Phoenix Goodyear Airport is celebrating 80 years of operation. The Airport was founded in 1940 and was first known as the Naval Air Facility Litchfield Park. It became a hub for the U.S. Navy and was established as a U.S. Navy Air facility to test, fly and deliver aircraft during World War II.
It remained a naval facility after the war ended, preserving and storing aircraft from 1945 to 1965. In 1968, the City of Phoenix purchased the land as an alternative airport to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.
Currently, the airport serves as a home to various businesses including fixed base operator Lux Air; Aersale, an aircraft Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) business, and Lufthansa Aviation Training, a world-class pilot training facility for Lufthansa and airlines around the world.
Goodyear Airport also has made a number of improvements such as repaving the runway and taxiway as well as T hangar aprons. The Airport continues to expand, new improvements continue to be added to the facilities including a new B-767 Aircraft Parking Ramp, which will act as an apron and taxiway connector providing more space for large aircraft parking.
Phoenix Goodyear Airport also provides services to corporate and private pilots who land in the Valley for major sporting events such as the Super Bowl and NASCAR. In fact, in early November, Goodyear Airport welcomed visitors for the NASCAR Championship Weekend, the first time this event has ever been hosted in Arizona. In addition, the Airport recently had its first international ferry flight on a B-777, and the West Valley’s first visit by Air Force one.
Overall, Goodyear Airport has played a significant role in Arizona’s history and continues to evolve.