Hanscom Field

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
"BED" redirects here. For other uses, see Bed (disambiguation).
For the U.S. Air Force use of this facility, see Hanscom Air Force Base.
Hanscom Field
Hanscom Air Force Base
Hanscomafb-29mar95.jpg
IATA: BED – ICAO: KBED – FAA LID: BED
Summary
Airport type Public / Military
Owner Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport)
Location Bedford, Massachusetts
Elevation AMSL 133 ft / 41 m
Coordinates 42°28′12″N 071°17′21″W / 42.47°N 71.28917°W / 42.47; -71.28917
Website www.hanscomfield.com
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
5/23 5,106 1,556 Asphalt
11/29 7,001 2,134 Asphalt
Statistics (2006)
Aircraft operations 117,792
Based aircraft 411
Source: Federal Aviation Administration[1]

Hanscom Field (IATA: BED, ICAO: KBED, FAA LID: BED), also known by its full name Laurence G. Hanscom Field, is a public airport located in Bedford, in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. It is operated by the Massachusetts Port Authority.[1]

Hanscom is primarily a general aviation facility, the largest in New England. Both of the airport's two runways can accommodate jet aircraft, and are also used by Hanscom Air Force Base, a defense-research facility located directly adjacent to Hanscom Field. It is a popular training airport, with more than 40 rental aircraft on the field. The Civil Air Terminal building hosts one current airline and is home to two flight schools, East Coast Aero Club and Executive Flyers. East Coast Aero Club offers helicopter and airplane instruction and rental. Executive Flyers offers airplane and aerobatics instruction. Transient general aviation planes are served by two FBOs: Jet Aviation and Signature Flight Support.

Hanscom is a critical part of the air transportation infrastructure for Massachusetts and the rest of New England. As T. F. Green Airport in Warwick, Rhode Island and Manchester-Boston Regional Airport in New Hampshire have become viable alternatives to Logan International Airport (the region's main commercial airport), Hanscom has emerged as one of the most important airports serving the region's business and general aviation needs.

The field serves a wide diversity of aviation, from Piper Cubs to Gulfstream V jets. The events of September 11 caused a number of changes to general aviation in the US. Hanscom Field saw changes implemented by Massport that included large security fees, identification cards, and a requirement for propeller locks.

The Massachusetts Air and Space Museum is looking at Hanscom Field as a future location.[2]

Contents

[edit] Facilities and aircraft

Hanscom Field covers an area of 1,125 acres (455 ha) which contains two paved runways: 5/23 measuring 5,106 x 150 ft (1,556 x 46 m) and 11/29 measuring 7,001 x 150 ft (2,134 x 46 m).[1]

For 12-month period ending August 31, 2006, the airport had 117,792 aircraft operations, an average of 322 per day: 83% general aviation, 14% air taxi, 2% commercial air carrier and 1% military. There are 411 aircraft based at this airport: 66% single engine, 17% multi-engine, 13% jet aircraft and 3% helicopters.[1]

In 2008, and many years prior, Hanscom has handled the second most aircraft movements of any airport in New England (Boston-Logan is number one). When there is a nice day on a weekend the traffic pattern gets so busy the tower is sometimes known to close the traffic pattern and only allow full stop landings.

Hanscom's traffic is primarily business jets and general aviation aircraft.

[edit] Common aircraft

  • Cessna: 172 Classic, 172SP, 172SP G-1000, 182, 182 G-1000, All Citations from Mustangs to X's, 350's, 400's
  • Cirrus: SR-20, SR-22
  • Piper: Tomahawk, Arrow, Warrior, Seminole, Cherokee, Meridian, Matrix, Seneca
  • Beechcraft: Duchess (Executive Flyers aviation), King Air's, B1900D, Bonanza, Baron
  • Mooney: Bravo, Ovation
  • Gulfstream: IV, V, 150, 250
  • Hawker: 400, 8X
  • Dassault: Falcon 50, Falcon 10, Falcon 2000, Falcon 900, Falcon 7x
  • Boeing: BBJ, 757, 727, 737-300/400/700/800 (all charters: Miami Air, Southwest, AirTran, Delta, etc.)
  • Airbus: A320 (Air Canada)
  • Eclipse: 500 (Linear Air)

[edit] Air Force aircraft

[edit] Flight schools

[edit] Executive Flyers Aviation

New England's oldest and largest flight school based at Hanscom along with their new facility at Lawrence Airport. EFA has been around since 1964 and has been recognized as a Cessna pilot center due to their large fleet of Cessna aircraft and their exceptional maintenance and safety. EFA offers training for Private pilot-ATP.

Executive Flyers has a fleet of:

4 Cessna 172 classics, 4 Cessna 172SP's, 2 Cessna 172SP G-1000's, 1 Cessna 182, 1 Decathlon, 1 Extra 300, 1 Beech Duchess, and 1 Piper Arrow.

EFA retired aircraft:

Cessna Millennium Skyhawk, Cessna 152, Piper warrior, and the Piper Seminole.

[edit] East Coast Aero Club

Hanscom's flight school that offers ratings up to ATP. ECAC also offers helicopter training in two Robinson R44 helicopters. ECAC has been recognized as a CTC (Cirrus training center). ECAC is based at KBED, KASH and KOWD.

ECAC has a fleet of:

  • Piper Tomahawks
  • Cessna 172M
  • Piper Warrior II
  • Piper Warrior III (Garmin Equipped)
  • Cessna 172 (G1000)
  • Piper Arrow
  • Piper Arrow (New Model)
  • Cessna 182T (Garmin Equipped)
  • Cirrus SR20
  • Piper Seminole (Multi-Engine)
  • Cirrus SR22
  • Robinson R44 (Helicopter)[3]

[edit] Airlines and Regular Destinations (F.A.R. Part 135)

Airlines Destinations Terminal
Streamline Airlines Trenton Civil Air Terminal
Linear Air Chartered Destinations Jet Aviation

[edit] Commercial service

From 1999 until 2003, Shuttle America, a Connecticut-based regional airline operating for US Airways Express, operated scheduled service from the airfield, carrying more than 10,000 passengers each month to airports in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania using De Havilland Dash 8 and Saab 340 aircraft. Soon after US Airways Express pulled out, Pan Am Clipper Connection began servicing the airport using Jetstream 31 aircraft. Clipper flights connected Hanscom Field with Pease Airport in Portsmouth, NH and Trenton-Mercer Airport in NJ.

In its final years, Clipper would add flights to Ithaca Airport in Western NY from Hanscom. Even with this new route, however, Clipper could never draw the numbers it needed to remain profitable. The Airline was forced to cease operation in 2008 by the FAA for lack of funding and management. This left Hanscom Field without scheduled airline service for the first time in a decade. While there is still some community opposition, Hanscom has shown its usefulness as a gateway for Boston-area travelers. This has since attracted the new Trenton-based airline Streamline to start its first public charter route to Hanscom using 30 seat Embraer 120 Brasilia aircraft, beginning with two daily round trips on weekdays.

[edit] Sports charters

As a quiet airport close to Boston, Hanscom Field greets many teams that compete in the Boston area and the teams they are host to, except for the Patriots who use Rhode Island's T.F. Green Airport and Red Sox who typically use Logan Airport. The following airlines visit Hanscom regularly to transport these Boston teams:

[edit] Ground transportation

Hanscom can be reached by car by following Route 2A west from exit 30B on I-95/Route 128. It is serviced by the MBTA's Route 76 bus from Alewife Station in Cambridge.

[edit] Notable events at Hanscom Field

On August 8, 1962, a US Air Force KC-135 tanker crashed on approach to Hanscom Field's runway 11, destroying the aircraft and killing all three members of the flight crew.

In September 1964, The Beatles arrived at Hanscom Field aboard a chartered aircraft during one of their American concert tours. They were making an appearance at Boston Garden the following day. It was felt that the immense popularity of the British singing group would cause congestion at Boston-Logan International Airport, so this alternative airport was selected.

In April 1975, President Gerald Ford used Hanscom Field before and after making speeches in Lexington, Massachusetts and Concord, Massachusetts to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Battles of Lexington and Concord.

In February 2006, NBA player Sebastian Telfair was questioned after a handgun registered to his girlfriend was found in his pillowcase aboard the Portland Trail Blazers team plane.[4]

In 2006, Neil Entwistle was flown from London to Hanscom by U.S. Marshals to face murder charges.[5]

In December 2006, pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka held negotiations with the Boston Red Sox onboard a private jet owned by John Henry. The plane was seen landing at Hanscom by news channels from all over Boston as well as some Japanese news outlets.

On August 29, 2009, the body of the late Senator Edward M. Kennedy was flown from Hanscom Field to Andrews AFB for burial at Arlington Cemetery.

[edit] Movies/Scenes filmed at Hanscom Field

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d FAA Airport Master Record for BED (Form 5010 PDF), retrieved 2007-03-15
  2. ^ Massachusetts Air and Space Museum News
  3. ^ "ECAC Bedford, MA (KBED) Aircraft Fleet". East Coast Aero Club. http://eastcoastaeroclub.com/locations/bedford-ma-bed/aircraft/. Retrieved 2011-08-30. 
  4. ^ Ulman, Howard (April 24, 2007). "Celtics Severing Ties With Telfair". The Washington Post. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/24/AR2007042401347.html. 
  5. ^ http://wbztv.com/topstories/Neil.Entwistle.Hopkinton.2.576573.html
  6. ^ Tracked Down: - BostonHerald.com

[edit] External links

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hanscom_Field&oldid=469375370"
Personal tools
Namespaces
Variants
Actions
Navigation
Interaction
Toolbox
Print/export