Departure
96%
vs 95% ▲ 1
MY FS FLIGHTS
MY FS FLIGHTS
Hector International Airport (KFAR) lies three miles northwest of Fargo, North Dakota, serving the Fargo-Moorhead area as the state's busiest civil airport and sharing its runways with the adjacent Fargo Air National Guard Base. With a 9,000-foot main runway and full ILS coverage, it is a straightforward destination for simulator pilots flying airliners or general aviation types into the northern plains.
Hector International Airport is a civil-military public airport situated three miles northwest of Fargo, in Cass County, North Dakota, and is owned and operated by the Municipal Airport Authority of the City of Fargo. It is the busiest airport in North Dakota and shares its site with Fargo Air National Guard Base, home to the 119th Wing's 'Happy Hooligans', which now operates the MQ-9 Reaper. For the simulator pilot the field offers a long, well-equipped main runway, a full ILS, and the added interest of mixed civil, military and cargo traffic.
The airport sits three miles northwest of Fargo, North Dakota, and serves the combined Fargo-Moorhead area on the Minnesota border. Fargo Air National Guard Base is located immediately adjacent to the civil airfield. Traffic is worked by Fargo Approach/Departure and Fargo Tower, reflecting the airport's status as a controlled aerodrome with mixed airline, military and general aviation operations.
Hector International has three physical runways. Runway 18/36 is the primary strip at 8,996 feet, hard-surfaced, lit and equipped with an ILS. Runway 09/27 is 6,289 feet, also hard-surfaced. Runway 13/31 is the shortest at 3,797 feet, hard-surfaced and lit. The field elevation is 899 feet.
Fargo Approach/Departure works arriving and departing traffic on 120.4 MHz. The ATIS broadcasts on 124.5 MHz. Ground movement is handled on 121.9 MHz, with clearance delivery routed via Grand Forks Radio on 122.425 MHz. Fargo Tower operates on 133.8 MHz, and UNICOM is available on 122.95 MHz. Runway 18/36 is served by an ILS.
Hector International Airport opened in 1927 and takes its name from Martin Hector, who first leased and then donated the original 50 acres of land to the city of Fargo. The airport gained a place in aviation and music history as the intended destination of the aircraft carrying Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J.P. Richardson on 3 February 1959; the flight crashed shortly after takeoff from Mason City, Iowa, killing the three musicians and their pilot. The airfield has long had a dual civil-military character, hosting Fargo Air National Guard Base and the 119th Wing, known as the Happy Hooligans, a North Dakota Air National Guard unit that now flies the MQ-9 Reaper.
The airport covers roughly 2,500 acres and holds the longest public runway in North Dakota, long enough to receive Boeing 747s. The current passenger terminal dates from 1986, with a further expansion completed in 2008 and a larger $156 million project begun in 2024 to add new gates and renovate existing terminal areas. Customs service is available for arrivals from Canada and other countries, giving the field its international designation despite having no scheduled international passenger routes. Scheduled airline service is provided by several major carriers alongside general aviation, cargo and Air National Guard operations.
