| Hawkins Field Jackson AAB |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
| IATA: HKS – ICAO: KHKS – FAA LID: HKS | |||
| Summary | |||
| Airport type | Public | ||
| Owner | City of Jackson | ||
| Operator | Jackson Metropolitan Airport Authority | ||
| Serves | Jackson, Mississippi | ||
| Location | Jackson, Mississippi | ||
| Elevation AMSL | 341 ft / 104 m | ||
| Runways | |||
| Direction | Length | Surface | |
| ft | m | ||
| 16/34 | 5,387 | 1,642 | Asphalt |
| 11/29 | 3,431 | 1,046 | Concrete |
| Statistics (2007) | |||
| Aircraft operations | 62,516 | ||
| Based aircraft | 116 | ||
| Source: Federal Aviation Administration[1] | |||
Hawkins Field (IATA: HKS, ICAO: KHKS, FAA LID: HKS) is a city-owned public-use airport located three miles (5 km) northwest of the central business district of Jackson, a city in Hinds County, Mississippi, United States.[1]
Contents |
Hawkins Field covers an area of 602 acres (244 ha) which contains two runways: 16/34 with an asphalt surface measuring 5,387 x 150 ft (1,642 x 46 m) and 11/29 with a concrete surface measuring 3,431 x 150 ft (1,046 x 46 m).[1]
For the 12-month period ending March 29, 2007, the airport had 62,516 aircraft operations, an average of 171 per day: 88% general aviation, 6% air taxi and 6% military. At that time there were 116 aircraft based at this airport: 40% single-engine (46), 32% multi-engine, 3% jet, 9% helicopter, 16% military.[1]
Jackson Army Air Base was the name of the abandoned base in the movie Capricorn One, which they used to stage a fake Mars landing. But unlike the real base which is in Mississippi, this one was located in Texas.
Aviation in Jackson began in 1928 with the purchase of 151 acres of pasture land in the City of Jackson known then as Davis Stock Farm, for the sum of $53,500. Davis Field, Jackson’s first airport was dedicated November 9, 1928. Delta Airlines made its first commercial flight that year beginning in Dallas landing in Jackson and several other cities on their way to Atlanta.[2]
In 1936 the Works Progress Administration’s (WPA), Civil Conservation Corps (CCC) invested $62,150 to improve the airport with the construction of a terminal building and paving of an apron for aircraft parking. In 1941 the airfield was officially named Hawkins Field after A.F. Hawkins, a city commissioner with an interest in aviation.
In May 1941, the Dutch government-in-exile, following the occupation of the Netherlands, established the Royal Netherlands Military Flying School at Hawkins Field. Operating Lend-Lease aircraft, civilian pilots from the Mississippi Institute of Aeronautics. Training was conducted with Army Air Corps units in the southeast, however operation of the school and flight training were done by civilians.
In June 1941 Hawkins Field was designated as Jackson Army Airbase. It activated on 1 May 1942 and was used by the United States Army Air Force Flying Training Command, as a basic flying training airfield (Army Air Forces Pilot School, Miscellaneous Fields) (Basic; Advanced Single and Twin-Engine). When the Army took over Hawkins Field, a massive construction program was initiated to expand the civil airport. Construction was rapid given the emergency wartime conditions and within three months the post was to be in full operation. The airfield consisted of four concrete runways 3317x150(NNE/SSW), 3310x150(NNW/SSE), 48250x150(NW/SE), 5400x150(NNW/SSE); asphalt on first two runways and concrete the others. The runways were laid out on an "A" layout, with one extended length main runway, and two short secondary runways connected to an aircraft parking apron. Auxiliary airfields to support the training activities at the base were:
In addition to the airfield, the building of a large support base with several hundred buildings, numerous streets, a utility network, was carried out with barracks, various administrative buildings, maintenance shops and hangars. The station facility consisted of a large number of buildings based on standardized plans and architectural drawings, with the buildings designed to be the "cheapest, temporary character with structural stability only sufficient to meet the needs of the service which the structure is intended to fulfill during the period of its contemplated war use" was underway. To conserve critical materials, most facilities were constructed of wood, concrete, brick, gypsum board and concrete asbestos. Metal was sparsely used. The station was designed to be nearly self-sufficient, with not only hangars, but barracks, warehouses, hospitals, dental clinics, dining halls, and maintenance shops were needed. There were libraries, social clubs for officers, and enlisted men, and stores to buy living necessities. The buildings, together with complete water, sewer, electric and gas utilities
The Netherlands pilots operated from the facility as a separate entity until January 1942 when the Army Air Corps Southeast Training Center took over the base and the Dutch pilots began training under the auspices of 74th Flying Training Wing at Maxwell Field, Alabama. The 35th Base Headquarters and Air Base Squadron was responsible for the operation of the non-flying elements of the base. Operational training squadrons were:
On 1 July 1944 Jackson Army Air Base was transferred to Third Air Force, training was re-organized under the 2159th Army Air Force Base Unit, with three flying squadrons "A", "B" and "C". Training was consolidated with units being reassigned from Laurel Army Airfield to Jackson. The Netherlands aviators left in May 1945, and flight training was closed down in October.
Third Air Force operated the airfield as an Air Force Reserve training center (2588th Air Force Reserve Training Unit) until 31 March 1949 when the United States Air Force excessed Hawkins Field and returned it to civil control.
It was not until 1949 that Hawkins was once again classified as a civilian airfield. With the introduction of jet service to Jackson in 1963, the City began work to annex land in Rankin County, Mississippi to build a new commercial and military service airport. Construction on Allen C. Thompson Field, Jackson Municipal Airport was begun that year. Jackson Municipal Airport was opened later that year one of the first airports to be constructed with parallel runways versus cross wind intersecting runways utilized by the smaller aircraft operations.
With the opening of Jackson Municipal Airpor, Hawkins Field became a general aviation airport.
The United States Air Force returned in the summer of 1953 when the Mississippi Air National Guard began utilizing certain facilities of Hawkins Field.
The 172d began in 1953 as the Tactical Air Command 183d Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron (Night Photo) at Hawkins Field equipped with RB-26 Invaders equipped for night photo reconnaissance missions. Six Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcars replaced the RB-26 in 1957 when the 183d became an Aeromedical Transport Squadron (Light) as part of Military Air Transport Service. The C-119 widened the mission of the unit. By 1961 plans for a new airport were on the drawing board. The Government leased 64 acres of land in Rankin County to the City of Jackson for the new Air Guard complex. Construction of the present base began on 15 April 1961.
On 1 July 1962 the Lockheed C-121 Constellation aircraft arrived in Mississippi and the squadron was re designated as the MATS 172d Air Transport Squadron. They were sleek, four-engine propeller driven aircraft. Saturday, 1 June 1963, marked the beginning of the unit's world mission with a flight to Germany in the C-121.
This use continued to operate from Hawkins Field until early 1964 when the 172d moved to new facilities at Jackson International Airport in Rankin County MS.
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Air Force Historical Research Agency.
|
|||||||||||||||