Michael J Smith Field (KMRH), North Carolina
Landing essentials
Whether you can land, whether you can refuel, and how customs works here.
Overview
Michael J Smith Field (KMRH) serves Beaufort, North Carolina, as a Tier 1 business aviation field with onsite CBP inspection services and both avgas and Jet A available. The airport sits close to significant military training airspace, with Cherry Point MCAS roughly 15 nautical miles to the northwest, and several airport remarks reflect coordination requirements tied to that military traffic. Two paved runways remain active for arriving and departing traffic, while a third is currently closed.
Runways
Michael J Smith Field has three paved runways. The longest, 08/26, is 5,004 ft long and 100 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
Michael J Smith Field has Jet A1+ and 100LL available on the field. The airport has no control tower.
Source: FAA Form 5010 / NASR.
Customs
Michael J Smith Field has US Customs and Border Protection clearance available onsite, with general clearance for international arrivals.
Source: CBP list of ports of entry.
Business aviation traffic
Michael J Smith Field recorded 3,381 business aviation movements in 2025. Traffic peaks in June. Business aviation traffic at KMRH concentrates in the summer months, peaking sharply in June before tapering through the fall and winter.
Business jet movements, FAA TFMSC count. Peak month June, 581 movements in 2025.
Source: FAA TFMSC, business jet movements, 2025.
Climate
Michael J Smith Field averages 3.1 days above 90°F in July and 11.6 freeze days in January. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 86.7°F, and January the coldest, at 54.9°F.
Weather station is on the field. Some values are estimated by the agency. 1991–2020 climate normals.
Source: NOAA NCEI.
Operating constraints
Michael J Smith Field has published operating constraints in five categories: access, runway notes, noise procedures, environmental and other notes.
For clearance delivery, contact Cherry Point Approach.
Due to the volume of military traffic and training, all aircraft using MRH are recommended to contact Cherry Point Approach on the appropriate frequency both before and after using the field.
There is no line of sight between runway ends.
REIL for Runway 08 and 26, and PAPI for Runway 03 and 21, are pilot-activated via CTAF, as is MIRL for Runway 03/21 and Runway 08/26. PAPI for Runway 08 and 26 operates continuously.
Runway 14/32 is closed.
A 9-foot fence is located 191 feet from the runway end on both sides of the centerline.
7-foot brush is located 100 to 200 feet from the threshold, offset 109 feet right of centerline.
10-foot brush is located 0 to 200 feet from the threshold, offset 171 feet right of centerline, and 11-foot trees are located 43 feet from the threshold, offset 206 feet right of centerline.
13-foot trees are located 63 feet from the runway end, offset 165 feet right of centerline.
The approach ratio is 42:1 at the displaced threshold due to a 27-foot mast located 1,366 feet from the displaced threshold, offset 367 feet left of centerline.
The approach ratio is 20:1 at the displaced threshold due to a 21-foot road located 627 feet from the displaced threshold on both sides of centerline.
The approach ratio is 33:1 at the displaced threshold due to 42-foot trees located 1,622 feet from the displaced threshold, offset 142 feet left of centerline.
The approach ratio is 13:1 at the displaced threshold due to 61-foot trees located 995 feet from the displaced threshold, offset 85 feet right of centerline.
Noise abatement procedures are in effect; contact the airport manager for details.
Military aircraft are required to use Runway 08/26 for noise abatement.
Deer and birds are present on and in the vicinity of the airport, and bird-dropped shells may cause FOD.
There is a mast with a height of 45 feet.
Avoid overflights of the Beaufort waterfront and the Beaufort National Register Historic District.
Skydiving operations are conducted; do not overfly the airport.
Source: FAA Chart Supplement.
Nearby airfields
Michael J Smith Field has five airfields within 40 NM. The closest is Cherry Point McAs (cunningham Fld) (KNKT), 14.88 NM northwest.
Source: Skystar calculation from official coordinates.
Skystar at KMRH
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.
$2,400.00 catering order at KMRH.
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
What runways are usable at KMRH?
Michael J Smith Field currently offers two usable paved runways. Runway 08/26 is the longest at 5,004 feet with a width of 100 feet, and Runway 03/21 measures 4,192 feet with a width of 150 feet. Both are asphalt surfaces. Runway 14/32, listed at 4,001 feet, is closed and not available for use. Dispatchers planning into KMRH should plan around the two active strips only.
Does KMRH have customs service for international arrivals?
Michael J Smith Field (KMRH) has CBP inspection services available onsite, according to the airport data. This allows international arrivals to clear customs directly at the field rather than diverting to another airport for inspection. Crews should still coordinate arrival details with CBP in advance since onsite service does not eliminate standard notification requirements. This is a meaningful feature given the airport's Tier 1 designation and its business aviation traffic volume.
Is fuel available at KMRH, and what types?
Michael J Smith Field stocks both 100LL avgas and Jet A fuel, listed in the data as A1+. The field is attended daily from 0800 until dusk, which covers the window when fuel service would typically be arranged. Crews operating outside those hours should plan fuel needs accordingly since the schedule reflects staffed attendance rather than continuous availability. This fuel mix supports both piston and turbine business aircraft using the field.
Why is military traffic coordination emphasized at KMRH?
Michael J Smith Field sits near significant military training activity, and the airport's remarks direct all aircraft using MRH to contact Cherry Point Approach on discrete frequencies both before and after using the field, due to the volume of military traffic and training in the area. Military aircraft are specifically required to use Runway 08/26 for noise abatement purposes. Clearance delivery is also handled through Cherry Point Approach rather than a local frequency. This coordination reflects the field's proximity to Cherry Point MCAS, located under 15 nautical miles away.
When is business aviation traffic highest at KMRH?
Business aviation traffic at Michael J Smith Field (KMRH) peaks in June, with 581 operations recorded, well above every other month in the 2025 FAA TFMSC data. July follows at 413 operations, and August at 339, indicating a concentrated summer season. The quietest months are January and February, each below 155 operations. This seasonal pattern is consistent with the airport's coastal North Carolina location near Beaufort. Dispatchers scheduling summer trips into KMRH should expect noticeably higher activity levels than in winter months.