Hanscom Field

Laurence G. Hanscom Field
Summary
Airport typePublic / military
OperatorMassachusetts Port Authority (Massport)
LocationBedford, Massachusetts
OpenedJune 26, 1941
(83 years ago)
 (1941-06-26)
Focus city forTailwind Air Service
Time zoneEST (UTC-05:00:00)
 • Summer (DST)EDT (UTC-04:00:00)
Elevation AMSL132 ft / 40 m
Coordinates42°28′12″N 071°17′20″W / 42.47000°N 71.28889°W / 42.47000; -71.28889
Websitewww.hanscomfield.com
Maps
FAA airport diagram as of January 2021
FAA airport diagram as of January 2021
Map
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
5/23 5,107 1,557 Asphalt
11/29 7,011 2,137 Asphalt
Statistics
Aircraft operations (2021)99,961
Based aircraft (2022)252

Laurence G. Hanscom Field (IATA: BED, ICAO: KBED, FAA LID: BED), commonly known as Hanscom Field, is a public use airport operated by the Massachusetts Port Authority, located 14 mi (12 nmi; 23 km) outside Boston in Bedford, Massachusetts, United States.[1]

Hanscom is mainly a general aviation airport, the largest in New England. Both runways can accommodate jets, and are used by Hanscom Air Force Base, a defense-research facility next to Hanscom Field. It is a popular training airport, with more than 40 rental aircraft on the field. The Civil Air Terminal building hosts two flight schools. Transient general aviation planes are served by three FBOs: Jet Aviation, Atlantic Aviation, and Signature Aviation.

It is also used sometimes by the Boston Bruins, Boston Celtics and Boston Red Sox, instead of Logan International Airport, for their charter flights to and from away contests.

Federal Aviation Administration records say the airport had 10,956 passenger boardings (enplanements) in calendar year 2017.[2] It is in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2021–2025, in which the FAA categories it as a non-primary commercial service airport (between 2,500 and 10,000 enplanements per year).[3]

The field serves aircraft from Piper Cubs to Gulfstream V jets. The events of September 11 caused a number of changes to general aviation in the US (see Airport security repercussions due to the September 11 attacks). Hanscom Field saw changes implemented by Massport that included security fees, identification cards, and a requirement for propeller locks.

  1. ^ a b FAA Airport Form 5010 for BED PDF. Federal Aviation Administration. effective April 21, 2022.
  2. ^ "Enplanements for CY 2017" (PDF, 1.0 MB). CY 2017 Passenger Boarding and All-Cargo Data. Federal Aviation Administration. November 7, 2018.
  3. ^ "2011–2015 NPIAS Report, Appendix A" (PDF, 2.03 MB). National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems. Federal Aviation Administration. October 4, 2010.