Gila River Memorial Airport

Gila River Memorial Airport was a private-use airport owned and operated by the Gila River Indian Community, located 4 miles (3.5 nmi; 6.4 km) southwest of the central business district of Chandler, in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States.[1] It was used for cropdusting and air charter operations, with no scheduled commercial services.[2]

Gila River Memorial Airport
Abandoned Douglas DC-4 airliners, converted to sprayers, at Gila River Memorial Airport
Summary
Airport typePrivate
OwnerGila River Airport Authority
LocationGila River Indian Reservation, Arizona
Elevation AMSL1,185 ft / 361.2 m
Coordinates33°14′36.18″N 111°54′57.11″W
Map
Gila River Memorial Airport is located in Arizona
Gila River Memorial Airport
Gila River Memorial Airport
Gila River Memorial Airport is located in the United States
Gila River Memorial Airport
Gila River Memorial Airport
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
12/30 8,560 x 75 2,609 x 23 Asphalt, bad condition
3/21 5,200 x 200 1,585 x 61 Asphalt, poor condition and in state of abandonment

History

Gila River Memorial Airport was built in 1942 as Williams Auxiliary Army Airfield #5, one of several satellite airfields for Williams Army Airfield. After the war, it was renamed Goodyear Air Force Auxiliary Airfield, with its original triangular configuration modified to accommodate early jet aircraft of the 1950s. During the 1960s, it passed on to civilian control as Goodyear Airport, then as Memorial Airfield. No hangar space existed at the airport until the late 1970s, when the airport began playing host to older piston-engined transport aircraft, many of which had been converted for use as air tankers. The majority of the converted aircraft were operated by Biegert Aviation. By the 1990s, it had become an aircraft boneyard.

By 2007, the Gila River Indian Community had assumed control of the airfield, renaming it Gila River Memorial Airport, and all commercial tenants were evicted from the property in the hopes of turning the airfield into a casino. In 2008, numerous aircraft were still present, including C-54s, DC-4s, DC-7s, PV-2s, and a Howard 500.[3] Many of them have since been removed, with some of the old airport outbuildings dismantled, with further plans to expand and develop the airport still in progress.[4][5]

Facilities and aircraft

Facilities

Gila River Memorial Airport covers 1,345 acres (544 ha) and has two asphalt runways:

  • 03/21 is 5,200 ft × 200 ft (1,585 m × 61 m)
  • 12/30 is 8,560 ft × 75 ft (2,609 m × 23 m)[6]

The last recorded aircraft operations were for the 12-month period ending November 16th, 1983. These statistics show that the airport had about 25,550 aircraft operations, an average of 70 per day. These statistics show that the traffic was made up of 98% general aviation aircraft and 2% military aircraft.[7]

Aircraft

61 aircraft were based at this airport: 31 single-engine and 30 multi-engine.[7]

Gila River Memorial Airport
  • Abandoned terminal
    Abandoned terminal
  • Airport building
    Airport building
  • Abandoned 1957 Douglas DC-7
    Abandoned 1957 Douglas DC-7
  • Four abandoned 1942 DC-4s
    Four abandoned 1942 DC-4s
  • Abandoned 1942 DC-4
    Abandoned 1942 DC-4
  • Abandoned 1942 DC-4
    Abandoned 1942 DC-4
  • Abandoned 1945 Lockheed PV-2D Harpoon
    Abandoned 1945 Lockheed PV-2D Harpoon

References
  1. "Airplane Boneyard: Gila River Memorial Airport". Places That Were. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
  2. "All Abandoned: 8 Forbidden & Forgotten Spots around Arizona". College Times. College Times Magazine. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
  3. Leeuw, Ruud. "Chandler-Gila River Memorial Airport, AZ". ruudleeuw.com. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
  4. "TCRP heads west to LA and SF to conduct public outreach". Gila River Indian Community.
  5. "Memorial Airfield development appears stalled". Azcentral.
  6. "Gila River Memorial Airport (34AZ) Information". Airport-Data.
  7. "Gila River Memorial Airport". AirNav.
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