Esler Regional (KESF), Louisiana
Landing essentials
Whether you can land, whether you can refuel, and how customs works here.
Overview
Esler Regional Airport, identified as KESF, serves Alexandria, Louisiana with two paved runways and non-towered operations under CTAF procedures. The field supports business aviation traffic in a moderate-volume tier, with fuel service scheduled around defined attendance hours rather than continuous staffing. Its two asphalt runways, 09/27 at 5,998 feet and 14/32 at 5,600 feet, both extend beyond 5,600 feet, giving operators a workable choice depending on wind conditions. Customs clearance is not available onsite; the nearest customs point is KLFT, roughly 73 nautical miles away.
Runways
Esler Regional has two paved runways. The longest, 09/27, is 5,998 ft long and 150 ft wide, with an asphalt surface.
Runway geometry from published threshold coordinates. Not for navigation.
Runways are listed longest first.
Source: FAA Form 5010.
Fuel and airfield services
Esler Regional has Jet A and 100LL available on the field. Fueling is available from 7am to 5:30pm, daily, and the airport has no control tower.
Source: FAA Form 5010 / NASR.
Customs
Esler Regional does not clear customs. The nearest port of entry is Lafayette Regional / Paul Fournet Field (KLFT), 73 NM away.
Source: CBP list of ports of entry.
Business aviation traffic
Esler Regional recorded 310 business aviation movements in 2025. Traffic peaks in August and December. Business aviation traffic at KESF concentrates in August and December, based on FAA TFMSC data for 2025, with those two months recording the highest monthly operations counts of the year.
Business jet movements, FAA TFMSC count. Peak month August, 39 movements in 2025.
Source: FAA TFMSC, business jet movements, 2025.
Climate
Esler Regional averages 26.6 days above 90°F in August and 11.5 freeze days in January. August is the warmest month, with average highs of 93.6°F, and January the coldest, at 59.9°F.
Weather station is on the field. Some values are estimated by the agency. 1991–2020 climate normals.
Source: NOAA NCEI.
Operating constraints
Esler Regional has published operating constraints in four categories: access, runway notes, environmental and other notes.
For clearance delivery, contact Alexandria Approach.
MALSR is activated on runway 27. REIL is installed on runway 09 and on runway 14/32. MIRL serves runway 14/32, and HIRL serves runway 09/27. Taxiway lights on taxiways A, B, C, D, and E are controlled via CTAF.
A fence 100 feet from the runway end and a small tree 14 feet tall, located 232 feet from the runway end, are close-in obstructions.
Runway markings are severely faded.
The PAPI on runway 14 is out of service.
Personnel and equipment are working adjacent to runways and taxiways.
Birds are present on and in the vicinity of the airport seasonally.
Fuel is available with attendant service Tuesday through Friday, 0700 to 1700. Saturday through Monday, fuel is available on call with advance notice. 100LL is also available via self-serve pump on a 24-hour basis.
Contact the airport manager for designated ramp space for public use.
Source: FAA Chart Supplement.
Nearby airfields
Esler Regional has five airfields within 20 NM. The closest is Pineville Municipal, 8.21 NM southwest.
Source: Skystar calculation from official coordinates.
Skystar at KESF
We arrange catering, fuel and trip support here. Supplier prices reach you unchanged; our coordination fee sits on its own line.
The same order, priced two ways.
$1,200.00 catering order at KESF.
Unchanged.
What the kitchen invoices us is what your quote reads.
One line, fixed.
It does not move with the size of the order.
At cost.
Passed on at the exact amount the processor took.
Market practice figures are industry averages, not a specific competitor.
Frequently asked questions
Is fuel available at KESF at all hours?
Fuel at Esler Regional Airport (KESF) follows a defined schedule rather than round-the-clock staffed service. Attended fuel service runs Tuesday through Friday from 0700 to 1700, with weekend and Monday service available on call in advance. 100LL is available via self-serve pump on a 24-hour basis, independent of the attended schedule. Jet A is also offered among the field's fuel types, but only within the staffed hours.
Can international flights clear customs directly at KESF?
Esler Regional Airport (KESF) does not have customs clearance onsite. The nearest customs facility is at KLFT, located approximately 73 nautical miles away. Operators planning international arrivals need to route through that facility or coordinate clearance in advance rather than expecting service at Esler itself.
What is the runway situation for approach guidance at KESF?
At KESF, the PAPI visual glideslope indicator for runway 14 is out of service. Pilots relying on visual approach slope guidance for that runway should not expect PAPI lights to be operating. Runway markings across the field are also reported as severely faded, which affects visual runway identification. Other lighting systems, including MALSR on runway 27 and REIL on runways 09 and 14/32, remain part of the field's approach aids.
How busy is Esler Regional Airport (KESF) for business aviation?
Esler Regional Airport (KESF) recorded 310 business aviation operations in 2025 out of 448 total annual operations, according to FAA TFMSC data, placing it in a moderate-traffic tier. Monthly counts vary, ranging from as low as 16 operations in April and July up to 39 in August and December. This pattern reflects a field with steady but limited business aviation demand rather than consistent high-volume traffic.