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Marana-Pinal Air Park, AZ, USA - 27/01/2009

The second port of call on our early-morning overflights was Marana's Pinal Air Park.

Pinal is the civillian equivalent of AMARG, the place where commercial aircraft go for storage at the end of their careers with various airlines while they await their long-term fate, be that a return to action with someone else, or scrapping.

The airfield has a significant history, opening in March 1943 as Marana Army Air Field. During WWII, basic flying training and the training of transport pilots in instrument flying and navigation was conducted from here, as well as the training of Chinese pilots.

Following the end of WWII, the airfield was closed in 1948, with the county of Pima leasing it to various tenants until 1951 when it saw military use again, with Darr Aeronautical Technical Company running a contractor-operated USAF Flying School from here.

More interestingly, during the Vietnam War, Marana became the headquarters for the Central Intelligence Agency's air operations, and hosted several infamous CIA owned "front" companies, such as Intermountain Airlines, and maintenance facilities for Air America and Continental Air Services. It was during this period that development and use of the Fulton Skyhook took place.

Today, Evergreen Aircraft Maintenance Facility and Silverbell Army Heliport make use of the site, with the Western Army National Guard Aviation Training Site (WAATS) and other numerous National Guard units located inside SAHP. The WAATS and is used principally for all ARNG AH-64 Apache Attack Helicopter training by the 'Gunfighter University'. It is also extensively used by the British Army for 'Conversion To Role' training for Apache combat operations in Afghanistan.

Pinal Airpark also hosts the U.S. Special Operations Command's Parachute Training and Testing Facility.

We flew three circuits at the airfield and while it used to be possible to land, taxi back and depart, new regulations mean that this is no longer possible on 'scenic' flights.

Among the highlights were a couple of recently arrived Qantas 747-300s, a Boeing Dreamlifter (used for transporting parts for the new 787), an Evergreen Super Tanker, and the Rolls Royce 747. It was also slightly sad to see one of the Oasis Lumps parked up. A scheme that looked really good on the type.