Hanscom Field
Encyclopedia
Hanscom Field , also known by its full name Laurence G. Hanscom Field, is a public airport
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...

 located in Bedford
Bedford, Massachusetts
Bedford is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. It is within the Greater Boston area, north-west of the city of Boston. The population of Bedford was 13,320 at the 2010 census.- History :...

, in Middlesex County
Middlesex County, Massachusetts
-National protected areas:* Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge* Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge* Longfellow National Historic Site* Lowell National Historical Park* Minute Man National Historical Park* Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge...

, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...

, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

. It is operated by the Massachusetts Port Authority
Massachusetts Port Authority
Massachusetts Port Authority, or Massport, is a port district in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It operates seaports and airports in eastern and central Massachusetts, mainly the Port of Boston. Its headquarters is located in the Logan Office Center, adjacent to Logan Airport in East Boston,...

.

Hanscom is primarily a general aviation
General aviation
General aviation is one of the two categories of civil aviation. It refers to all flights other than military and scheduled airline and regular cargo flights, both private and commercial. General aviation flights range from gliders and powered parachutes to large, non-scheduled cargo jet flights...

 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
Hanscom Air Force Base
Hanscom Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located approximately south-southwest of Bedford, Massachusetts. The facility is a joint use civil airport/military base with Hanscom Field which provides general aviation and charter service.The host unit at Hanscom is the non-flying...

, 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 FBO
Fixed base operator
A Fixed-base operator or commonly abbreviated FBO is a term developed in the United States after the passage of the Air Commerce Act of 1926...

s: Jet Aviation
Jet Aviation
Jet Aviation, a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics , was founded in Switzerland in 1967 and is one of the leading business aviation services companies in the world. Close to 5,000 employees cater to client needs from 26 airport facilities throughout Europe, the Middle East, Asia and North...

 and Signature Flight Support.

Hanscom is a critical part of the air transportation infrastructure for Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...

 and the rest of New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...

. As T. F. Green Airport
T. F. Green Airport
T. F. Green Airport , also known as Theodore Francis Green State Airport, is a public airport located in Warwick, six miles south of Providence, in Kent County, Rhode Island, USA. Dedicated in 1931, the airport was named for former Rhode Island governor and longtime senator Theodore F. Green...

 in Warwick, Rhode Island
Warwick, Rhode Island
Warwick is a city in Kent County, Rhode Island, United States. It is the second largest city in the state, with a population of 82,672 at the 2010 census. Its mayor has been Scott Avedisian since 2000...

 and Manchester-Boston Regional Airport
Manchester-Boston Regional Airport
Manchester-Boston Regional Airport , commonly referred to simply as "Manchester Airport," is a public airport located three miles south of the central business district of Manchester, New Hampshire on the county line of Hillsborough and Rockingham counties...

 in New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...

 have become viable alternatives to Logan International Airport
Logan International Airport
General Edward Lawrence Logan International Airport is located in the East Boston neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts . It covers , has six runways, and employs an estimated 16,000 people. It is the 19th busiest airport in the United States.Boston serves as a focus city for JetBlue Airways...

 (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
Gulfstream V
The Gulfstream V is a business jet aircraft produced by Gulfstream Aerospace. It is also used by the US military under the designation C-37A. The G500 and G550 are improved versions which are currently in production...

 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.

Facilities and aircraft

Hanscom Field covers an area of 1125 acres (455.3 ha) which contains two paved runway
Runway
According to ICAO a runway is a "defined rectangular area on a land aerodrome prepared for the landing and take-off of aircraft." Runways may be a man-made surface or a natural surface .- Orientation and dimensions :Runways are named by a number between 01 and 36, which is generally one tenth...

s: 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).

For 12-month period ending August 31, 2006, the airport had 117,792 aircraft operations, an average of 322 per day: 83% general aviation
General aviation
General aviation is one of the two categories of civil aviation. It refers to all flights other than military and scheduled airline and regular cargo flights, both private and commercial. General aviation flights range from gliders and powered parachutes to large, non-scheduled cargo jet flights...

, 14% air taxi
Air taxi
An air taxi is an air charter passenger or cargo aircraft which operates on an on-demand basis.-Regulation:In the United States, air taxi and air charter operations are governed by Part 135 of the Federal Aviation Regulations , unlike the larger scheduled air carriers which are governed by more...

, 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.

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.

Common aircraft

  • Cessna
    Cessna
    The Cessna Aircraft Company is an airplane manufacturing corporation headquartered in Wichita, Kansas, USA. Their main products are general aviation aircraft. Although they are the most well known for their small, piston-powered aircraft, they also produce business jets. The company is a subsidiary...

    : 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
    Beechcraft
    Beechcraft is an American manufacturer of general aviation and military aircraft, ranging from light single engine aircraft to business jets and light military transports. Previously a division of Raytheon, it has been a brand of Hawker Beechcraft since 2006....

    : Duchess (Executive Flyers aviation), King Air's, B1900D, Bonanza, Baron
  • Mooney
    Mooney
    Mooney is a family name, which is probably predominantly derived from the Irish Ó'Maonaigh It can also be spelled Moony, Moonie, Meaney and Meeney.-Origins:The origin of the different Moony or Mooney families is lost in antiquity...

    : Bravo, Ovation
  • Gulfstream
    Gulfstream Aerospace
    Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation is a producer of several models of jet aircraft. Gulfstream has been a unit of General Dynamics since 1999.The company has produced more than 1,500 aircraft for corporate, government, private, and military customers around the world...

    : IV, V, 150, 250
  • Hawker
    Hawker
    Hawker may refer to:Places*Hawker, Australian Capital Territory, a suburb of Canberra*Hawker, South Australia, in the Flinders Ranges*Division of Hawker, an Electoral Division in South AustraliaPeople...

    : 400, 8X
  • Dassault: Falcon 50, Falcon 10, Falcon 2000, Falcon 900, Falcon 7x
  • Boeing
    Boeing
    The Boeing Company is an American multinational aerospace and defense corporation, founded in 1916 by William E. Boeing in Seattle, Washington. Boeing has expanded over the years, merging with McDonnell Douglas in 1997. Boeing Corporate headquarters has been in Chicago, Illinois since 2001...

    : BBJ, 757, 727, 737-300/400/700/800 (all charters: Miami Air, Southwest, AirTran, Delta, etc.)
  • Airbus
    Airbus
    Airbus SAS is an aircraft manufacturing subsidiary of EADS, a European aerospace company. Based in Blagnac, France, surburb of Toulouse, and with significant activity across Europe, the company produces around half of the world's jet airliners....

    : A320 (Air Canada)
  • Eclipse
    Eclipse Aviation
    Eclipse Aviation Corporation was the Albuquerque, New Mexico-based manufacturer of the Eclipse 500 very light jet and also at one time proposed developing the Eclipse 400 single-engined jet....

    : 500 (Linear Air
    Linear Air
    Linear Air is a private part-135 charter operator and air taxi service headquartered near Boston in Concord, Massachusetts. Linear Air's primary operations base is located at Hanscom Field in Bedford, Massachusetts, and the company also operates from a base at Westchester County Airport in White...

    )

Air Force aircraft

  • Piaggio
    Piaggio
    Piaggio based in Pontedera, Italy encompasses seven brands of scooters, motorcycles and compact commercial vehicles. As the fourth largest producer of scooters and motorcycles in the world, Piaggio produces more than 600,000 vehicles annually, with five research and development centers, more than...

    , Avanti
  • Bombardier
    Bombardier Aerospace
    Bombardier Aerospace is a division of Bombardier Inc. and is the third-largest airplane manufacturer in the world. It is headquartered in Dorval, Quebec, Canada.- History :...

    : Global Express, Challenger
  • Socata
    Socata
    Socată is a traditional Romanian soft drink made from the flowers of the European elder shrub, Sambucus nigra . The European elderberry also grows spontaneously in North America....

    : TBM-850/700
  • Pilatus
    Pilatus Aircraft
    Pilatus Aircraft Ltd. is an aircraft manufacturer located in Stans, Switzerland. The company employs more than 1,100 people.-History:The company was established in 1939, but it was not until 1944 that a Pilatus-built aircraft, the SB-2 Pelican, first took to the air...

    : PC-12
  • American Champion
    American Champion
    American Champion Aircraft Corporation, located in Rochester, Wisconsin, is a manufacturer of general aviation aircraft. Founded in 1988 on the acquisition of the Champ, Citabria, Scout, and Decathlon, it has been producing replacement parts for these aircraft since that time; it has as well been...

    : Super Decathlon
  • Extra
    Extra
    Extra, extras or xtra may refer to:* Extra , a performer who appears in a nonspeaking capacity* Extra , a term in the sport of cricket* Extra , a brand of chewing gum...

    : 300
  • Robinson: 22 helicopters

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.

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)

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

Part 121 Commercial service

From 1999 until 2003, Shuttle America
Shuttle America
Shuttle America Corporation is a regional airline based in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. It feeds United Airlines flights at Chicago, Denver, and Washington as United Express, and feeds Delta Air Lines flights at Atlanta and New York as Delta Connection and Delta Shuttle.-History: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
Saab 340
The Saab 340 is a discontinued Swedish two-engine turboprop aircraft designed and initially produced by a partnership between Saab and Fairchild Aircraft in a 65:35 ratio...

  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
Trenton-Mercer Airport
Trenton-Mercer Airport , formerly known as Mercer County Airport, is a public airport located in Ewing, New Jersey, four miles northwest of the central business district of Trenton, a city in Mercer County, New Jersey...

 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.

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:
  • Delta Air Lines
    Delta Air Lines
    Delta Air Lines, Inc. is a major airline based in the United States and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The airline operates an extensive domestic and international network serving all continents except Antarctica. Delta and its subsidiaries operate over 4,000 flights every day...

     - Boston College (B752)
  • Swift Air
    Swift Air
    Swift Air is an American airline based in Phoenix, Arizona, USA. It operates a fleet of business and commercial jets available for charter and private use. Its main base is Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. Not to be confused with Swift Air Malawi...

     - Boston Celtics (B734)
  • USA Jet - Boston Bruins, Boston University (MD-83)

Ground transportation

Hanscom can be reached by car by following Route 2A
Route 2A (Massachusetts)
Route 2A exists in several sections of Massachusetts, mainly as parts of former Route 2 that have been moved or upgraded. Route 2A runs from Greenfield in the west to Boston in the east...

 west from exit 30B on I-95
Interstate 95 in Massachusetts
Interstate 95 is the main highway on the East Coast of the United States, paralleling the Atlantic Ocean from Florida to Maine. The Massachusetts portion of the highway enters from the state of Rhode Island in Attleboro and travels in a northeasterly direction to the junction with Route 128 in...

/Route 128. It is serviced by the MBTA
Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority
The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, often referred to as the MBTA or simply The T, is the public operator of most bus, subway, commuter rail and ferry systems in the greater Boston, Massachusetts, area. Officially a "body politic and corporate, and a political subdivision" of the...

's Route 76 bus from Alewife Station in Cambridge.

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
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...

 arrived at Hanscom Field aboard a chartered aircraft during one of their American concert tours. They were making an appearance at Boston Garden
Boston Garden
The Boston Garden was an arena in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Designed by boxing promoter Tex Rickard, who also built the third iteration of New York's Madison Square Garden, it opened on November 17, 1928 as "Boston Madison Square Garden" and outlived its original namesake by some 30 years...

 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
Gerald Ford
Gerald Rudolph "Jerry" Ford, Jr. was the 38th President of the United States, serving from 1974 to 1977, and the 40th Vice President of the United States serving from 1973 to 1974...

 used Hanscom Field before and after making speeches in Lexington, Massachusetts
Lexington, Massachusetts
Lexington is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 31,399 at the 2010 census. This town is famous for being the site of the first shot of the American Revolution, in the Battle of Lexington on April 19, 1775.- History :...

 and Concord, Massachusetts
Concord, Massachusetts
Concord is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the town population was 17,668. Although a small town, Concord is noted for its leading roles in American history and literature.-History:...

 to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Battles of Lexington and Concord
Battles of Lexington and Concord
The Battles of Lexington and Concord were the first military engagements of the American Revolutionary War. They were fought on April 19, 1775, in Middlesex County, Province of Massachusetts Bay, within the towns of Lexington, Concord, Lincoln, Menotomy , and Cambridge, near Boston...

.

In February 2006, NBA player Sebastian Telfair
Sebastian Telfair
Sebastian Telfair is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Minnesota Timberwolves. Telfair was the 13th overall pick in the 2004 NBA Draft by the Portland Trail Blazers out of Abraham Lincoln High School...

 was questioned after a handgun registered to his girlfriend was found in his pillowcase aboard the Portland Trail Blazers
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Trail Blazers originally played their home games in the...

 team plane.

In 2006, Neil Entwistle
Neil Entwistle
Neil Entwistle is an English man convicted of murdering his American wife, Rachel, and their infant daughter Lillian on 20 January 2006 in Hopkinton, Massachusetts, US.-Early life:...

 was flown from London to Hanscom by U.S. Marshals to face murder charges.

In December 2006, pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka
Daisuke Matsuzaka
is a Japanese professional baseball pitcher with the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball in the United States. He previously played for the Seibu Lions in Japan's Pacific League. He was selected the MVP of the inaugural and the second World Baseball Classic, and is an Olympic bronze...

 held negotiations with the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "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.

Movies/Scenes filmed at Hanscom Field

  • What's The Worst That Could Happen?
    What's the Worst That Could Happen?
    What's the Worst That Could Happen? is a 2001 American comedy film directed by Sam Weisman and starring Martin Lawrence and Danny DeVito. Loosely based on the book of the same name by Donald Westlake, the film's supporting cast includes John Leguizamo, Bernie Mac, Larry Miller, Nora Dunn, GQ, and...

    (2001)
  • The Pink Panther 2 (2009)
  • Paul Blart: Mall Cop (2009)
  • Edge of Darkness (2010)

External links

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