Mesa Gateway Airport, Arizona |
The former Williams Air Force Base is now known as Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport. In addition to serving as a civil airport, it is frequently visited by military aircraft taking advantage of its limited traffic. Several pilot training schools operate at the airport. Allegiant Air provides passenger service to airports around the country on a fleet of McDonnell Douglas MD-83s. An air tanker base occasionally hosts fire fighting tankers. Boeing has a test facility for hot weather tests and Advanced Training Systems Incorporated refurbushes Douglas A-4 Skyhawks.
Antonov Design Bureau An-124-100M UR82009 visited Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport, Arizona on March 9, 2020.
Antonov Design Bureau An-124-100M UR82027 visited Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport, Arizona on July 28 and 29, 2019 to pick up four Boeing AH-64E Apache helicopters for the Indian Air Force.
NASA's Super Guppy N941NA visited Phoenix-Mesa Gateway on April 18, 2018 on its way from Buckley Air Force Base, Colorado to Moffet Federal Airfield, California.
On August 27, 2017, Volga-Dnepr Ilyushin Il-76 RA76951 departed from Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport. The prototype Cessna Citation Logitude took off on a test flight. A flight of Marine Corps McDonnell-Douglas AV-8B Harriers departed. The air temperature was 109 degrees F.
The Commemorative Air Force Boeing B-29 Superfortress N529B Fifi arrived at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport on April 12. It has been carrying passengers on revenue generating flights. I photographed it on April 15.
NASA's Super Guppy N941NA visited Phoenix-Mesa Gateway on October 21, 2016 on its way from Buckley Air Force Base, Colorado to Moffet Federal Airfield, California.
The Collings Foundation Wings of Freedom Tour: Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress N93012 Nine-O-Nine, North American TP-51C-10 Mustang NL251MX Betty Jane, North American B-25J Mitchell NL3476G Tondelayo, and Consolidated B-24J Liberator N224J Witchcraft arrived at the Mesa Gateway Airport on Wednesday, April 13, 2016. On Friday, April 15, the airplanes departed for the Scottsdale Airport.
Airplanes started arriving for the Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport hosted Aviation Day on March 7, 2014. A variety of military aircraft stopped by the airport for gas-n-go..
A small fleet of World War II warbirds flown by the Commemorative Air Force arrived at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport on Thursday, February 28. On Saturday, March 2, I had the opportunity to photograph the warbirds during and after sunset.
A small fleet of World War II warbirds flown by the Commemorative Air Force arrived at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport on Thursday, February 28. They will be at Mesa Gateway through the weekend. The public has the opportunity to buy rides aboard North American B-25J Mitchell Maid in the Shade N125AZ, Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress Sentimental Journey N9323Z, and Boeing B-29 Superfortress Fifi N529B, North American P-51D Mustang NL44727 Man-O'-War, Beech C-45 Expeditor N70GA Bucket of Bolts, and North American SNJ-5 Texan N3246G. These pictures were taken on Friday March 1, 2013
On Friday, June 15, 2012, BAE-146-200A N146FF Tanker 40 arrived at the Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport from Albequerque. It dropped a load of fire retardant on the Poco Fire near Payson on its way. It joined Lockheed P2V-5E Neptune N69278 Tanker 05 and 10 Tanker Air Carrier McDonnell-Douglas DC-10-30 N17085 Tanker 911.
Airplanes started arriving for the Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport hosted Aviation Day on March 9, 2012. A variety of military aircraft stopped by the airport for gas-n-go.
Boeing VC-25A 82-8000 carried President Barack Obama to the Valley of the Sun on Wednesday, January 25, 2012. It landed on Runway 30 Right at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport at 3:17 PM. The President gave a speech at the Intel plant in Chandler.
The sixth Boeing 787-8 prototype N787ZA arrived at Mesa Gateway Airport as Boeing Flight 006 from Great Falls International Airport, Montana at 1:33 PM on Friday, November 11, 2011. It departed for Boeing Field 54 minutes later.
747-8Z5 International N5020K arrived at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport as Boeing Flight 440 at 4:29PM on October 14, 2011 after a 7-hour 12-minute flight that took it as far east as Indiana. It first flew on June 30, 2011. It will be delivered to Abu Dhabi Ameri Flight as A6-PFA. Its construction number is 37500.
747-830 International N6067U arrived at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport as Boeing Flight 021 at 2:13 PM on July 23, 2011 after a 4-hour 50-minute flight that zig-zagged across the western US. These pictures were taken on the morning of Saturday, July 30.
10 Tanker Air Carrier McDonnell-Douglas DC-10-30 N17085 Tanker 911 arrived at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport at 8:28 AM on June 9, 2011 to fight the Wallow Fire. Plain vanilla Boeing 747-8KZF N6009F made a touch-and-go landing at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport at 11:07 AM on Friday June 10. Tanker 911 did not fly on Friday, June 10. It resumed flying missions against the Wallow Fire on Saturday Morning.
On Friday, April 8, 2011, Polet Flight 4765 arrived at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport at 1:51 PM to pick up a load of three Boeing AH-64 Apache attack helicopters for the Royal Saudi Land Forces.
This display has been updated with photos taken on March 11 and 12, 2011.
Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport hosted Aviation Day on March 12, 2011. A variety of aircraft were displayed to the public.
Airplanes and helicopters started arriving for the Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport hosted Aviation Day on March 11, 2011.
In addition to serving as a civil airport, Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport is frequently visited by military aircraft taking advantage of its limited traffic.
The third Boeing 747-8 prototype N50217 returned to Mesa Gateway Airport for hot weather testing on Saturday, August 28, 2010. It made one test flight on Wednesday, September 1 and departed for Air Force Plant 42 at Palmdale, California on Thursday, September 2. The 747-8 is the largest airplane made in the United States.
The third Boeing 747-8 prototype N50217 arrived at Mesa Gateway Airport for hot weather testing on Monday, June 21, 2010. The 747-8 is the largest airplane made in the United States.
Boeing 787-8 N7874 arrived at Mesa Gateway Airport for hot weather testing on Saturday, May 22, 2010, an ironically cool day in Arizona. This marked the first visit of a 787 to Arizona. It did not reach the minimum test temperature of 83 degrees, so the 787 did not perform the hot weather test on Sunday, May 23.
You can buy framed prints and greeting cards of this photograph.
The Collings Foundation Wings of Freedom Tour: Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress, N93012 Nine-O-Nine, North American TP-51C-10 Mustang NL251MX Betty Jane and Consolidated B-24J Liberator N224J Witchcraft arrived at the Mesa Gateway Airport on Wednesday, April 217, 2010 and departed for Marana Regional Airport on Friday, April 23. The warbirds made a number of revenue generating flights, taking aviation enthusiasts aloft for about a half hour. These pictures were taken on Friday, April 23.
Phoenix 500 Air Races, March 26, 1995 part 1: The Phoenix 500 Air Races brought unlimited c lass air racing to the Valley of the Sun in March 1995. Part 1 of the March 26 video includes a tour of the pits.
Phoenix 500 Air Races, March 26, 1995 part 2: The Phoenix 500 Air Races brought unlimited c lass air racing to the Valley of the Sun in March 1995. Part 2 of the March 26 video includes a tour of the pits.
Phoenix 500 Air Races, March 26, 1995 part 3: The Phoenix 500 Air Races brought unlimited c lass air racing to the Valley of the Sun in March 1995. Part 3 of the March 26 video includes an aerobatic demonstration by the Eagles Aerobatic Team in their Christen Eagles and an unlimited class air race.
Phoenix 500 Air Races, March 26, 1995 part 4: The Phoenix 500 Air Races brought unlimited c lass air racing to the Valley of the Sun in March 1995. Part 4 of the March 26 video includes a Fairchild-Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II flight demonstration and an unlimited class air race.
Phoenix 500 Air Races, March 26, 1995 part 5: The Phoenix 500 Air Races brought unlimited c lass air racing to the Valley of the Sun in March 1995. Part 5 of the March 26 show includes a performance by Sean Tucker in his Pitts S2B and an unlimjted class air race.
Phoenix 500 Air Races, March 26, 1995 part 6: The Phoenix 500 Air Races brought unlimited c lass air racing to the Valley of the Sun in March 1995. On March 26, the day concluded with an unlimited class air race.
Phoenix 500 Air Races, March 24, 1995 part 1: The Phoenix 500 Air Races brought unlimited c lass air racing to the Valley of the Sun in March 1995. On March 24, I videotaped the races from the pits.
Phoenix 500 Air Races, March 24, 1995 part 2: The Phoenix 500 Air Races brought unlimited c lass air racing to the Valley of the Sun in March 1995. On March 24, I videotaped the races from the pits.
Phoenix 500 Air Races, March 24, 1995 part 3: The Phoenix 500 Air Races brought unlimited c lass air racing to the Valley of the Sun in March 1995. On March 24, I videotaped the races from the pits.
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Aircraft at Williams Gateway Airport on April 11, 2006.
March 26, 1995: Phoenix 500 Air Races
March 24, 1995: Phoenix 500 Air Races