Ryan Field Airport
Encyclopedia
Ryan Airfield , also known as Ryan Field Airport, is a public airport
located 10 miles (16 km) southwest of the central business district
of Tucson
, a city in Pima County
, Arizona
, United States
. According to the FAA
's National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2007–2011, it is categorized as a reliever airport.
It is mostly used for general aviation
but also serves a significant amount of law enforcement and military helicopter activity. Approximately 50% of Ryan's traffic is training-related. Annual operations for 2007 totaled 249,523, an increase of 23% over 2006.
Although most U.S. airports use the same three-letter location identifier
for the FAA
and IATA
, Ryan Airfield is assigned RYN by the FAA but has no designation from the IATA (which assigned RYN to Royan - Médis Airport in Royan
, France
).
in 1942 as a site for primary flight training. Military flight training at Ryan ceased in 1944 and the property was conveyed to the State of Arizona in 1948. Currently owned by the City of Tucson, Ryan is operated by the Tucson Airport Authority under an agreement which expires in 2054.
An air traffic control tower was constructed at Ryan in 1993. The airport was added to the Contract Tower Program in 1996. In September 2004 the tower staff completed the one millionth operation without an error. In May of 2010, the tower staff achieved two million operations without an error.
Significant infrastructure improvements and major maintenance projects are accomplished continuously, as is private and commercial hangar construction.
paved runway
s:
Only runway 6R is serviced by an instrument approach. It allows pilots to land with ceiling
s as low as 250 feet above ground level
. Runways 6L and 6R are the preferential runways, and they are used with tailwind
s up to 10 knots. For the 12-month period ending December 30, 2007, the airport had 249,523 aircraft operations, an average of 683 per day: 97% general aviation
, 3% military and <1% air taxi
. There are 305 aircraft based at this airport, as of early 2008: 90% single-engine, 7% multi-engine, 2% glider
, 2% ultralight, <1% jet and <1% helicopter
.
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
located 10 miles (16 km) southwest of the central business district
Central business district
A central business district is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city. In North America this part of a city is commonly referred to as "downtown" or "city center"...
of Tucson
Tucson, Arizona
Tucson is a city in and the county seat of Pima County, Arizona, United States. The city is located 118 miles southeast of Phoenix and 60 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border. The 2010 United States Census puts the city's population at 520,116 with a metropolitan area population at 1,020,200...
, a city in Pima County
Pima County, Arizona
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*74.3% White*3.5% Black*3.3% Native American*2.6% Asian*0.2% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*3.7% Two or more races*12.4% Other races*34.6% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
, Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. According to the FAA
Federal Aviation Administration
The Federal Aviation Administration is the national aviation authority of the United States. An agency of the United States Department of Transportation, it has authority to regulate and oversee all aspects of civil aviation in the U.S...
's National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2007–2011, it is categorized as a reliever airport.
It is mostly used for general aviation
General aviation
General aviation is one of the two categories of civil aviation. It refers to all flights other than military and scheduled airline and regular cargo flights, both private and commercial. General aviation flights range from gliders and powered parachutes to large, non-scheduled cargo jet flights...
but also serves a significant amount of law enforcement and military helicopter activity. Approximately 50% of Ryan's traffic is training-related. Annual operations for 2007 totaled 249,523, an increase of 23% over 2006.
Although most U.S. airports use the same three-letter location identifier
Location identifier
A location identifier is a symbolic representation for the name and the location of an airport, navigation aid, or weather station, and is used for manned air traffic control facilities in air traffic control, telecommunications, computer programming, weather reports, and related services.-ICAO...
for the FAA
Federal Aviation Administration
The Federal Aviation Administration is the national aviation authority of the United States. An agency of the United States Department of Transportation, it has authority to regulate and oversee all aspects of civil aviation in the U.S...
and IATA
International Air Transport Association
The International Air Transport Association is an international industry trade group of airlines headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, where the International Civil Aviation Organization is also headquartered. The executive offices are at the Geneva Airport in SwitzerlandIATA's mission is to...
, Ryan Airfield is assigned RYN by the FAA but has no designation from the IATA (which assigned RYN to Royan - Médis Airport in Royan
Royan
Royan is a commune in the Charente-Maritime department, along the Atlantic Ocean, in southwestern France.A seaside resort, Royan is in the heart of an urban area estimated at 38,638 inhabitants, which makes it the fourth-largest conurbation in the department, after La Rochelle, Rochefort and Saintes...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
).
History
Ryan was built by the United States Army Air ForcesUnited States Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces was the military aviation arm of the United States of America during and immediately after World War II, and the direct predecessor of the United States Air Force....
in 1942 as a site for primary flight training. Military flight training at Ryan ceased in 1944 and the property was conveyed to the State of Arizona in 1948. Currently owned by the City of Tucson, Ryan is operated by the Tucson Airport Authority under an agreement which expires in 2054.
An air traffic control tower was constructed at Ryan in 1993. The airport was added to the Contract Tower Program in 1996. In September 2004 the tower staff completed the one millionth operation without an error. In May of 2010, the tower staff achieved two million operations without an error.
Significant infrastructure improvements and major maintenance projects are accomplished continuously, as is private and commercial hangar construction.
Facilities and aircraft
Ryan Field covers an area of 1754 acres (709.8 ha) which contains three asphaltAsphalt
Asphalt or , also known as bitumen, is a sticky, black and highly viscous liquid or semi-solid that is present in most crude petroleums and in some natural deposits, it is a substance classed as a pitch...
paved runway
Runway
According to ICAO a runway is a "defined rectangular area on a land aerodrome prepared for the landing and take-off of aircraft." Runways may be a man-made surface or a natural surface .- Orientation and dimensions :Runways are named by a number between 01 and 36, which is generally one tenth...
s:
- Runway 6L/24R: 4,900 x 75 ft (1,494 x 23 m)
- Runway 6R/24L: 5,500 x 75 ft (1,676 x 23 m)
- Runway 15/33: 4,000 x 75 ft (1,219 x 23 m)
Only runway 6R is serviced by an instrument approach. It allows pilots to land with ceiling
Ceiling (cloud)
- ICAO :The height above the ground or water of the base of the lowest layer of cloud below 6000 meters covering more than halfthe sky.- United Kingdom :...
s as low as 250 feet above ground level
Above ground level
In aviation and atmospheric sciences, an altitude is said to be above ground level when it is measured with respect to the underlying ground surface. This is as opposed to above mean sea level , or in broadcast engineering, height above average terrain...
. Runways 6L and 6R are the preferential runways, and they are used with tailwind
Tailwind
A tailwind is a wind that blows in the direction of travel of an object, while a headwind blows against the direction of travel. A tailwind increases the object's speed and reduces the time required to reach its destination, while a headwind has the opposite effect...
s up to 10 knots. For the 12-month period ending December 30, 2007, the airport had 249,523 aircraft operations, an average of 683 per day: 97% general aviation
General aviation
General aviation is one of the two categories of civil aviation. It refers to all flights other than military and scheduled airline and regular cargo flights, both private and commercial. General aviation flights range from gliders and powered parachutes to large, non-scheduled cargo jet flights...
, 3% military and <1% air taxi
Air taxi
An air taxi is an air charter passenger or cargo aircraft which operates on an on-demand basis.-Regulation:In the United States, air taxi and air charter operations are governed by Part 135 of the Federal Aviation Regulations , unlike the larger scheduled air carriers which are governed by more...
. There are 305 aircraft based at this airport, as of early 2008: 90% single-engine, 7% multi-engine, 2% glider
Glider aircraft
Glider aircraft are heavier-than-air craft that are supported in flight by the dynamic reaction of the air against their lifting surfaces, and whose free flight does not depend on an engine. Mostly these types of aircraft are intended for routine operation without engines, though engine failure can...
, 2% ultralight, <1% jet and <1% helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
.
External links
- Ryan Airfield, official website
- Ryan Airfield (RYN) at Arizona DOT airport directory