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The town of Bedford has had an airport at four different locations from 1934 until the present. The earliest airport in the Bedford area was constructed around 1934 and was located near Sunnyside Road, 0.75 miles northeast of the town of Bedford and parallel to U.S. Highway 30. It was described as having two sod runways: the longest being an 1,800’ northwest / southeast strip. It appears to have lasted only a couple of years, closing at some point between 1935 – 1937.
The next airport location was at the intersection of U.S. 220 (which has become Interstate 99) and PA 56, in Cessna, 2 miles north of the town of Bedford. This is very close to the present-day location. This airport was established sometime between 1945 and 1947. The 1949 Cleveland sectional chart lists it as an 1,800’ unpaved runway. In 1957, the Bedford Airport is listed as having 2 runways: an 1,810’ northwest/southeast shale strip and a 1,595’ northeast/southwest turf strip. The operator was listed as Blair-Bedford Airways and the manager was F. Grazier. A 1958 photo depicts the airfield as having a single paved northeast / southwest runway. This airport closed sometime between 1965 – 1968. The current Wal-Mart Distribution Center is located on the site of the second Bedford Airport.
At some point between 1958 – 1962, a replacement airport was constructed two miles to the southeast to replace the second location. The second location continued in operation for a few more years as a private airfield. This third location, named the Bedford-Wiedman Airport, had a single bituminous runway of 2,050’, and was operated by Blair – Bedford Airways. The third location of the airport was built next to the Pennsylvania Turnpike, which made it easier to locate from the air. The landing strip was literally on the side of a mountain. With only a paved 2,000’ runway, it was known to Pennsylvanian pilots as a challenging airport to fly in or out of, and had distinctive distance to go markers: 1500’, 1000’, 500’ and “jump.” The third location closed in 1994.
A groundbreaking ceremony was held on 1989 for the fourth location of the Bedford Airport. As the need for a larger, more modern airport was determined, the fourth location was constructed adjacent to the east side of the second location of the airport. This current airport, known as the Bedford County Airport, is operated by the Bedford County Airport Authority. It has a 5,005’ x 75’ paved runway. There are fifteen T-hangars for small piston engine aircraft, four heated unit hangars for business class jets and turbo props, a maintenance building, and a terminal building. Inside the terminal building there is the airport office, kitchen/break room, lobby/waiting area, pilot’s lounge, conference room, public restrooms, and additional rentable offices. The newest corporate hanger includes office space, and private restrooms. Custom options are possible in this new hangar. The airport grounds also offer room to grow and is able to build to suit for the right client.