Natchez–Adams County Airport

Natchez–Adams County Airport[2] (IATA: HEZ, ICAO: KHEZ, FAA LID: HEZ), also known as Hardy–Anders Field, is a county-owned public-use airport located six nautical miles (11 km) northeast of the central business district of Natchez, a city in Adams County, Mississippi, United States.[1]

Natchez–Adams County Airport

Hardy–Anders Field
Summary
Airport typePublic
OwnerAdams County
ServesNatchez, Mississippi
Elevation AMSL272 ft / 83 m
Coordinates31°36′49″N 091°17′50″W / 31.61361°N 91.29722°W / 31.61361; -91.29722
Websitehttp://www.swmra.com
Map
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
13/31 6,500 1,981 Asphalt
18/36 5,000 1,524 Asphalt
Statistics (2021)
Aircraft operations (year ending 7/31/2021)15,142
Based aircraft24

Facilities and aircraft

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The airport covers an area of 900 acres (360 ha) at an elevation of 272 feet (83 m) above mean sea level. It has two asphalt paved runways: 13/31 is 6,500 by 150 feet (1,981 x 46 m) and 18/36 is 5,000 by 150 feet (1,524 x 46 m).[1]

For the 12-month period ending July 31, 2021, the airport had 15,142 aircraft operations, an average of 41 per day: 94% general aviation, 4% air taxi, and 2% military. At that time there were 24 aircraft based at this airport: 21 single-engine, 1 multi-engine, 1 jet and 1 helicopter.[1]

Past airline service

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Historically, Natchez had scheduled airline service operated by Southern Airways for many years. Southern commenced operations into the airport during the early 1950s with Douglas DC-3 aircraft.[3] The December 1, 1973 Southern Airways system timetable lists several flights a day to Jackson, Memphis, New Orleans and other destinations operated with 40-passenger Martin 4-0-4 propliners.[4] Trans-Texas Airways (TTa) also briefly served Natchez from 1959 through 1961 with flights to Jackson MS, and to Houston, TX with a stop in Alexandria, LA. TTa operated 21-seat Douglas DC-3s.[5] After Southern ended all flights to Natchez in 1975, service was replaced by a commuter airline, South Central Air Transport (SCAT) which flew Handley Page Jetstream turboprops to Jackson, New Orleans and other destinations.[6] SCAT was acquired by Air Illinois in 1977 which then extended their commuter service down south and served Natchez from 1977 through 1980. From 1980 through 1986 Royale Airlines operated commuter turboprop aircraft to Jackson and New Orleans.[7] Natchez then went without commercial air service until 1994 when Lone Star Airlines briefly operated Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner commuter propjet flights direct to Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) via an intermediate stop in Nacogdoches, TX.[8][9] The airport has not had any scheduled airline flights since 1994.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d FAA Airport Form 5010 for HEZ PDF, effective 2023-08-10.
  2. ^ Natchez–Adams County Airport page at Adams County website
  3. ^ September. 26, 1954 Southern Airways system timetable
  4. ^ December. 1, 1973 Southern Airways system timetable
  5. ^ September. 24, 1961 Trans-Texas Airways system timetable
  6. ^ Official Airline Guide (OAG), February 1, 1976 edition
  7. ^ November. 1, 1984 Royale Airlines system timetable
  8. ^ http://www.departedflights.com, October 1, 1994 Lone Star Airlines route map
  9. ^ September. 15, 1994 Official Airline Guide (OAG), Natchez flight schedules
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