Wendell H. Ford Airport strengthens Perry County emergency and economic access

Wendell H. Ford Regional Airport, identified by the airport code CPF, functions as more than a strip of pavement in the hills northwest of Hazard. Located roughly 10 miles from the city, the county owned and operated facility supports general aviation, medical transport, aerial firefighting support and occasional charter flights. Those services collectively underpin both day to day connectivity for businesses and time sensitive emergency operations that matter to Perry County residents.

Published facility information for the airport documents basic data about runway configuration, elevation and ownership, reflecting its status as an asset of the Hazard Perry County community. That technical record is routinely used in local infrastructure planning, from estimating maintenance needs to coordinating emergency services and arranging ad hoc flights for business or community needs. The airport’s capacity to host medevac flights in particular reduces transport time for critical patients, while aerial firefighting support assists regional emergency response during wildfire seasons.

From an economic standpoint the airport facilitates business travel and occasional charter services that link local companies to regional markets and suppliers. For a largely rural county, reliable air access lowers the transaction costs of remote meetings and can be a factor in firm location decisions. The availability of medevac and firefighting capabilities also has an economic dimension, as faster medical transport can reduce downstream health care costs and stronger emergency response can limit property losses.

Looking ahead, the airport’s inclusion in county infrastructure planning highlights two ongoing priorities. First, maintaining runway and navigational infrastructure to ensure safe operations for medevac and firefighting missions remains essential. Second, aligning airport capabilities with regional economic development strategies can help extract greater value from a facility that currently supports a mix of general aviation and occasional commercial uses. Local officials and community stakeholders will need to weigh maintenance costs against the economic and public safety benefits the airport delivers.

For Perry County residents the airport represents tangible access to emergency services and a modest but meaningful conduit for business links. Keeping that access operational preserves both safety and economic opportunity for the community.