Contact Information
Base Contact Information
Martindale Army Airfield General Assistance: 210-661-7156
Geography and Area Information
Martindale Army Air Field is a Texas Army National Guard airfield located in eastern San Antonio Texas approximately 10 miles from the city’s center. Located at 29°25’52″N 98°22’40″W, the airfield is directly off several major highways, being directly south east of Loop 410 and Interstate 410 which forms it’s the bases western border. The eastern border is marked by North Foster Road, the southern by East Huston Street and northern by Interstate 10/ State Highway 90. The area of San Antonio is classified as transitional humid subtropical climate meaning it experiences hot humid summers, mild winters with cold nights and warm rainy springs. In the summer months average temperatures hover around 95 °F and triple digit temperatures are not uncommon. In the winter months San Antonio will experience around a dozen nights with sub-freezing temperatures. The area around San Antonio is also one of the most flood prone in Texas and the United States with an average precipitation of over 30 inches annually.
History
Martindale Army Airfield was constructed during World War II as an auxiliary field of Randolph Army Airfield, 10 miles to the north. Randolph Army Air Field at the start of World War II was the largest single flight training facility in the world and had eight auxiliary fields around the San Antonio area.
Following World War II Martindale Army Airfield saw continued use as an Army Air Corps flight training facility and saw some use as a commercial air facility. In 1976 Martindale Army Airfield was still listed as an active Army Air facility and sometime between then and 1983 the facility was abandoned by the Army. In a 1983 United States Geological Service topographical survey of the San Antonio area the Martindale Army Airfield was listed as an abandoned airfield. Somewhere between 1983 and 1992 the area was reclaimed, this time by the Texas Army National Guard and designated as a rotary wing flight training facility. In 1995 the base was in extremely poor condition with runways overgrown and concrete cracking. At some point after 1996 new helicopter pads were built over the previous runways and overgrowth, though one runway stayed in a state of disrepair. At present Martindale Army Airfield serves as an impromptu training facility for Texas National Guard helicopter pilots.
Primary and Ancillary functions
The primary mission of the Martindale Army Airfield is to provide a safe training environment for Texas Army National Guard rotary wing pilots in the San Antonio area. In conjunction with Randolph Air Force Base, another rotary wing facility in the area (10 miles north), Martindale Army Airfield provides an air for night and urban rotary flying. A large portion of the pilots at Martindale come from the 36th Combat Aviation Brigade of the Texas Army National Guard, though at one point the United States Air Force Helicopter Training School was at nearby Randolph AFB, putting Air Force rotary pilots at the airfield as well.
Today, Martindale Army Airfield conducts flights on both weekdays and weekends, often with Army UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters. The base also conducts night flights using night vision goggles (NVG’s), which are available for loan to visiting pilots. Flight slots are often available on short notice and flight crews can expect 1.5 -2 hour flights depending on weather conditions and fuel availability.
Visitor Information
Martindale Army Airfield is considered an active duty flight facility and therefore is not open to the general public. Visitors, including pilots and flight crews looking for a short notice flight will need a current Common Access Card. Nonmilitary visitors can call the general information line at 210-661-7156 for more information on scheduling a visit to the facility or getting on base.
