Western Sky Airpark Viewed as a ‘Diamond in the Rough’

“I first heard about Western Sky Airpark (0AZ2) in the summer of 2023,” McDowell said. “I reached out to the agent that had it listed and learned that the airport had just fallen out of escrow for some reason. I went up and looked at it the same day I contacted the agent and actually had it in escrow that day. We moved extremely fast on purchasing the airport.”

To add to the unexpected aspect of purchasing an airport overnight, McDowell wasn’t involved with aviation in any way prior to visiting the property in Salome, Arizona. 

“As crazy as it is, I was not looking for an airport at the time and wasn’t even a pilot,” he said. “My aviation path is different from most because I did it all backwards. But I definitely made my ‘why’ big enough, and having an airport meant I should be able to use it. So, I then purchased a plane and got my private pilot’s license.”

While McDowell was flight training, his thoughts were simultaneously focused on ways to improve the newly purchased airport. He admits that the appeal for the property largely was under the surface initially.

“I live in the north Phoenix area, and the reason why it was so convenient to visit the airport so quickly is that my family and I drive through the town of Salome just about every Thursday and Sunday between our home and Lake Havasu,” he said. “There are not a whole lot of amenities there [in town], and when you pull off the main highway, you drive through all this stuff that is less than desirable. But then there’s Western Sky Airpark, which was a diamond in the rough out in the middle of nowhere.”  

McDowell noted that there was a lot of “behind-the-scenes” work undertaken after purchasing the airpark. Some highlights include solving a significant water shortage issue by redrilling the existing well, as well as reviewing and implementing the current covenants, conditions and restrictions (CC&Rs)that are currently in the process of being amended to reflect the needs of the community. 

“We have acquired 105 additional acres of land that were adjacent to the airpark and allowed us legal access off Highway 60,” McDowell said. “This will help with future expansion plans, and we have another 40 acres under contract right now. Fiber internet is being actively installed. There are 23 rooftops that are developed in the community right now, and we will be putting in somewhere between 300 and 400 more, depending on lot sizes. You will see us come to market with new homesites in the next 90 days, and we are tentatively planning to chip seal the entire community, including the runway in 2025.” 

McDowell advised that the facility will have three spec hangars completed by the end of the summer. These will be 80 feet by 80 feet, of which 60 by 80 will be dedicated to the hangar, with a target price starting at $499,000. 

For those looking for a shorter-term living arrangement, Western Sky Airpark is home to 30 100-foot-long, pull-through RV spots. 

“The RV resort was already here when I bought the airport, but there were water and electrical issues that we have fixed and have had some RVers rolling in,” McDowell said. “Last season we hosted someone who was basically my guinea pig, who went space by space making sure everything was functional. This year we’ve opened it up to residents that have family that want to come in. Then next season we are going to hit the ground running with marketing to get a larger saturation of people coming in here to stay.” 

The RV spots are available, first come, first served, on a nightly, weekly, monthly, or annual basis. McDowell said it may be an attractive solution for someone looking to experience airpark living without the commitment, or a snowbird looking for a new winter base.

In addition to temporary and long-term residents, the airport serves transient aircraft traffic through its FBO facilities that are “dated but very welcoming,” according to McDowell. The facility has a kitchenette, shower, restroom, and several means of entertainment (including a pool table). 

Visitors come to the area for a number of reasons, McDowell said.

“One of the big pulls out there is that Quartzite is really close, which is a big city that people go to in the winter months to mine for rocks,” he said. “That extends all the way into Salome. There’s some amazing locally owned mom-and-pop restaurants, cafes, and bars in the area. Then we have Alamo Lake, which is an awesome body of water that’s extremely close to the airpark. And the Salome Valley is huge for off-road adventures, and a portion of our property is part of the Arizona Peace Trail. This is a 500-plus-mile-long trail, and we have a courtesy UTV available (as well as courtesy vehicles).”

Western Sky Airpark has a 3,500-foot-long-by-42-foot-wide paved runway (35/17) and an 1,850-by-60 dirt runway. 

“There is a waiting list that people can get on as the details of our future expansion are announced, which include a crosswind paved runway,” McDowell said. “We will have a fueling club on site, which will be for 100LL fuel. And we are trying to come up with a multihousing building that can accommodate between 10 to 16 people who will come here for immersive flight training. The weather for the winter months in the area is absolutely amazing, and you are not going to find anywhere in the country with better weather or more sunshine.

“It would be a great spot for people to come in without a pilot’s license and leave with one. These are some of the future goals that we have for Western Sky Airpark.” 

Updates about Western Sky Airpark’s continued construction and updates will be shared to its Facebook and Instagram pages, as well as its website.