Learn More About Scottsdale Airport in the Desert Southwest’s Most Beautiful State – Arizona

Inherent Natural Beauty and Urban Sophistication

AZ – Scottsdale, Arizona, has long been lauded as a premier luxury resort-style town. Nestled in the Sonoran Desert, Scottsdale attracts curious visitors with its inspiring blend of inherent natural beauty and urban sophistication. Respected globally for its lavishly elegant resorts, spa retreats, and world-class championship golf courses, Scottsdale offers an authentic sanctuary atmosphere focused mainly on relaxation and recreation. The desert landscape is a bonus, especially for those who have never spent time in this dry and arid desert in the southwestern portion of the country.

Savoring Southwestern Flavors Under Crystal Clear Starlit Skies

Dry, arid, and refreshing, the desert is an often very hot paradise well worth visiting. Wander through the eclectic side streets of Old Town Scottsdale, overflowing with Southwestern charm, contemporary art galleries, and upscale boutiques. The hiking trails in the McDowell Sonoran Preserve and hot air balloon rides over the desert landscape are always favorites. Experience the best in culinary gourmet dishes at world-class restaurants, savoring snappy Southwestern flavors under crystal clear starlit skies. In Scottsdale, every moment celebrates desert serenity and total luxury.

The World’s Most Lethal Strike Force

That said, there is an interesting, moderately sized airport in North Scottsdale known simply as Scottsdale Airport. The airport was first opened in 1942, with the original name being Thunderbird Field II. During World War ll, it was used to train Army Air Corps pilots. Ultimately, the facility produced several thousand highly trained and “ready for combat” pilots. In effect, what is now Scottsdale Airport, historically speaking, had indeed built the world’s most lethal strike force to its credit at that time.

Thunderbird Academy

Following the airfield’s critical wartime efforts, the Arizona State Teachers College, which eventually became Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona, acquired the airport to implement its own unique aviation instructional program. The restrictive distance from the Tempe main college campus and the cost of operating an ongoing aviation program soon resulted in the college abandoning its aviation efforts. This led to the Arizona Conference of Seventh-Day Adventists purchasing the facility in 1953 and forming Thunderbird Academy. What had once been military barracks now became peacetime college dormitories.

The City of Scottsdale Purchased the Airfield

Hangars were modified to house a wood products industry and a vocational training and education center. This was all intended to facilitate training in several vocations, including mechanics, woodworking, and welding. The airfield would now become a training center for missionary aviators. Then, in the 1960s, the city of Scottsdale purchased the airfield infrastructure portion of the academy. To this day, the city still owns and operates all airport aspects of the property.

Larger and Heavier Corporate and Private Jets

Over time, the airport grew with the introduction in the late 1960s of Fixed-Based Operators (FBO), large aircraft hangars, and extensive helicopter maintenance and flight operations facilities. In more recent times, the Scottsdale Airport has accommodated several hundred aircraft ranging from small reciprocating-engine airplanes to larger and heavier corporate and private jets. As recently as 2018, a modern Aviation Business center was constructed on the airfield. It is reported that roughly well over 175,000 takeoffs and landings occur each year now at the airport.

A National Model for Business Parks

Scottsdale airport is one of the top-in-class general aviation airports with a single-runway configuration in the nation and one of the most active corporate jet facilities in Arizona. What is now the Scottsdale Airpark complex, with its more than 2,600 acres of commercial space, has earned the distinction of being a national model for highly efficient and organized business parks based at an airport. The airport operates dozens of major corporations and small- to medium-sized businesses onsite. The airfield also employs tens of thousands of employees, substantially stimulating the local economy.

Iconic Sedona

The airport is only nine miles to the north of famous downtown Scottsdale and nearby dozens of highly rated luxury resorts and spas. With award-winning restaurants and professional championship golf courses, Scottsdale delivers the complete package. The desert airports of Arizona and the accompanying airspace are trusted for outstanding year-round flying conditions. Imagine a median temperature of 70 degrees, where low visibility, fog, and heavy rain are rare at best. The Scottsdale Airport makes for the perfect gateway to metropolitan Phoenix, as well as iconic and picturesque Sedona to the north.

Helicopter Tours and Hot Air Balloon Excursions

There is more to Scottsdale than meets the eye, as the area features added enticements in terms of dynamic nightlife, upscale shopping, hiking, and horseback riding. We might as well add to the list other exciting adventures like off-road desert tours, helicopter tours, and, as mentioned, hot-air balloon excursions. Once you have experienced this intriguing part of Arizona, the experience stays with you forever. In fact, many who have come to visit eventually stay for the long term, making Scottsdale, Arizona, and the desert Southwest home.

Helicopters Serve an Important Role at The Scottsdale Airport

Scottsdale Airport is mainly a general aviation-focused facility with no regular or scheduled commercial commuter or airline service. Fortunately, it is home to many of the Valley’s corporate aircraft operators. The airport is most utilized for medical flights, corporate arrivals and departures, leisure travel, and other general aviation activities. There are nine airports in the greater Valley, including Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, considered one of the top 10 busiest airports in the country. Helicopters serve an equally important role at the Scottsdale Airport, including for news media, public safety agencies, air ambulance, and privately-owned helicopter services.

Scottsdale Airport Pilot Information

Lat/Long:  33-37-22.350N / 111-54-37.920W

Field Elevation: 1510 ft. MSL

Runway Alignment: 3-21

Runway Length: 8,249 ft.

Runway Width: 100 ft.

Maximum Runway/Ramp Weight: 75,000 lbs.

Runway Lighting: Pilot Controlled MIRLs

ASOS: 480-483-3049

Scottsdale Airport Frequencies

ATIS: 118.60

Clearance Delivery: 124.80

Scottsdale Ground: 121.60

Scottsdale Tower: 119.90

Phoenix Approach/Departure: 120.70

Unicom: 122.95

Scottsdale Airport

3939 N. Drinkwater Blvd.

Scottsdale, AZ 85251