Davis Monthan, Tucson & Pima

[fatherfaff]

Just wondering about a first visit to these places and searching for a resource all in one place that explains how best to go about it. I've found a few threads about individual aircraft, some photos, etc but it's more the practical aspect of getting there and how to see/view these sites, where to stay, flights from LHR or MAN, best time of year, etc. It sounds like an overflight of DM is a good way to see it. And are there guided trips on the ground? Or can you just drive round the perimeter at will? Are there any airshows worth incorporating into a visit such as at Pima? Can I learn to fly cheaply while I'm out there?? That sort of thing!

[Malcolm]

All three places are within 20 mins of each other - so you just need to get yourself to Tucson. AFAIK there are no direct flights to Tucson from the UK, but Phoenix is less than 2 hours drive away. Los Angeles, Las Vegas and San Diego are probably the next closest. There is a well trodden route around the bases in this area, which include Nellis, Luke, El Centro, Yuma, North Island, March, plus the three places you mention. I would guess that most UK visitors would fly into LAX, LAS, or PHX, but if you're happy to get connecting flights then you can probably get to TUS for virtually the same price.

Tucson city is a large place with all manner of Hotels/Motels from the cheapest flea pits, through the budget chains (Motel 6, Super 8 etc) all the way up to expensive Hiltons etc. Up to you how much you want to pay.

Tucson Airport is a dual use civil/military airport, with the military over the "other" side. It's one of the easier bases to spot at, and pretty good for photos if they are flying the days you're there. I don't think they ever have airshows there though. The F-16's are all under sun sheds, and with a bit of effort you can read off perhaps 60-70% of them early in the morning or in the evening.

Pima is a museum - no airfield or runway. Think of it like a large Duxford, but with sand instead of grass and better weather. It's open virtually every day, so you don't need an airshow here. You really need a minimum of a few hours to see everything, and probably ought to allow a full day on your first visit. They used to run 1 hour bus tours around the AMARG storage areas, but these stopped during the pandemic and haven't resumed. It's doubtful they will resume either.

DM is really two sites - the active military base (A-10's, C-130's, HH-60's), and the AMARG storage areas. You can see some of the active C-130's from outside the wire, but the A-10's and HH-60's are much more trickey, and basically you need them to fly to see them. Even then you need to know where to go to get good photos. They do have airshows, usually every other year in March, but the A-10's are under sun sheds and you usually can't get close to them.

AMARG is divided into separate areas - some of which are easy to see from the outside, and some which aren't. There are roads around the perimeter fence, and from these you can see about a third of the inmates no problem if you spend long enough walking the fences. Bigger stuff like C-5s, C-130's, C-135's is much easier to identify than the smaller stuff. Smaller things like SH-60's are packed in like sardiens and you'll be lucky to identify more than a handful. You will need at least one full day, and probably more like 2-3 if you want to actually walk the fences and read off everything possible from there.

I haven't done a flight over DM for many years, and I understand things have become a lot more restrictive recently - minimum altitude up from 1500ft to 5000ft, and sometime the overflight requests have been denied. If DM gets F-35's then I suspect things will become even more difficult, so if you want to do an overflight, then probably best to do it sooner rather than later.

[raptor9]

DM is one of the places I regretfully missed, despite 26 visits Stateside [not all Base trips!] Too old now, so as Malcolm says, get it done whilst you can. Learning to fly is much cheaper there [wish I'd known that 50 years ago when I learnt to fly here,] but shopping around is important. Good Schools, Bad Schools etc.,

[iainpeden]

We went to Pima in August 2012 - and had the very rare event of a rainstorm and flash flood!

There are some interesting places around Tuscon (or were then). You are near enough to Tombstone to visit the site of the OK Corral gunfight and there is (was ) the Sonoran Desert Zoo and a film set to visit. The biosphere just north of Tucson is also interesting.

We flew into Phoenix, then north to the Grand Canyon and Monument Valley before the drive south to Tuscon. An AA road Atlas of the USA helps planning as it shows you how near or far all the places are - much better than the computer based versions.

[Proteus]

I came back from Tucson at the en of October, I got a base pass for 2 weeks so I was privileged to drive about on base, I didn’t think they allowed overflights and there was a large signin the visitors centre that stated no tours round the boneyard. There is a public highway that bisects the boneyard where the C5s, C130s andP3s are visible, we also drove through the boneyard from inside the base where a lot more frames are readable.
The Grand Canyon is amazing, the Sonoran desert museum is also fantastic as is the Titan missile silo, a word of warning it’s darn expensive but I had the time of my life and loved the natives, have fun, regards N.

[STN RAMP RAT]

For DM, this is an excellent site and it’s well worth investing some time in working out what you want to see and where it is located. It’s updated monthly on or about the 15th and we found it to be 100% accurate location wise.

http://www.amarcexperience.com/ui/index.php

[NorvilleRogers]

I came back from Tucson at the en of October, I got a base pass for 2 weeks so I was privileged to drive about on base, I didn’t think they allowed overflights and there was a large signin the visitors centre that stated no tours round the boneyard. There is a public highway that bisects the boneyard where the C5s, C130s andP3s are visible, we also drove through the boneyard from inside the base where a lot more frames are readable.
The Grand Canyon is amazing, the Sonoran desert museum is also fantastic as is the Titan missile silo, a word of warning it’s darn expensive but I had the time of my life and loved the natives, have fun, regards N.

Did a DM overflight this October with Double Eagle flying from Ryan Field, no issues at all. They do them all the time.

Double Eagle Aviation
6400 S Aviator Lane
Ryan Airport (KRYN)
Tucson, AZ 85735

Tel: 520.294.8214
E-Mail: info@2-eagle.com

http://www.doubleeagleaviation.com/