Chester County G O Carlson Airport (KMQS), Pennsylvania
Landing essentials
Whether you can land, whether you can refuel, and how customs works here.
Overview
Chester County G O Carlson Airport, KMQS, is a public, non-towered field in Coatesville, Pennsylvania, roughly 31 nautical miles from the Philadelphia metro area. The airport serves primarily business aviation traffic on its single asphalt runway, with fuel available including Jet A and 100LL during its published attendance hours. Several regional airports lie within a short radius, including New Garden and Brandywine Regional, giving dispatchers alternate options in the immediate area.
Runways
Chester County G O Carlson Airport has one paved runway, 11/29, 5,400 ft long and 100 ft wide, with an asphalt surface.
Runway geometry from published threshold coordinates. Not for navigation.
Source: FAA Form 5010.
Fuel and airfield services
Chester County G O Carlson Airport has Jet A and 100LL available on the field. Fueling is available from 6am to 10pm, daily, and the airport has no control tower.
Source: FAA Form 5010 / NASR.
Customs
Chester County G O Carlson Airport does not clear customs. The nearest port of entry is New Castle (KILG), 22 NM away.
Source: CBP list of ports of entry.
Business aviation traffic
Chester County G O Carlson Airport recorded 4,647 business aviation movements in 2025. Traffic peaks in September and November. Business aviation traffic at KMQS is concentrated in the fall, with September the busiest month and winter months seeing noticeably lower volumes.
Business jet movements, FAA TFMSC count. Peak month September, 459 movements in 2025.
Source: FAA TFMSC, business jet movements, 2025.
Climate
Chester County G O Carlson Airport averages 6.5 days above 90°F in July, 26.7 freeze days in January and 2.5 snow days in February. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 85.4°F, and January the coldest, at 38.5°F.
Weather station is on the field. Some values are estimated by the agency. 1991–2020 climate normals.
Source: NOAA NCEI.
Operating constraints
Chester County G O Carlson Airport has published operating constraints in five categories: access, runway notes, noise procedures, environmental and other notes.
For clearance delivery, contact Philadelphia Approach.
Runway lighting operates from dusk to dawn. REIL and HIRL for runway 11/29 are pilot-activated via CTAF.
A water tower obstruction, 164 feet tall, is located 1343 feet from the runway 11 threshold and 1842 feet to the right. It is marked with a strobe light during daylight hours and standard obstruction lighting at night.
Helicopter operations occur in the vicinity of the airport, south and southwest of the runway 11 threshold.
Helicopter traffic is requested to land and take off from the runway only. Helicopter hover taxiing, takeoffs, and landings are prohibited from Taxiway Alpha.
Hover taxiing along Taxiway Alpha is prohibited. Wheel taxi on the taxiway, or hover from the runway to a ramp-side parking spot by crossing perpendicular to Alpha.
Noise abatement procedures are in effect. Contact the airport manager by cell phone.
Migratory birds and deer are present on and in the vicinity of the airport.
The visual glide slope indicator is unusable beyond 6 degrees left of course.
Source: FAA Chart Supplement.
Nearby airfields
Chester County G O Carlson Airport has five airfields within 22 NM. The closest is New Garden, 9.94 NM southeast.
Part of the Philadelphia area.
Source: Skystar calculation from official coordinates.
Skystar at KMQS
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 KMQS.
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 customs available at KMQS?
Chester County G O Carlson Airport, KMQS, has no onsite customs clearance. The nearest customs facility is at KILG, located 21.62 nautical miles away. Dispatchers arranging international arrivals need to route crews through that facility instead of KMQS directly. Since KMQS is a US airport, this is a standard customs referral rather than a restricted-access designation. Planning should account for the additional leg or ground coordination required to reach KILG.
What runway does KMQS offer, and what are its dimensions?
KMQS has a single runway, 11/29, measuring 5400 feet long by 100 feet wide with an asphalt surface. This is the only paved surface at Chester County G O Carlson Airport, so all fixed-wing traffic uses this one runway regardless of wind. Runway lights are pilot-controlled, with REIL and HIRL activated via CTAF from dusk to dawn. A water tower obstruction near the runway 11 threshold is also noted, marked with a strobe light during daylight hours.
Are there any obstructions near the runway at KMQS?
Yes, Chester County G O Carlson Airport reports a water tower obstruction near runway 11. The structure rises 164 feet and sits 1343 feet from the runway 11 threshold, with a reported distance of 1842 feet right of the runway. It carries a strobe light during daylight hours and standard obstruction lighting at night. Dispatchers and crews planning arrivals or departures on runway 11/29 should factor this obstruction into approach and departure planning.
What helicopter operating procedures apply at KMQS?
KMQS has specific helicopter procedures due to activity south and southwest of the runway 11 threshold. Helicopter traffic is requested to land and take off from the runway itself rather than the taxiway. Hover taxiing, takeoffs, and landings are prohibited from Taxiway Alpha. Instead, wheel taxi is required on the taxiway, or crews may hover from the runway to a ramp-side parking spot by crossing perpendicular to Alpha. These rules apply to all helicopter operations in the vicinity of the airport.
When does business aviation traffic peak at KMQS?
Business aviation traffic at Chester County G O Carlson Airport, KMQS, is concentrated in the fall months, peaking in September at 459 operations according to FAA TFMSC data. Traffic stays elevated from May through November, generally above 400 monthly operations. Winter months, particularly January and February, see the lowest volumes, with February recording 272 operations. Dispatchers scheduling flights in the fall shoulder season should expect the airport's busiest conditions of the year.