Issue:
LU‐3
AZARNG Site: Future development pressure may encroach
upon Silverbell Army Heliport.
Silverbell
Army Heliport
Pinal County has plans for future development
between Pinal Airpark and I‐10 that has the
potential to impact military training at Silverbell
Army Heliport if not properly coordinated with
the AZARNG.
Compatibility Assessment
Silverbell Army Heliport is one of the Army’s premier aviation training locations and
serves as the AZARNG’s primary aviation facility. Its mission is to conduct individual and
unit level aviation training, operate regional aviation simulation facilities, and provide
aviation support operations for the AZARNG, Army, the State of Arizona, and
international military customers. More than 300 helicopter pilots from the National
Guard, Active Duty Army, and Army Reserves are trained at SBAH annually. The SBAH
military footprint includes the following components (see Section 3.7 in Chapter 3 of this
Background Report for more information on mission footprints):
Noise impacts;
Helipad imaginary surfaces;
Helipad accident potential zones; and
The TFTA and associated low level and nighttime helicopter flight routes.
The relatively remote area where the Silverbell Army Heliport is located, with minimal
nearby development, is a key element that makes the site valuable to the AZARNG and
other military units that use the facility for helicopter training operations.
Incompatible development around SBAH has the potential to reduce the value of the
Heliport for pilots and students to successfully and safely complete their training.
Incompatible land uses such as those that generate light pollution and / or airborne dust
or result in ground‐based hazards such as vertical obstructions can pose a danger to
helicopter operations and pilot safety. In addition, sensitive receptors such as residential
communities can be impacted by noise from helicopter operations. Since SBAH is a
student training facility, the potential for safety hazards is a greater concern.
Future land use identified in the 2015 Pinal County Comprehensive Plan includes an
activity center to the east of SBAH. Figure 5‐11 provides a map showing the location of
the planned activity center. The 2015 Pinal County Comprehensive Plan describes the
characteristics of the high intensity activity center as an area of approximately
1,000 acres that includes a mix of professional, business and industrial facilities along
5-80
Compatibility Assessment