South Texas Regional Airport at Hondo covers an area of 3,500 acres (1,416 ha) at an elevation of 930 feet (283 m) above mean sea level. It has four runways: 8/26 is 3,451 by 75 feet (1,052 x 23 m), 13/31 is 5,545 by 150 feet (1,690 x 46 m), 17L/35R is 6,002 by 100 feet (1,829 x 30 m), and 17R/35L is 3,224 by 140 feet (983 x 43 m). Runway 17L/35R has an asphalt pavement and the remaining three runways have a concrete surface.[1]
For the 12-month period ending January 20, 2012, the airport had 95,000 general aviation aircraft operations, an average of 260 per day. At that time there were 31 aircraft based at this airport: 81% single-engine, 13% helicopter, and 6% multi-engine.[1]
History
Hondo Army Air Field
The airport has its origins in 1942 with the establishment by the Army Air Corps of Hondo Army Air Field, and was used as a Navigator training base. The Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs) squadrons were assigned there in November 1943. Two notable woman pilots, Betty Henrich and Hollywood stunt actress Mary Wiggins, were among the first WASPs to report for duty. Between July 1942 and August 1945 some 14,158 navigators were trained at Hondo. The base was closed on December 29, 1945, and the buildings and fixtures were sold as surplus.
Between 1945 and 1951 civilian operators such as the Hollaway flying school trained student pilots at the former base under the GI Bill.
Hondo Air Base
On June 5, 1950, as a result of the Korean War, the United States Air Force reactivated the base as Hondo Air Base, and it served as a contract pilot training center for training pilots. It closed again in 1958.
During the 1960s the city of Hondo leased facilities at the base to the Hondo Livestock Auction and to Gary Aerospace, Universal Rundle, and Doss Aviation. The aviation companies worked with the United States Air Force to screen pilots, and Universal Rundle manufactured bathroom products.
In 1957 a golf course was constructed on the base through the efforts of base commander Lieutenant Colonel Earl V. Riley. A golf tournament bearing his name remained a yearly event in the 1980s. In the spring of 1973 the Air Force began a flight-screening program at Hondo using the T-41 Mescalero, a militarized version of the civilian Cessna 172. The training program, still in operation in the 1980s, was attended by United States and foreign students.
After the mid-1970s the base housed a number of businesses, including a fiberglass-products plant, a greenhouse, a national guard armory, and the Medina Electric Cooperative.
^Thole, Lou (1999), Forgotten Fields of America : World War II Bases and Training, Then and Now - Volume 2. Publisher: Pictorial Histories Pub, ISBN1-57510-051-7
FAA Terminal Procedures for HDO, effective January 26, 2023
Resources for this airport:
FAA airport information for HDO
AirNav airport information for KHDO
ASN accident history for HDO
FlightAware airport information and live flight tracker
NOAA/NWS weather observations: current, past three days
SkyVector aeronautical chart, Terminal Procedures
February 06, 2023
south, texas, regional, airport, hondo, icao, khdo, public, airport, located, nautical, miles, northwest, central, business, district, hondo, city, medina, county, texas, united, states, owned, city, hondo, formerly, known, hondo, municipal, airport, this, air. South Texas Regional Airport at Hondo 1 2 ICAO KHDO FAA LID HDO is a public use airport located two nautical miles 4 km northwest of the central business district of Hondo a city in Medina County Texas United States 1 It is owned by the City of Hondo 1 and was formerly known as Hondo Municipal Airport 3 This airport is included in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2011 2015 which categorized it as a general aviation facility 4 South Texas Regional Airport at HondoIATA noneICAO KHDOFAA LID HDOSummaryAirport typePublicOwnerCity of HondoServesHondo TexasElevation AMSL930 ft 283 mCoordinates29 21 33 N 099 10 39 W 29 35917 N 99 17750 W 29 35917 99 17750 Coordinates 29 21 33 N 099 10 39 W 29 35917 N 99 17750 W 29 35917 99 17750MapHDOLocation of airport in TexasRunwaysDirection Length Surfaceft m8 26 3 451 1 052 Concrete13 31 5 545 1 690 Concrete17L 35R 6 002 1 829 Concrete17R 35L 3 224 983 AsphaltStatistics 2012 Aircraft operations95 000Based aircraft31Sources FAA 1 City of Hondo 2 Hondo Army Airfield 1943 Classbook Contents 1 Facilities and aircraft 2 History 2 1 Hondo Army Air Field 2 2 Hondo Air Base 3 References 4 External linksFacilities and aircraft EditSouth Texas Regional Airport at Hondo covers an area of 3 500 acres 1 416 ha at an elevation of 930 feet 283 m above mean sea level It has four runways 8 26 is 3 451 by 75 feet 1 052 x 23 m 13 31 is 5 545 by 150 feet 1 690 x 46 m 17L 35R is 6 002 by 100 feet 1 829 x 30 m and 17R 35L is 3 224 by 140 feet 983 x 43 m Runway 17L 35R has an asphalt pavement and the remaining three runways have a concrete surface 1 For the 12 month period ending January 20 2012 the airport had 95 000 general aviation aircraft operations an average of 260 per day At that time there were 31 aircraft based at this airport 81 single engine 13 helicopter and 6 multi engine 1 History EditHondo Army Air Field Edit The airport has its origins in 1942 with the establishment by the Army Air Corps of Hondo Army Air Field and was used as a Navigator training base The Women Airforce Service Pilots WASPs squadrons were assigned there in November 1943 Two notable woman pilots Betty Henrich and Hollywood stunt actress Mary Wiggins were among the first WASPs to report for duty Between July 1942 and August 1945 some 14 158 navigators were trained at Hondo The base was closed on December 29 1945 and the buildings and fixtures were sold as surplus Between 1945 and 1951 civilian operators such as the Hollaway flying school trained student pilots at the former base under the GI Bill Hondo Air Base Edit On June 5 1950 as a result of the Korean War the United States Air Force reactivated the base as Hondo Air Base and it served as a contract pilot training center for training pilots It closed again in 1958 During the 1960s the city of Hondo leased facilities at the base to the Hondo Livestock Auction and to Gary Aerospace Universal Rundle and Doss Aviation The aviation companies worked with the United States Air Force to screen pilots and Universal Rundle manufactured bathroom products In 1957 a golf course was constructed on the base through the efforts of base commander Lieutenant Colonel Earl V Riley A golf tournament bearing his name remained a yearly event in the 1980s In the spring of 1973 the Air Force began a flight screening program at Hondo using the T 41 Mescalero a militarized version of the civilian Cessna 172 The training program still in operation in the 1980s was attended by United States and foreign students After the mid 1970s the base housed a number of businesses including a fiberglass products plant a greenhouse a national guard armory and the Medina Electric Cooperative 5 6 References Edit a b c d e f FAA Airport Form 5010 for HDO PDF Federal Aviation Administration Effective November 15 2012 a b South Texas Regional Airport at Hondo City of Hondo Retrieved December 27 2012 KHDO Hondo Municipal Airport FAA data republished by AirNav February 9 2012 Archived from the original on March 17 2012 2011 2015 NPIAS Report Appendix A PDF 2 03 MB National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems Federal Aviation Administration October 4 2010 Handbook of Texas Online Hondo Army Airfield Thole Lou 1999 Forgotten Fields of America World War II Bases and Training Then and Now Volume 2 Publisher Pictorial Histories Pub ISBN 1 57510 051 7External links EditAerial photo as of January 1995 from USGS The National Map FAA Terminal Procedures for HDO effective January 26 2023 Resources for this airport FAA airport information for HDO AirNav airport information for KHDO ASN accident history for HDO FlightAware airport information and live flight tracker NOAA NWS weather observations current past three days SkyVector aeronautical chart Terminal Procedures Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title South Texas Regional Airport at Hondo amp oldid 1133815677 History, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
