Hampton Airfield, North Hampton
Above, an aerial view of Runway 20 at Hampton Airfield in North Hampton, New Hampshire
The Hampton Airfield, elevation 93 feet, is just a gem of a small, private airfield for private pilots in the region who have a choice of two, parallel, unlighted, 2100-foot turf or asphalt, 02/20 runways, the latter paved with associated taxiways in 2014. For night operations, pilots are invited to call the Airport Manager at 603-817-6617.
The Hampton Airfield’s FBO (Fixed Base Operator) has a busy flight school offering Sport Pilot and Private Pilot license instruction, a full-service maintenance department, as well as aircraft rentals (a Piper Cub and two IFR-equipped Cessna 172 Skyhawks).
Assisted and self-service 100LL and MOGAS fuel service is available (self-service, 24 hours per day with a credit card).
The Airfield Café, at left, built in 2019, and well-known to regular customers, serves breakfast and lunch every day except Thanksgiving and Christmas to a devoted clientele, but is something of a secret kept well from many local residents, undoubtedly because it is virtually invisible to the thousands of Seacoast residents and visitors who drive by the Airfield on Lafayette Road (NH Route 1) every day.
Hampton Airfield is easy to get to by land, if not quite as easy to find, because its sign blends in so well with other signage on the east side of Lafayette Road. Visitors should look for the somewhat camouflaged Hampton Airfield sign on the left side if southbound on Route 1, and on the right side if traveling north.
The GPS address is 9A Lafayette Road, North Hampton, New Hampshire. (MAP)
Seacoast and visiting families are encouraged to bring the kids to the Airfield Cafe for its legendary breakfast and lunch while watching everyday airfield operations from the large dining room (and from outdoor seating in season). Plane rides are easy to arrange, of course, as well.
Editor’s Note: Any pilot who has done so can tell you that landing on grass is as much fun as a pilot can have with his clothes on, unless it’s landing on the ice runway on Alton Bay.