IFR holding at BANYO between the Northwest and Northeast Practice areas.
6. Heavy inbound/outbound transition traffic from the Federal prison (FCI Phoenix-33º49’58.12”N/112º09’54.72”W) southward to
the Canal crossing I-17 to KDVT, between 2500 and 4000 MSL.
This training area is further subdivided (see maps at www.AFTW.ORG) into five practice areas:
NorthWest – 122.75; NorthEast – 122.75; SouthEast – 122.85; SouthWest – 122.85; Rainbow Valley (128.925). When transiting
this area, it would be well advised to use flight following; monitor these frequencies; and also, monitor traffic (ADS–B, TIS, TAS,
TACS, PCAS, etc.).

Much More Arizona News where these notices are from!  Check out the Chart Supplement Bulletin !  Find it HERE. 

Flying over Grand Canyon?

The Grand Canyon Special Flight Rules Area is a complex set of flight rules.  Flight Free Zones below 8,000' and 14,000' MSL.  Specific altitudes, frequencies and altimeter settings for each sector on the chart. Familiarize yourself with the flight rules that are published for this airspace under 14 CFR § 93 Subpart U, and the notes on the Grand Canyon VFR Aeronautical Chart.(https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/flight_info/aeronav/productcatalog/vfrcharts/grandcanyon/).

If it's summer, the temperatures will be high. That means density altitude will be a factor, so be sure to recognize (and calculate) your aircraft’s limitations, as well as your own.  Gusty winds and thunderstorms are a factor, too.  Preflight planning to include a check of the forecast weather is essential.

Tombstone MOA News

Check NOTAMS. Lights Out/NVG (night vision goggle) training in the Tombstone MOA. A lights out NOTAM will be published 48 hours prior to scheduled Lights Out/NVG military flight training.   For DETAILS see the .pdf file below:

Tombstone Lights Out NVG Pamphlet

Practice Areas:

A Note About ARIZONA Time:

• Today, most of the US, with the exception of Hawaii, Arizona, and many US territories, recognizes daylight-saving time.

YouTube Feature:     "Non-Towered Airports: In Control or Out of Control?"                                                                                                           

With Scottsdale FAASTeam Representatives Brian Stamper, Lee Unger and Sarah Nilsson. Thank you to Tina Buskirk, Aviation Safety, Scottsdale FSDO Frontline Manager, Operations; Ernest R. Copeland, SDL FAA Safety Team Program Manager; and Craig Tompkins, SDL FAA Safety Team Program Manager; for your input, guidance, support and resources for this safety project. Per Craig, “Pilots on both sides of the operation should remain diligent, communicate, keep their heads on a swivel, and be prepared to do whatever is necessary to maintain a safe airport environment. Flexibility and situational awareness are key.“   "Stay and Fly Safe!" - Lee Unger

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9JDjr0Q03I&feature=youtu.be

Here is something important from Aviation Safety Advisory Group on Facebook August 5, 2020, that warrants repeating:

 Aviation Safety Advisory Group on Facebook August 5, 2020
"Embry-Riddle has advised us the PRC aerobatic box is going to be used more than it has in the past.
The location for this, as well as all aerobatic operations, can be found in the Chart Supplement.
One may also find it using the AFTW chart overlays for Foreflight available by visiting the AFTW web site.
The PRC box is 5 NMR DRK215013."

PRESCOTT RGNL – ERNEST A LOVE FLD (PRC) (KPRC)
https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/flight_info/aeronav/digital_products/dafd/search/

Arizona Flight Training Workgroup
http://aftw.org/arizona-practice-areas/

Aerobatic Practice Areas in Arizona and Elsewhere - Do YOU know about them?

A new, informative and comprehensive paper on "Aerobatic Practice Areas" by James R. Ward. The author is a longtime pilot, flight instructor, aerobatic competitor and judge. He lives in Seattle and Tucson. Views expressed are his. With thanks to Jim Ward!  Read it Here.

Pilots: Read this article!   Why? Because it is no fun to fly in an area where acro pilots make a practice of flying upside down, straight up via hammerheads, and straight down via spins, and do so without even knowing you could meet one of them by accident! - Webmaster

From the Flight Deck Videos Currently Available for Arizona Airports

About From the Flight Deck

The FAA’s From the Flight Deck video series addresses runway safety at airports across the nation. The short videos use aircraft-mounted cameras to capture runway and taxiway footage, combined with diagrams and visual graphics to highlight hot spots and other safety-sensitive items. The videos give a general aviation pilot’s viewpoint, and are a helpful tool for preflight planning.  Link to the FLIGHT DECK Video Series HERE.

Parachute Operations - Be AWARE - Exercise CARE!

Record Year for (2024) Laser Strikes on Arizona Aircraft - VIDEO

PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) — The number of laser strikes against aircraft flying over Arizona is rising so quickly that it is set to double this year. Aviation safety experts say this is a dangerous escalation that could lead to disaster.

“Fortunately, we have not lost any airplanes. But I’m afraid it’s just a matter of time until that happens,” said Cary Grant, who is an FAA Safety Team lead representative. Grant, who is a pilot himself, says there are several problems that come from being struck by a laser in mid-flight. It usually happens at night, on approach to an airport runway, and by the time the laser light hits the cockpit, the beam can be several feet wide - filling the entire cockpit with laser light.

“When you get that flash blindness, you lose the acuity of your instruments. Depending on how bright it is outside, you might lose your outside references as well,” said Grant.

According to data compiled by the FAA, there were 429 laser strikes over Arizona reported in fiscal year 2023. During the first three months of fiscal year 2024, the FAA has already..."   Continue Here and Watch the VIDEO.

LASER and Drone Awareness for the General Public

- Presentation for the Arizona Department of Transportation Safety Stand-down Day VIDEO PRESENTATION with Cary Grant. Cary Grant was awarded National FAASTeam Representative of the Year in 2024.  He is the President of Arizona Safet Advisory Group, and an Assistant Professor of Aviation Science at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University,  Watch it HERE!

STOP LASER STRIKES AND UAS NEAR MISSES

15 Key Points of Military Parachute Training – for Pilots

New document from Arizona Parachute Operations Safety Workgroup. -  Flying in Arizona? Thanks to Dr. Thomas Cowan, for "15 Key Points of Military Parachute Training — for Pilots". It is a great resource of information on parachute safety for pilots.  Download the document Here.

Matt Schorman & the Allegiant Visual RNAV approach into Gateway: 

Allegiant Air has had the RNAV visual for runway 30 for a few years. They just created an RNAV visual for runways 12C and 12R. Flying the Rwy 12 RNAV approach, Allegiant Air crosses over AEJAY at 6,200’ MSL. At AEJAY, they cut all power and descend very fast. Be on the lookout for Airbuses arriving from the North Northeast.

HAPPENING NOW!   in ARIZONA

Compiled by SCAUWG.ORG Contributing Editor: Lee Unger

   Safety Notes - Events  -  Breaking News  -  Airport List

EVENTS!

07/01/2025   PRESCOTT TFR - 16NM - HAZARDS - To Provide a Safe Environment for Fire Fighting Acft Ops - July 1-15, 2025   See it HERE.

06/29/2025

    New Sculpture on Display at Arizona’s Marana Regional Airport - From FLYING - Steel artwork created through a high school youth program pays homage to the facility’s early days as a WWII training field. - The entrance to Marana Regional Airport (KAVQ) in Arizona, now boasts a new public art installation of a sculpture called “Wings Over Marana.” - The metal artwork features two stylized AT-6 Texan trainers, recalling the airport’s early days as an auxiliary training field during World War II. Marana is 22 miles northwest of Tucson."  Complete reading Here.

06/27/2025   Soda cans exploding in Arizona Heat - A Problem for Southwest Airlines - From CBS - VIDEO - See how they solved the "case of the exploding soda cans" - HERE

06/25/2025   In the June ASAG meeting minutes, on page 4:  -  Matt Schorman & the Allegiant Visual RNAV approach into Gateway: Allegiant Air has had the RNAV visual for runway 30 for a few years. They just created an RNAV visual for runways 12C and 12R. Flying the Rwy 12 RNAV approach, Allegiant Air crosses over AEJAY at 6,200’ MSL. At AEJAY, they cut all power and descend very fast. Be on the lookout for Airbuses arriving from the North Northeast -  Click Thumbnail to see the approach chart.

06/24/2025   Attached are the June 18, 2025 ASAG meeting Minutes: We will not have a meeting in July and our next ASAG Zoom Meeting will be held on the 4^th Wednesday in August -- Aug 27, 2025, at 12:00 pm, MST (Arizona time). You can register in advance for the Aug meeting at: https://faavideo.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/LyPP7CQSSz6LGJVAuETAdA  -  view the minutes Here

06/21/2025   Case study: Inside Scottsdale PD’s purpose-built DFR program - From Police 1 - "Scottsdale Police didn’t follow a template; it built a Drone as First Responder program designed around its terrain, staffing and commitment to transparency - Designing a Drone as First Responder (DFR) program that fits Scottsdale, Arizona’s size, terrain and airspace wasn’t just a technical project — it was a strategic one. The city stretches across 185 square miles and includes everything from dense urban areas to mountainous preservation land. - “The operating area of one DFR is going to be about six miles across or a three-mile radius,” explained Scottsdale PD Assistant Chief of Police Rich Slavin. That scale alone made coverage and site selection a critical part of the planning process."  Read More Here.

06/17/2025   From the Arizona Flight Training Workshop (AFTW) - Addressing a current pilot safety concern that frequently flying resident pilots may know about, but visitor pilots may not.  Your attention is therefor directed to the Stanfield VOR Procedures presentation.  This was originated by AFTW Website | Jun 16, 2020 | Practice Areas, Safety, Training

The airspace around the Stanfield VOR (TFD) and Casa Grande Airport (KCGZ) is extremely congested with training aircraft. This is primarily due to the fact that the ILS approach to runway 5 at CGZ is one of the only precision approaches available to the many flight training providers in the Phoenix area. That, combined with the Class E airspace and lack of radar coverage, puts this area at high risk for mid-air collisions.

The following procedures are provided as recommendations and best practices to improve communication and provide a safe training environment at and around the Stanfield VOR. Following these procedures is highly recommended, but not mandatory. Please contact the AFTW with any questions or concerns regarding these recommended procedures.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Everyone following these procedures needs to remember to be patient with, and understanding of, other pilots who are not familiar with these procedures. Those of us who fly these procedures regularly may start to think that this is “the only way” or “the right way” for everything to be done, thereby leading us to think that someone else is “doing it wrong.” Please remember that these are unofficial procedures that are not known to many other pilots. When it becomes apparent that there is someone attempting to transit the area and/or practice an instrument approach without following the recommended procedures, the instructor/evaluator currently at the “top of stack” should ask the unfamiliar pilot if they would like help joining the flow of traffic and then proceed to guide that pilot through the procedures as needed. Please be careful to not sound frustrated or inconvenienced while doing this.

It is appropriate to kindly make a brief radio call to suggest that unfamiliar pilots obtain these procedures at aftw.org before their next flight. Please remember to be patient, courteous, and professional at all times.

Revision 6 is available here:   AFTW_Stanfield_VOR_Procedures_Rev6Download

06/17/2025   COOLIDGE (P08) APPROACH Procedures - Another current concern voiced by the Workshop members is the Coolidge (P08) approach that may need some extra preparation to be flown professionally.  This PowerPoint was developed so that every pilot can do so!  This presentation carefully explains everything step by step. The P08 dimensions what the "stack" is and its 500' separation criteria.  This presentation combined with a low voice will make ATC think Chuck Yaeger is inbound.  You can Download it Here.