The abandoned Tooele City Municipal Airport is a regular flying site for several Tooele model aviators. The runway is rough, the well-known waist-high Tooele grass is profuse, and sometimes the wind coming off the Stockton Bar is powerful, but it's one of the few remaining wide-open, treeless spaces on public land within the city limits. There are usually less than a half-dozen pilots here on the weekends. In fact, most times it's completely empty.
Please note, the Tooele City Municipal Airport is in Tooele City proper. This is not Bolinder Field, located near Erda, UT several miles to the north. You're allowed to fly at RPVs (Remotely Piloted Vehicles) at TCMA, but are not allowed to fly them at Bolinder Field in Erda.
History
The airstrip was originally 80 acres owned by the Tates. In the 1940's, the dirt runway was deeded to the city in order to have the Army Air Corps pave it. Bolinder Field was constructed several miles to the north to replace TCMA in 1989. After a crash in 2002, and several botched landings the same year, the City Council decided to dig trenches across the runway to prevent further use. The trenches were backfilled by the pilots leasing hangar space in order to fly their planes to another airfield, and the trenches remain filled -- if rather rough to drive -- today.
Location
This airfield is located right on the border between Tooele City and the Deseret Depot. What this means is that it's on the far south end of town, and if you're coming from Salt Lake, it's almost exactly the same distance as going to Grantsville #2. So if you're looking for something "closer to Salt Lake", this really isn't it. It's a wonderful place to fly for locals, though we need to do some upkeep on the asphalt.
Usage
Tooele City intends to grant this public land to Utah State University, so this is a temporary flying site. It will probably remain open for several more years, and if we continue to maintain friendly relations with the city, this may be indefinite. Please follow these guidelines so that we may enjoy the use of this in-city wide-open space for at least a few more years.
How to get there from RC Evolution in Tooele, six minutes away:
If you use Google Earth, you can download and view this location. You can also view it from just above the runway, or a a little further away, or to see the whole deal all the way from Vine street, click here.
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Tooele_City_Municipal_Airport_Extended.jpg | 115.17 KB |