3/ 4 reviews
Terminal & facilities
“Really great facility, with awesome aviation posters and flyers from aviators across the decade.”
Tyler Timm5★ on Google
Airports / Illinois / SAR
Small airport · SAR
Sparta Community Airport - Hunter Field.
Sparta, Illinois · 538 ft elevation. A private-aviation gateway on the Bravo register.
4.9/5
Google rating
10 ratings
0
Operators based
538
Elevation ft
Sparta, IllinoisELEV 538 FTSmall airport
4.9
Google rating
10
Google reviews
ratings on Google
1
FBOs on field
ramp, fuel and handling
538
Field elevation
feet above sea level
25
Nearest alternate
nm to BLV
Field standing
#6 / 42
Illinois airports by Google rating
4.9★ across 10 Google ratings , ranked against 42 rated IL fields.
25 nm
To the nearest alternate
Scott AFB/Midamerica Airport (BLV), 5 fields within 50 nm.
Overview
Sparta Community Airport - Hunter Field, listed as KSAR / SAR, is a general aviation field in Sparta, Illinois. The field lies at an elevation of 538 feet. The field has no airline schedules, which keeps it focused on private and general aviation flying.
SAR has no resident charter fleet; trips here are typically flown by operators repositioning from surrounding airports. Useful alternates include Scott AFB/Midamerica Airport (BLV, 25 nm), Southern Illinois Airport (MDH, 31 nm), and Veterans Airport of Southern Illinois (MWA, 40 nm). SAR offers 2 runways, the longest 4,002-foot paved runway, which supports charter types through the light jet class.
Quotes for flights out of SAR vary with aircraft type, repositioning, and schedule flexibility. Use the cost estimator to model a trip from SAR, or browse verified operators serving the area.
1 FBO serves KSAR. Run one? Become the preferred FBO
Ramp services
FBOs on the field
Sparta Aero Service
Your FBO? Claim it, free- Fuel
- Hangar
- Mon-Thu 08:00-17:00, Fri 08:00-16:00, Sat 08:00-15:00, Sun Closed
- Unicom 123.075
- Conference room
- Wi-Fi
- Courtesy car
- Car rental
- Restrooms
- Hangar
- Maintenance
- Parking
- +3 more
- Phone
- Website
- Address
Directory data, unpaid. FBOs can take the Preferred slot above.
What fliers highlight.
From the stored review texts
3/ 4 reviews
Staff & service
“The friendly, knowledgeable folks at Sparta were very accommodating and helpful.”
Jeff Carleton5★ on Google
2/ 4 reviews
FBO & ground handling
“Sparta is the perfect GA airport with 24/7 fuel, good food, and a hotel right across the street from the terminal.”
John Trolinger5★ on Google
Themes counted by keyword across Google review texts for Sparta Community Airport - Hunter Field, every quote is verbatim from a real review.
Field capability
ICAO
KSAR
IATA
SAR
FAA / Local
SAR
Elevation
538 ft
Coordinates
38.1489° N · 89.6987° W
Airspace
G · GolfClass G, GolfUncontrolled field, no tower. Pilots self-announce and sequence themselves on the common traffic advisory frequency.Source: FAA NASR class airspace
Size
Small
Scheduled svc
No
Elevation vs IL fields
state range 321–871 ft
At 538 ft, SAR sits lower than 67% of the 51 Illinois fields on the register.
Runways & aircraft access
2 runways
longest 4,002 ft
- 18/364,002 ft × 75 ftAsphaltLighted
- 09/272,958 ft × 110 ftGrass / turfUnlit
Which aircraft can operate here
vs longest paved runway 4,002 ft
SAR's 4,002 ft paved runway typically supports charter aircraft up to light jets.
- Turboprop3,000 ft
- Light Jet3,500 ft
- Midsize Jet4,500 ft
- Super-Midsize Jet5,000 ft
- Heavy Jet5,500 ft
- VIP Airliner6,000 ft
Class minimums are sea-level planning rules of thumb. A specific aircraft's balanced-field length varies with weight, temperature, and field elevation. Confirm performance with the operator.
Access & alternates
Closest alternate fields by great-circle distance, every listing links to its own field brief.
- 25nmBLVScott AFB/Midamerica AirportBelleville
- 31nmMDHSouthern Illinois AirportMurphysboro
- 40nmMWAVeterans Airport of Southern IllinoisMarion
- 47nmALNSt Louis Regional AirportAlton/St Louis
- 48nmSTLSt. Louis Lambert International AirportSt Louis
- 54nmSUSSpirit of St Louis AirportSt Louis
Location
Open the full mapKSAR · Sparta Community Airport - Hunter Field · Sparta, IL
Flight times from here
Approximate nonstop block times from SAR on a typical midsize charter jet. Faster classes trim these; add positioning and taxi for the real schedule.
| Destination | Distance | Block time |
|---|---|---|
| Nashville (BNA) | 189 nm | 50m |
| Chicago (ORD) | 244 nm | 58m |
| Dallas (DAL) | 473 nm | 1h 30m |
| Washington DC (IAD) | 576 nm | 1h 44m |
| Houston (HOU) | 581 nm | 1h 45m |
| Austin (AUS) | 619 nm | 1h 50m |
| Denver (DEN) | 705 nm | 2h 2m |
| New York (TEB) | 741 nm | 2h 7m |
Common questions
- What size private jets can use SAR?
- Sparta Community Airport - Hunter Field's longest paved runway is 4,002 ft, which typically supports charter aircraft up to light jets. Lighter classes (turboprops, light and midsize jets) operate comfortably; confirm exact performance for a specific tail with the operator, since balanced-field length shifts with weight, temperature, and elevation.
- What is the longest runway at SAR?
- Sparta Community Airport - Hunter Field has 2 runways; the longest measures 4,002 ft on a paved surface and is lit for night operations.
- Which FBOs are at Sparta Community Airport - Hunter Field?
- One FBO serves SAR: Sparta Aero Service. Phone, website, hours, unicom and services for each are listed on this page. Call ahead for fuel, ramp space, and ground handling.
- What is the nearest major airport to SAR?
- The closest alternate is Scott AFB/Midamerica Airport (BLV), about 25 nm away, followed by Southern Illinois Airport (MDH) at 31 nm. Operators often position aircraft between these fields depending on ramp space and availability.
- How long is a flight from SAR to major cities?
- Typical block times on a midsize jet: Chicago about 58m (244 nm), Dallas about 1h 30m (473 nm), Washington DC about 1h 44m (576 nm). Faster classes trim these times; add positioning and taxi for the real schedule.