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The head of the Pima Air & Space Museum has resigned, ending a five-year term at one of the nation's largest aerospace museums.

During his time as the executive director of the Arizona Aerospace Foundation, which includes the museum and other sites, Daniel J. Ryan oversaw a massive expansion in the museum's collection and the construction of the $3.8 million Spirit of Freedom hangar, a sprawling 42,000-square-foot space that was finished last summer.

Ryan resigned Friday. While the departure's suddenness surprised staff members, many also said Ryan never totally made Tucson his home and often spent his weekends in California with his family.

Efforts to reach Ryan were unsuccessful.

"Dan just elevated the professionalism and the business activities at the foundation to a new level," said Yvonne Morris, who will serve as the foundation's acting executive director. "He really instilled a lot of pride to the employees and the volunteers at the foundation."

Morris, who was already head of the Titan Missile Museum, said Ryan had been traveling back and forth to California most weekends to be with his family.

"As I understand, Dan had several other opportunities that he wanted to pursue, and he is going back to California to be with his family. He is very close with his family, and there was a lot of commuting back and forth on the weekends to be with them," Morris said. "All of us are really going to miss him a great deal."

Prior to joining the Arizona Aerospace Foundation, Ryan served as executive director of the Museum of Flying in Santa Monica, Calif.

"I think he had never cut his ties to California and had been looking for greener pastures for a while," said Count Ferdinand von Galen, board chairman for the foundation. "Though, I think he did a very good job for five years, but I have a feeling that he always sort of was half back in California."

Von Galen said Ryan forged a strong relationship with the Davis-Monthan Air Force Base and did a good job overseeing the hangar expansion, but that he wished Ryan had become more involved in the community.

"I think he did a good job, and I regret his never being 100 percent in Tucson," von Galen said.

Over the last six years the museum has added 56 airplanes to its collection, he said.

In the interim, Morris will take over the reins. Morris has been director of the Titan Missile Museum in Sahuarita since 2004, and she has been involved with the foundation since 1998. She was a captain in the Air Force.