It is located in the community of Gordola, seven kilometers east of the Locarno city center.

Since 1941, the Swiss Air Force use it most, because of good weather conditions, for basic flight training of military pilots.

[citation needed] At the end of World War II, Swiss authorities identified existing locations that were to be modernized as regional airports, a second tier of infrastructure to support the primary urban airports, with Locarno-Magadino being one of the five.

Most aircraft movements are civilian VFR training flights and training flights by the Swiss Air Force, the helicopter charter company "Eliticino" and the local gliding club, the latter using the two grass runways exclusively.

The most important Locarno command aircraft stationed at the airfield is the Pilatus PC-7 for completing basic training for aspiring military pilots.