Page 8 - February 2022

One of the many public thermal water jug fountains within Hot Springs and HSNP. This one is situated at the base of the Grand Promenade staircase, on the south end of Bath- house Row.
and an old-school VOR approach. The opposite end (Runway 23) is VFR only, mainly due to the terrain on that end making IAPs impractical. VFR traffic patterns to this runway need to be flown fairly tight to maintain a standard glide path inside the surrounding terrain. Runway 13/31 serves as the secondary or crosswind runway. While it is not served directly by individual IAPs, circling procedures exist from both the ILS and VOR approaches to Runway 5. At 4,098 x 100 feet, Runway 13/31 is sufficiently long for most King Air operations but beware of the surrounding terrain/obstructions and the required descent slopes to clear them. Runway 13’s “slope to clear” is far steeper than the standard 10:1, while Runway 31 has a whopping 24:1 slope. All runway surfaces are in excellent condition with clear markings and parallel taxiways. Transient parking space is plentiful and parking/overnight fees are quite reasonable. Like with any single FBO airport, calling ahead to allow the staff to anticipate your arrival and needs will likely make your visit both smoother and more pleasurable. When time comes to depart, be sure to check HOT’s Obstacle Departure Procedures (ODPs). While the terrain isn’t extreme, much of it is up to 1,000 feet above field elevation and rises in every direction from the airport. Non-standard takeoff minimums and ODPs are published for every runway.
If you are seeking out a larger airport with more infrastructure and service options, Little Rock’s Bill & Hillary Clinton National Airport/Adams Field (LIT) is only 45 miles northeast of HOT (closer to 55 ground miles). This makes it a great primary choice if visiting Arkansas’ capital city is on your agenda. LIT can also simply serve as an excellent alternate airport if, for any reason, arriving directly into HOT
is not ideal. LIT is equipped with multiple ILS approaches (including Cat. I, II, and III), as well as several RNAV/GPS approaches with LP or ›
early stages of fall color in central Arkansas.
Hot Springs Memorial Field (HOT) is a pilot-controlled airport yet is one of only six FAR-139 conforming commercial airports in Arkansas. It has approximately 100 based airplanes and scheduled airline service via the small Southern Airways. They operate nine- passenger Cessna Caravans daily to Dallas-Ft. Worth (DFW). For us general aviation operators, the City of Hot Springs FBO offers a full array of standard services, including full- service Jet-A and both full and self- service 100LL fuel. Their facility is small, but well maintained and
comprehensive. On the field, Hertz car rental has a small facility that will leave your rented vehicle right at the FBO (inside the perimeter fence) during off-hour pickups. During normal business hours, the Hertz facility is only a two-minute walk across the FBO parking lot. Enterprise rental cars can also be arranged.
The “air side” of HOT is adequately equipped for most operations. The main runway (05/23) is 6,595 x 100 feet, with Runway 5 being primary. Its three Instrument Approach Procedures (IAPs) consist of a standard ILS, an RNAV/GPS approach for LPV-equipped aircraft,
6 • KING AIR MAGAZINE
FEBRUARY 2022