Laurence G. Hanscom Field (BED) in Bedford, Massachusetts, is the region’s largest general aviation airport and a vital link in the transportation infrastructure of Massachusetts and New England. Located just 20 miles northwest of Boston, Hanscom Field is the popular choice for business executives who want easy access to Eastern, Massachusetts. It is home to private and corporate aircraft of all sizes and offers limited commercial service.
A Historical Perspective
Hanscom Field has been a major part of local aviation since 1941, when the Commonwealth of Massachusetts acquired 500 acres of land in the towns of Bedford, Concord, Lexington, and Lincoln. By 1943 the airport was leased by the Army Air Corps and named the Laurence G. Hanscom Field, in honor of the late Laurence G. Hanscom, a founding member and commander of the Massachusetts Wing of the Civilian Air Reserve. Military operations dominated Hanscom until it became a joint military and civilian facility in the 1950's.
By 1959, the Massachusetts Port Authority assumed control of the state land, 3 years after the Massachusetts Legislature created the independent public authority. In 1974, general operations and maintenance of the airfield became the responsibility of Massport as military operations declined to occasional use. Hanscom has since been managed as a regional aviation facility, whose major users are a mix of corporate aviation, private pilots, flight schools, commuter/commercial air services, as well as some charters and light cargo.
Contact Information
L.G. Hanscom Field 781-869-8000
