Ferry Flight from Pinal Airpark to Europe

[La Coneja]

Hi mates.

I have scheduled a ferry flight from Pinal Airpark (Marana) USA to Europe next week. Any advise, recommendations and useful material to be reviewed and any good explanation about the departure procedures from that specific airport? I have never been at that facility and its pretty uncommon to me.

Thanks in advance.

Safe flights.

[MarkerInbound]

Expect a crazy amount of parachute operations. One or two planes non stop up and down. When I was there a Shorts wasn’t even shutting it’s engines down between flights. They’d land, taxi to the ramp, a new group of jumpers would run on and they’d be taxiing out in a couple minutes. You’ll call Tucson Approach on the phone for your IFR clearance. There aren’t any approaches or SIDS so you’re on your own until you make radio contact with Tucson after takeoff. There are a few hills around the that go up a thousand feet or more. It’s your responsibility to see and avoid them.

[La Coneja]

Wow mate! thanks, really useful information. I have seen that Pinal is a non controlled airport, normal uncontrolled radio comms I guess. What happens after T/O? Shall we contact Tucson App. immediately as soon as we are airborne with the radio? We are flying an A330 aircraft.... super non standard ops for us .

There is almost not information of this airport online.

How is the departure procedure?

Thanks!!!

[EXDAC]

Originally Posted by La Coneja

I have scheduled a ferry flight from Pinal Airpark (Marana) USA to Europe next week. Any advise, recommendations and useful material to be reviwed and any good explanation about the departure procedures from that specific airport? I have never been at that facility and its pretty uncommon to me.

I've been in and out of there several times but only in gliders and single engine piston aircraft. It's an uncontrolled field and is well outside Tucson Class C airspace. No experience at all of IFR departures but caution for jumpers (HALO) at Pinal and glider activity at/from nearby El Tiro glider port. If departing RW 12 be aware of heavy traffic and jumpers at Marana Regional. If departing RW 30 be aware of terrain (Picacho and Newman Peaks).

Good to know that some aircraft are leaving.

[MarkerInbound]

Yes, when you call Tucson you’ll get a clearance void time. So you’ll coordinate with them when you plan to takeoff. Then taxi out and takeoff on the CTAF. After TO call Tucson on the radio, you can monitor the CTAF for a couple thousand feet too.

[La Coneja]

Exdac and MarkerInboud, thank you very much to all of you and I will keep you informed. Probably I will ask you more questions once at Pinal. Will be a great adventure.

Thanks!!!

[fuelsurvey]

You’re probably flying out of Pinal. Marana is just a few miles away. Both airports have a lot of military parachute operations. I’ve flown the jump planes out of there quite a bit. They will broadcast on the CTAF as well as communicate with Tucson approach. You will also find that information in the NOTAMs and on the airport AWOS frequency.

There’s also a ton of student and general aviation traffic in the area. There’s a restaurant at the airport in Marana that draws a lot of general aviation traffic, particularly for breakfast.

[340drvr]

As MarkerInbound says, you call Tucson Approach on the phone for clearance. That info and phone number, are listed here, Clearance Delivery Phone [phone], in the FAA Chart Supplement:
Page 55 (faa.gov) Back to CTAF frequency for taxi and departure, then call Tucson frequency when airborne. This is common standard procedure for remote non-towered airports throughout the US, (with appropriate phone numbers, of course,) where you can't contact ATC by radio.

[proteus6]

Fuel

When I did it we had to take off with very low fuel due to runway length and drop into Tucson for fuel, shortest flight I have ever been on