Tucson International Airport
Encyclopedia
Tucson International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport
located six miles (10 km) south of the central business district
of Tucson
, in Pima County
, Arizona
, United States
, and is the second largest and busiest airport
in Arizona
, after Sky Harbor International Airport
in Phoenix
.
Currently, Tucson International Airport does not serve as a hub
or focus city
for any major passenger carrier.
The airport recently completed a Concourse Renovation Project - the last phase of an extensive remodeling begun in 2000 that added 82000 sq ft (7,618 m²) to ticketing and baggage claim. On March 19, 2008, the previous East and West concourses and gates were renumbered with the East Concourse becoming Concourse A: Gates A1 - A9, and the West Concourse becoming Concourse B: Gates B1 - B11. The international arrival area was relocated to the main terminal in Concourse A, whereas before it existed in a separate terminal.
Public transportation to and from the airport is provided by Sun Tran
bus routes #6 and #11.
. Nine years later, in 1928, commercial air service began at Tucson International with Standard Airlines (later American Airlines
) in 1928. Regular airmail
service began two years later in 1930.
During World War II
, the airfield was used by the United States Army Air Force Air Technical Service Command. A contract flying school was also operated by the USAAF West Coast Training Center from July 25, 1942 until September 1944.
In 1948, the Tucson Airport Authority was created as a non-profit corporation to operate the airport. The airport was then moved to its current location in South Tucson
and operated on the west ramp out of three hangars vacated by World War II
military manufacturing companies.
In 1963, a new terminal facility was completed, housing six airlines and an international inspection station, earning the title: Tucson International Airport.
s:
For the 12-month period ending December 31, 2010, the airport had 164,743 aircraft operations.
Runway 11L is used the most for commercial air traffic, as there are often prevailing winds, and it is preferred. In occasional trade winds, commercial traffic uses runway 29R, and even rarer, with strong winds from the south, runway 21. Runway 11R-29L is too narrow (only 75 ft (22.9 m). wide) for most commercial aircraft, but runway 3 can be used by commercial flights.
Tucson's top ranked carriers included Southwest Airlines
, with a 33% market share; American Airlines
, which accounted for 21.08% of the total traffic, and US Airways
which had a 11.65% market share.
U.S. Customs and Immigration have offices located in a separate building within walking distance of the Main Terminal (the International Terminal). TUS is a designated international airport and clears several thousand general aviation aircraft annually. There are currently no scheduled passenger flights that leave the United States
. There is one daily international cargo flight, to Hermosillo, Mexico
. Southwest Airlines
provides connecting service to Mexico, via Los Angeles, on Volaris
, the second largest airline in Mexico.
Concourse A
Concourse B
Tucson International Airport also hosts Tucson Air National Guard Base, a 92 acres (372,311.1 m²) complex on the northwest corner of the airport that is home to the 162d Fighter Wing
(162 FW), an Air Education and Training Command
(AETC)-gained unit of the Arizona Air National Guard
. The largest Air National Guard
fighter unit in the United States, the 162 FW operates over 70 F-16C/D/E/F aircraft in three operational fighter squadrons. The wing provides training on the F-16 Fighting Falcon
, augmenting the active Air Force's 56th Fighter Wing
(56 FW) at Luke AFB, Arizona as a Formal Training Unit (FTU) for training Regular Air Force, Air Force Reserve Command
, Air National Guard
and NATO/Allied/Coalition F-16 pilots.
The wing also hosts the Air National Guard
/ Air Force Reserve Command
(ANG AFRC) Command Test Center as a tenant unit, which conducts operational testing on behalf of the Air Reserve Component. The 162 FW also hosts "Snowbird" operations during the winter months for Air Force, Air Force Reserve Command
, and Air National Guard
F-16 and A-10
units from northern tier bases in the continental United States, as well as Canadian Forces
and Royal Air Force
flying units.
During its history at TUS, the 162nd has operated the F-86 Sabre
, F-100 Super Sabre
, F-102 Delta Dagger
, A-7 Corsair II
and F-16 Fighting Falcon
aircraft. Not counting students or transient flight crews, the installation employs over 1,700 personnel, over 1,100 of whom are full-time Active Guard and Reserve (AGR) and Air Reserve Technician (ART) personnel, and the remainder traditional part-time Air National Guardsmen. Although an AETC organization, the 162nd also maintains an F-16 Alert Detachment at nearby Davis-Monthan AFB in support of Operation Noble Eagle
.
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 six miles (10 km) south 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...
, 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...
, and is the second largest and busiest airport
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...
in 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...
, after Sky Harbor International Airport
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport located southeast of the central business district of the city of Phoenix, in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States...
in Phoenix
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
.
Overview
Tucson International is owned and operated by the Tucson Airport Authority, which also operates Ryan Airfield.Currently, Tucson International Airport does not serve as a hub
Airline hub
An airline hub is an airport that an airline uses as a transfer point to get passengers to their intended destination. It is part of a hub and spoke model, where travelers moving between airports not served by direct flights change planes en route to their destinations...
or focus city
Focus city
In the airline industry, a focus city is a location that is not a hub, but from which the airline has non-stop flights to several destinations other than its hubs...
for any major passenger carrier.
The airport recently completed a Concourse Renovation Project - the last phase of an extensive remodeling begun in 2000 that added 82000 sq ft (7,618 m²) to ticketing and baggage claim. On March 19, 2008, the previous East and West concourses and gates were renumbered with the East Concourse becoming Concourse A: Gates A1 - A9, and the West Concourse becoming Concourse B: Gates B1 - B11. The international arrival area was relocated to the main terminal in Concourse A, whereas before it existed in a separate terminal.
Public transportation to and from the airport is provided by Sun Tran
Sun Tran
Sun Tran is the public transit system serving the city of Tucson, Arizona. Sun Tran traces its history to 1905, when the Tucson Rapid Transit Company assumed operations of the horse-drawn streetcar system in town, converting it to electric streetcars. By the 1930s, the streetcar lines were...
bus routes #6 and #11.
History
In 1919, Tucson opened the first municipally owned airport in the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Nine years later, in 1928, commercial air service began at Tucson International with Standard Airlines (later American Airlines
American Airlines
American Airlines, Inc. is the world's fourth-largest airline in passenger miles transported and operating revenues. American Airlines is a subsidiary of the AMR Corporation and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas adjacent to its largest hub at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport...
) in 1928. Regular airmail
Airmail
Airmail is mail that is transported by aircraft. It typically arrives more quickly than surface mail, and usually costs more to send...
service began two years later in 1930.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the airfield was used by the United States Army Air Force Air Technical Service Command. A contract flying school was also operated by the USAAF West Coast Training Center from July 25, 1942 until September 1944.
In 1948, the Tucson Airport Authority was created as a non-profit corporation to operate the airport. The airport was then moved to its current location in South Tucson
South Tucson, Arizona
South Tucson is a city in Pima County, Arizona, United States and an enclave of the much larger city of Tucson. South Tucson is known for being heavily influenced by Hispanic, and especially Mexican, culture; restaurants and shops which sell traditional Mexican foods and other goods can be found...
and operated on the west ramp out of three hangars vacated by World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
military manufacturing companies.
In 1963, a new terminal facility was completed, housing six airlines and an international inspection station, earning the title: Tucson International Airport.
Airfield
Tucson International Airport covers an area of 8244 acres (33 km²) and contains three runwayRunway
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 11L/29R: 10,996 x 150 ft (3,352 x 46 m), air carrier runway, ILSInstrument Landing SystemAn instrument landing system is a ground-based instrument approach system that provides precision guidance to an aircraft approaching and landing on a runway, using a combination of radio signals and, in many cases, high-intensity lighting arrays to enable a safe landing during instrument...
equipped. - Runway 11R/29L: 8,408 x 75 ft (2,563 x 23 m), air carrier runway, general aviation, & air taxi.
- Runway 3/21: 7,000 x 150 ft (2,134 x 46 m), air carrier runway, general aviation & air taxi.
For the 12-month period ending December 31, 2010, the airport had 164,743 aircraft operations.
Runway 11L is used the most for commercial air traffic, as there are often prevailing winds, and it is preferred. In occasional trade winds, commercial traffic uses runway 29R, and even rarer, with strong winds from the south, runway 21. Runway 11R-29L is too narrow (only 75 ft (22.9 m). wide) for most commercial aircraft, but runway 3 can be used by commercial flights.
Statistics
In 2010, the airport had 1,870,838 enplanements and 1,869,837 deplanements, an increase of 2.84% from calendar year 2009. In 2010, airline seat capacity was nearly even at 6,263 seats compared to 6,332 in 2009 a reflection of reductions by the airlines in 2008 in response to the spike in oil prices.Tucson's top ranked carriers included Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines Co. is an American low-cost airline based in Dallas, Texas. Southwest is the largest airline in the United States, based upon domestic passengers carried,...
, with a 33% market share; American Airlines
American Airlines
American Airlines, Inc. is the world's fourth-largest airline in passenger miles transported and operating revenues. American Airlines is a subsidiary of the AMR Corporation and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas adjacent to its largest hub at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport...
, which accounted for 21.08% of the total traffic, and US Airways
US Airways
US Airways, Inc. is a major airline based in the U.S. city of Tempe, Arizona. The airline is an operating unit of US Airways Group and is the sixth largest airline by traffic and eighth largest by market value in the country....
which had a 11.65% market share.
Terminals and Concourses
Tucson International Airport is split into two concourses, Concourse A which contains 9 gates: A1 - A9, and Concourse B which contains 11 gates: B1 - B11. As of July 2009, Tucson's eight carriers serve 15 destinations.International Terminal
Note: All international arrivals and departures are handled in the Main Terminal.U.S. Customs and Immigration have offices located in a separate building within walking distance of the Main Terminal (the International Terminal). TUS is a designated international airport and clears several thousand general aviation aircraft annually. There are currently no scheduled passenger flights that leave the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. There is one daily international cargo flight, to Hermosillo, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines Co. is an American low-cost airline based in Dallas, Texas. Southwest is the largest airline in the United States, based upon domestic passengers carried,...
provides connecting service to Mexico, via Los Angeles, on Volaris
Volaris
Concesionaria Vuela Compañía de Aviación, S.A. de C.V., operating as Volaris, is a low-cost airline from Mexico, and the country's second largest airline after Aeroméxico, thus being a leading competitor in the Mexican domestic market, with a market share of around 13-14% of domestic...
, the second largest airline in Mexico.
Main Terminal
All ticketing occurs at the ticketing level and all baggage claim is located at the baggage level. The terminal's third level contains a full service restaurant as well as public meeting rooms available for rent.Concourse A
-
- Concourse A has 9 Gates: A1 - A9
Concourse B
-
- Concourse B has 11 Gates: B1 - B11
Airlines and destinations
Busiest Routes
| 283,000 | American | ||
| 2 |  Denver, CODenver International Airport Denver International Airport , often referred to as DIA, is an airport in Denver, Colorado. By land size, at , it is the largest international airport in the United States, and the third largest international airport in the world after King Fahd International Airport and Montréal-Mirabel... |
226,000 | Frontier, Southwest, United |
| 3 |  Phoenix, AZPhoenix Sky Harbor International Airport Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport located southeast of the central business district of the city of Phoenix, in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States... |
210,000 | US Airways |
| 4 |  Los Angeles, CALos Angeles International Airport Los Angeles International Airport is the primary airport serving the Greater Los Angeles Area, the second-most populated metropolitan area in the United States. It is most often referred to by its IATA airport code LAX, with the letters pronounced individually... |
197,000 | Southwest, United, American Eagle |
| 5 |  Las Vegas, NVMcCarran International Airport McCarran International Airport is the principal commercial airport serving Las Vegas and Clark County, Nevada, United States. The airport is located five miles south of the central business district of Las Vegas, in the unincorporated area of Paradise in Clark County. It covers an area of and... |
163,000 | Southwest |
| 6 |  Atlanta, GA |
106,000 | Delta |
| 7 | San Diego, CA San Diego International Airport San Diego International Airport , sometimes referred to as Lindbergh Field, is a public airport located northwest of the central business district of San Diego, California and from the Mexico – United States border at Tijuana, Mexico... |
96,000 | Southwest |
| 8 |  Houston, TXGeorge Bush Intercontinental Airport George Bush Intercontinental Airport, is a Class B international airport in Houston, Texas, serving the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area, the sixth-largest metropolitan area in the United States. Located north of Downtown Houston between Interstate 45 and U.S. Highway 59... |
91,000 | Continental |
| 9 |  Chicago, IL (O'Hare)O'Hare International Airport Chicago O'Hare International Airport , also known as O'Hare Airport, O'Hare Field, Chicago Airport, Chicago International Airport, or simply O'Hare, is a major airport located in the northwestern-most corner of Chicago, Illinois, United States, northwest of the Chicago Loop... |
87,000 | American |
| 10 | Chicago, IL (Midway) |
66,000 | Southwest |
Cargo Terminal
There are two air freight facilities located east of the Main Terminal, off Airport Drive. Air carriers providing air freight include:- ABX AirABX AirABX Air, Inc., formerly Airborne Express, is a cargo airline headquartered at Wilmington Air Park in unincorporated Clinton County, Ohio, United States, near the City of Wilmington. ABX Air operates scheduled, ad hoc charter and ACMI freight services. It also provides flight support services and...
- Air Cargo Transit
- Cargo Force Inc.
- EGL-Eagle Global Logistics
- FedEx Express
- Matheson Flight Extenders Inc.
- UPS AirlinesUPS AirlinesUPS Airlines is an American cargo airline owned by United Parcel Service Inc. . The company is headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky. Its home airport is located at Louisville International Airport...
Military Facilities
- See also: Tucson Air National Guard BaseTucson Air National Guard BaseTucson Air National Guard Base is a United States Air Force base, located at Tucson International Airport, Arizona. It is located south of Tucson, Arizona.-Units:...
Tucson International Airport also hosts Tucson Air National Guard Base, a 92 acres (372,311.1 m²) complex on the northwest corner of the airport that is home to the 162d Fighter Wing
162d Fighter Wing
The 162d Fighter Wing is a United States Air Force unit located at Tucson International Airport, near Tucson, Arizona.-Mission:The Air National Guard in Tucson is home to F-16 training for the U.S...
(162 FW), an Air Education and Training Command
Air Education and Training Command
Air Education and Training Command was established July 1, 1993, with the realignment of Air Training Command and Air University. It is one of the U.S. Air Force's ten major commands and reports to Headquarters, United States Air Force....
(AETC)-gained unit of the Arizona Air National Guard
Arizona Air National Guard
The Arizona Air National Guard is the branch of the United States Air National Guard operating within the state of Arizona. It was founded by Barry Goldwater, and was integrated two years before President Truman's military integration order.-Units:...
. The largest Air National Guard
Air National Guard
The Air National Guard , often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the fifty U.S. states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia of the United States. Established under Title 10 and...
fighter unit in the United States, the 162 FW operates over 70 F-16C/D/E/F aircraft in three operational fighter squadrons. The wing provides training on the F-16 Fighting Falcon
F-16 Fighting Falcon
The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a multirole jet fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force . Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successful all-weather multirole aircraft. Over 4,400 aircraft have been built since...
, augmenting the active Air Force's 56th Fighter Wing
56th Fighter Wing
The 56th Fighter Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Education and Training Command's Nineteenth Air Force. It is stationed at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona where it also is the host unit....
(56 FW) at Luke AFB, Arizona as a Formal Training Unit (FTU) for training Regular Air Force, Air Force Reserve Command
Air Force Reserve Command
The Air Force Reserve Command is a major command of the U.S. Air Force with its headquarters at Robins AFB, Georgia.It stood up as a major command of the Air Force on 17 February 1997....
, Air National Guard
Air National Guard
The Air National Guard , often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the fifty U.S. states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia of the United States. Established under Title 10 and...
and NATO/Allied/Coalition F-16 pilots.
The wing also hosts the Air National Guard
Air National Guard
The Air National Guard , often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the fifty U.S. states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia of the United States. Established under Title 10 and...
/ Air Force Reserve Command
Air Force Reserve Command
The Air Force Reserve Command is a major command of the U.S. Air Force with its headquarters at Robins AFB, Georgia.It stood up as a major command of the Air Force on 17 February 1997....
(ANG AFRC) Command Test Center as a tenant unit, which conducts operational testing on behalf of the Air Reserve Component. The 162 FW also hosts "Snowbird" operations during the winter months for Air Force, Air Force Reserve Command
Air Force Reserve Command
The Air Force Reserve Command is a major command of the U.S. Air Force with its headquarters at Robins AFB, Georgia.It stood up as a major command of the Air Force on 17 February 1997....
, and Air National Guard
Air National Guard
The Air National Guard , often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the fifty U.S. states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia of the United States. Established under Title 10 and...
F-16 and A-10
A-10 Thunderbolt II
The Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II is an American single-seat, twin-engine, straight-wing jet aircraft developed by Fairchild-Republic in the early 1970s. The A-10 was designed for a United States Air Force requirement to provide close air support for ground forces by attacking tanks,...
units from northern tier bases in the continental United States, as well as Canadian Forces
Canadian Forces
The Canadian Forces , officially the Canadian Armed Forces , are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces."...
and Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
flying units.
During its history at TUS, the 162nd has operated the F-86 Sabre
F-86 Sabre
The North American F-86 Sabre was a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as America's first swept wing fighter which could counter the similarly-winged Soviet MiG-15 in high speed dogfights over the skies of the Korean War...
, F-100 Super Sabre
F-100 Super Sabre
The North American F-100 Super Sabre was a supersonic jet fighter aircraft that served with the United States Air Force from 1954 to 1971 and with the Air National Guard until 1979. The first of the Century Series collection of USAF jet fighters, it was the first USAF fighter capable of...
, F-102 Delta Dagger
F-102 Delta Dagger
The Convair F-102 Delta Dagger was a US interceptor aircraft built as part of the backbone of the United States Air Force's air defenses in the late 1950s. Entering service in 1956, its main purpose was to intercept invading Soviet bomber fleets...
, A-7 Corsair II
A-7 Corsair II
The Ling-Temco-Vought A-7 Corsair II is a carrier-based subsonic light attack aircraft introduced to replace the United States Navy's Douglas A-4 Skyhawk, initially entering service during the Vietnam War...
and F-16 Fighting Falcon
F-16 Fighting Falcon
The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a multirole jet fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force . Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successful all-weather multirole aircraft. Over 4,400 aircraft have been built since...
aircraft. Not counting students or transient flight crews, the installation employs over 1,700 personnel, over 1,100 of whom are full-time Active Guard and Reserve (AGR) and Air Reserve Technician (ART) personnel, and the remainder traditional part-time Air National Guardsmen. Although an AETC organization, the 162nd also maintains an F-16 Alert Detachment at nearby Davis-Monthan AFB in support of Operation Noble Eagle
Operation Noble Eagle
Operation Noble Eagle is the name given to military operations related to homelandsecurity and support to federal, state, and local agencies...
.
Incidents and accidents
- On December 30, 1989, America West Flight 450 was enroute to the Tucson International Airport when a fire in the wheel well burned through hydraulic cabling. During landing braking was ineffective and the aircraft overran the end of the runway. After colliding with a concrete structure the plane came to a stop. Aircraft was written off. NTSB brief
- On March 13, 1990, an Alaska Airlines Boeing 727-227 (Registration N271AF) operating Phoenix-Tucson, struck and killed a pedestrian during the takeoff roll. The man had apparently wandered away from a nearby mental hospital. How he made it onto runway 26L was not determined. (Runway 26L is now 25R)
External links
- Tucson International Airport, official web site
- Non-Stop Routes from Tucson Intl. Airport (FlyHere.com)
- Tucson International Airport (TUS) at Arizona DOT airport directory