Flight Advisory! “Pilot Heaven” discovered 18 miles south of Tucson!  

Launched in 2001, Ruby Star Airpark has been dubbed “Pilot Heaven” by many of its residents. Located in unincorporated Pima County, AZ just 18 miles south of Tucson, Ruby Star was designed by pilots for pilots. As a result, a plan to integrate ideal piloting conditions can be seen everywhere, including those contributed by Mother Nature. 

For example, roads are intentionally wide with gradual inclines so that even a large twin can navigate to the 4,300-foot runway that is accessible to every lot in the community. The areas surrounding the runway are clear of brush, and the taxiways are on both sides of the runway, adding a margin of safety when crosswind landings are indicated. The estate lots range from 7.69 to 40 acres, providing ample room for private pilots to house multiple planes in large hangars.

Then, there’s the “quiet,” a heavenly respite from today’s intense lifestyles. The airpark is surrounded on three sides by pristine, undeveloped State Land, offering a tranquil buffer from noise. Add the fact that a maximum of 77 homes are planned for this community, which is about 80 per cent sold out, and it’s clear that life for Ruby Star Airpark inhabitants is indeed peaceful. In fact, since there are only about 30 minutes of flying operations per day, whenever residents hear an airplane overhead, “we run outside to check it out,” says Johnny Thompson, a Ruby Star homeowner, and retired Army pilot whose military career included flying Cobra helicopters. 

Mother Nature contributed incredible visibility, providing 300++ flying days for VFR pilots, spectacular, high desert views, stunning sunrises and sunsets, and moderate temperatures year round. Friendly critters share space with homeowners and their families, as does the peace and natural beauty of the desert vegetation and surrounding majestic mountains.

“If this young airpark sounds ideal, it is,” says Sherri Stogsdill.  “Shopping, and its accompanying noise, doesn’t exist here, yet it’s only a 10-minute drive away from Green Valley.  Everything we need for my husband and I and our two school aged children is close by, but not annoyingly so. Tucson International Airport is only 18 miles away, so we’re easily connected to family and friends.” 

This jewel in the desert has other attributes that make it feel like Heaven. “Ruby Star residents are enthusiastic ‘volunteers’ in diverse, air-related, life saving ways that support their community, nearby communities and America,” says Thompson. “I’m a member of Angel Flight West, using my aircrafts to quickly transport seriously ill people to the best medical facilities that can help them. My neighbor, Glen Lyon, transports doctors and nurses to Mexico, using his Cessna 310, for the volunteer organization, Flying Samaritans. Then there’s Glen Ballard. He’s now flying Medivac helicopters throughout southern Arizona. Our community is committed to being known as an airpark determined to make a difference.”

Heaven, of course, should also include day-to-day friendships and neighborly support and caring, and that’s where Ruby Star shines. The residents are a diverse population, coming from every walk of life. Many of them hold full time jobs. There are college professors, backhoe operators, nurses, aircraft mechanics, elementary school teachers and construction workers. Nonetheless, airpark get-togethers are the norm. However, one stands out above all the others:  One Saturday morning per month, our community gets together over breakfast in a new, untried location. Every pilot loads up family members and friends and flies to the current week’s designated restaurant. “Since some of our planes fly only 80 mph, they take off first,” says Thompson. “Our 200 mph planes take off last. That way, we all arrive at about the same time. Most importantly, we all wait for each other so we can eat together. That’s the whole point of being a community, isn’t it? Doesn’t that sound like Heaven to you?”

News Release - (InFlight Magazine March 2006)

       Ruby Star Airpark is Home to Hero!  

Retired Army pilot, Johnny Thompson did three tours in Vietnam, one in Germany and one in Okinawa. He has three purple hearts, and still has a bullet lodged in his spine from what he calls “Ho Chi Min’s birthday party!”  He flew all types of aircraft back then, but Cobra helicopters were his specialty. 

“But that’s the past,” says Thompson. “What I’m most proud of today is the fact that my seven grandchildren love flying too, mostly because I take at least one of them out to fly every weekend.

" They also hear the stories of the good deeds that my neighbors and I regularly perform as an adjunct to our pilot status. That’s all intentional,” says Thompson with a twinkle in his eye. “I hope that combining the exhilaration of flying with the life-saving activities we do here at Ruby Star will rub off and affect their life choices down the road.”   

It doesn’t hurt either that Thompson owns two Piper Aztecs, N5753Y and N8WN, one Forney Air Coupe, N3002G, a Preceptor Super Pup, N48HP. He also has a second Preceptor Ultra Pup that’s still under construction, as well as an under-construction, four-passenger Velocity XL-5!  

His grandchildren are surrounded by what is clearly their granddad’s passion. Just by riding their bikes to other Ruby Star neighbors’ homes, they get the chance to see and hear even more reasons why flying is not only exciting but also an outstanding humanitarian pursuit! 

While Thompson has recently been cleared to fly for Homeland Security on an as-needed basis, his more frequent responsibility is to transport seriously ill people by air to the most appropriate medical facilities through his affiliation with Angel Flight West. His neighbor, Glen Lyon, transports doctors and nurses to Mexico in his Cessna 310 for Flying Samaritans, a volunteer organization. Another Ruby Star resident, retired Lt. Col. Glen Ballard, medivac helicopters throughout southern Arizona.  

Ruby Star, which is home to a growing number of dedicated private pilots and their families, is located in the pristine, cool-breezed desert, 20 miles southwest of Tucson, Ariz. This airpark was build by pilots for pilots and their focus is apparent everywhere. 

The supremely ideal piloting conditions include wider than average roads with gradual inclines for easy runway access from every lot; taxiways on both sides of the runway; and eight- to 40-acre lots that furnish ample room for private pilots and all their “toys.”

Residents boast that they’ve got the best views and the best weather of any airpark in America. You can’t fault their bragging since the area offers more than 360 flying days for VFR pilots, spectacular, high desert views, stunning sunrises and sunsets, and moderate temperatures all year-round. 

Regular shopping, as well as cultured art venues, Tubac, Ariz., is near enough to be convenient and far enough to not be intrusive. Finally, the airpark is conveniently located just 25 miles from Tucson International Airport, so family and friends can visit whenever they feel inclined.  

“Some people have all the luck,” quipped Thompson. “Imagine living where all you need to do is take a short walk to your on-site hangar so that you can fly off on a carefree jaunt or do something to help a fellow human being. 

"OK, so it’s not luck. It’s a lifestyle choice, but what a choice it is. My wife- who’s currently training to be a pilot- and I can’t imagine any more fulfilling way to live!” 

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