AirNav posts FAA data for Wendell H. Ford Airport aiding Perry County

AirNav has posted the Federal Aviation Administration's latest facility data for Wendell H. Ford Airport (KCPF), providing Hazard and Perry County with a confirmed set of operational and technical details effective January 22, 2026. The update lists airport elevation at approximately 1,256.8 feet, runway lighting configurations including PAPI, REIL, and MIRL, as well as contact and NOTAM information and a note that the field operates without a control tower.

For local pilots, emergency responders, and planners, those specifics matter. Precise elevation and lighting details inform approach planning and night operations for private aircraft and air ambulance teams. The notation that Wendell H. Ford Airport is an uncontrolled field affects how medevac and business flights coordinate arrivals and departures, as pilots execute standard non-towered procedures rather than receiving instruction from a tower. Contact and NOTAM listings offer immediate operational intelligence for crewmembers and local dispatchers.

Local government and economic development officials also gain value from the posted FAA record. Accurate, readily available facility data underpins infrastructure planning and emergency preparedness, and it helps Perry County officials and Coal Fields Industrial Park managers make informed decisions about logistics, site access, and business recruitment. For regional employers weighing relocation or expansion, clear information on airfield capabilities - such as runway lighting and services available on the field - contributes to assessments of supply chain resilience and executive travel options.

The AirNav entry consolidates FAA data that is routinely used by flight planners and local stakeholders to gauge airport readiness. Having an up-to-date public record supports grant-seeking and capital planning by making technical parameters easily verifiable for engineers and funding agencies. It also strengthens emergency medical services coordination by ensuring medevac planners have confirmed approach and lighting information when seconds matter.

Operationally, the lighting suite listed - precision approach path indicators (PAPI), runway end identifier lights (REIL), and medium intensity runway lights (MIRL) - expands the conditions under which pilots can safely use the field, relative to unlit strips. That technical detail can influence the frequency of night missions and the attractiveness of Wendell H. Ford Airport to small business operators that require consistent access.

For Perry County residents, the updated facility record is a practical piece of infrastructure transparency. It reduces friction for pilots and emergency services and sharpens the county’s pitch to prospective employers and industrial partners at the Coal Fields Industrial Park. Going forward, local officials and planners can use the posted FAA data to refine emergency protocols, pursue infrastructure funding, and communicate concrete airport capabilities to businesses considering investment in the region.