Waimea-Kohala Airport (PHMU), Hawaii
Landing essentials
Whether you can land, whether you can refuel, and how customs works here.
Overview
Waimea-Kohala Airport (PHMU), serving Kamuela on the island of Hawaii, is a public-use, non-towered field with a single paved runway. FAA TFMSC data for 2025 shows 795 business aviation operations against 2,390 total annual operations, reflecting a mix of local, agricultural, and general aviation activity typical of this part of the island. The airport sits at 2,671 feet elevation and lacks onsite customs, with the nearest customs-equipped field, PHKO, roughly 26.51 nautical miles away.
Runways
Waimea-Kohala Airport has one paved runway, 04/22, 5,197 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
Fueling is available from 6am to 7:30pm, daily, and the airport has no control tower.
Source: FAA Form 5010 / NASR.
Customs
Waimea-Kohala Airport does not clear customs. The nearest port of entry is Ellison Onizuka Kona International at Keahole (PHKO), 27 NM away.
Source: CBP list of ports of entry.
Business aviation traffic
Waimea-Kohala Airport recorded 795 business aviation movements in 2025. Traffic peaks in October, November and December. Business aviation traffic at PHMU concentrates toward the final quarter of the year, with October, November, and December each posting the highest monthly operations counts in 2025.
Business jet movements, FAA TFMSC count. Peak month October, 86 movements in 2025.
Source: FAA TFMSC, business jet movements, 2025.
Climate
Weather station is 2.9 NM from the field. Some values are estimated by the agency. 1991–2020 climate normals.
Source: NOAA NCEI.
Operating constraints
Waimea-Kohala Airport has published operating constraints in three categories: access, runway notes and other notes.
Prior permission is required for transient parking.
Prior permission from the airport manager is required for transporting Division 1.1, 1.2, or 1.3 explosives into or out of the airport.
Runway 04 has 30-foot trees located 275 feet right of centerline, 3,000 feet from the approach end of the runway.
MIRL for runway 04/22 is pilot-activated via CTAF.
Terrain rises 4 feet, located 165 feet southeast of centerline and at the threshold on both ends of runway 4-22.
The VASI for runway 4 is unusable beyond 8 degrees left of centerline.
The VASI for runway 22 is unusable beyond 5 degrees left or right of centerline.
Flocks of pigeons are occasionally present on the airport and near runway 04/22.
Traffic pattern altitude is 3,500 feet MSL for small aircraft and 4,200 feet MSL for large aircraft.
All helicopters must confine operations to paved areas only.
For clearance delivery, contact Honolulu Control Facility.
Source: FAA Chart Supplement.
Nearby airfields
Waimea-Kohala Airport has two airfields within 39 NM. The closest is Ellison Onizuka Kona International at Keahole (PHKO), 26.51 NM southwest.
Source: Skystar calculation from official coordinates.
Skystar at PHMU
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 PHMU.
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 PHMU?
Waimea-Kohala Airport (PHMU) does not have onsite customs processing. The nearest customs facility is at PHKO, located approximately 26.51 nautical miles away. Operators arriving from international origins need to plan a stop at PHKO or another customs-equipped airport before or after using PHMU. This distance should factor into fuel and routing planning for any flight requiring customs clearance in the area.
Is PHMU a towered airport?
PHMU, also known as Waimea-Kohala Airport, is non-towered. The field operates under an attendance schedule of 0600-1930 daily, and pilots should use CTAF for traffic advisories during that window. Runway edge lighting on runway 04/22 is pilot-activated through CTAF rather than controlled by a tower. Operators should coordinate clearance delivery through Honolulu Control Facility rather than a local tower position, per airport remarks.
What is the runway configuration at Waimea-Kohala Airport?
Waimea-Kohala Airport (PHMU) has a single paved runway, 04/22, measuring 5,197 feet long and 100 feet wide with an asphalt surface. This is the only runway serving the field, so all fixed-wing traffic uses this strip regardless of wind direction. VASI guidance is available on both ends but has usable angle limitations: runway 4 VASI is unusable beyond 8 degrees left of centerline, and runway 22 VASI is unusable beyond 5 degrees left or right of centerline.
Are there obstacles to be aware of near PHMU?
Yes. Waimea-Kohala Airport has documented close-in terrain and tree obstructions near runway 04/22. Terrain rises 4 feet, located 165 feet southeast of centerline at the threshold on both runway ends. Separately, trees 30 feet tall stand 275 feet right of centerline, 3,000 feet from the approach end of runway 04. Pilots should also note occasional flocks of pigeons reported on the airport and near the runway, which can pose a wildlife hazard during arrival and departure.
What is the seasonal traffic pattern like at KMUE?
Business aviation traffic at KMUE, also known as Waimea-Kohala Airport, is not evenly distributed across the year. According to FAA TFMSC data for 2025, the airport recorded its highest monthly operations in October at 86, followed closely by November at 84 and December at 82. The lowest volumes occurred in May at 45 and January at 48. Dispatchers planning operations in the fourth quarter should anticipate a busier field relative to the spring months.