Wilkes County Airport (KUKF), North Carolina
Landing essentials
Whether you can land, whether you can refuel, and how customs works here.
Overview
Wilkes County Airport (KUKF), also identified as IKB, serves North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, with a single paved runway suited to business aviation traffic. The field sits at 1,303 feet elevation and operates without a control tower, with attendance from dawn to dusk daily. Traffic classified under ops tier 1 reflects its role as a well-documented regional business aviation airport, with 2025 FAA TFMSC data recording 1,800 business aviation operations against 2,075 total annual operations.
Runways
Wilkes County Airport has one paved runway, 01/19, 6,201 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
Wilkes County Airport has Jet A1+ and 100LL available on the field. The airport has no control tower.
Source: FAA Form 5010 / NASR.
Customs
Wilkes County Airport does not clear customs. The nearest port of entry is Smith Reynolds (KINT), 43 NM away.
Source: CBP list of ports of entry.
Business aviation traffic
Wilkes County Airport recorded 1,800 business aviation movements in 2025. Traffic peaks in June, July and August. Business aviation traffic at KUKF concentrates in the late spring and summer months, peaking in June, according to 2025 FAA TFMSC data.
Business jet movements, FAA TFMSC count. Peak month June, 198 movements in 2025.
Source: FAA TFMSC, business jet movements, 2025.
Climate
Wilkes County Airport averages 12.4 days above 90°F in July, 23.9 freeze days in January and 0.6 snow days in January. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 86.9°F, and January the coldest, at 48.2°F.
Weather station is 4.5 NM from the field. Some values are estimated by the agency. 1991–2020 climate normals.
Source: NOAA NCEI.
Operating constraints
Wilkes County Airport has published operating constraints in four categories: access, runway notes, environmental and other notes.
There is an unlighted water tank in the approach to Runway 01.
MALSR for Runway 01 is pilot-activated. REIL serves Runway 19. PAPI is installed on both Runway 01 and Runway 19. MIRL serves Runway 01/19. Taxiway lighting is controlled via CTAF.
Brush 10 feet tall is located 50 feet from the threshold, offset 436 feet right of centerline.
Trees 33 feet tall are located 89 feet from the threshold, offset 285 feet left of centerline.
The Runway 01 PAPI is unusable beyond 8 degrees right of centerline.
There is no line of sight between the runway ends.
Deer are present on the airport and in its vicinity.
Fueling is available during regular FBO business hours, plus a 24-hour call-out service with prior arrangement and possibly a call-out fee. Contact the FBO for details.
For clearance delivery, if unable to contact on the FSS frequency, contact Atlanta ARTCC.
Source: FAA Chart Supplement.
Nearby airfields
Wilkes County Airport has five airfields within 33 NM. The closest is Elkin Municipal (KZEF), 15.51 NM east.
Part of the North Carolina Triad area.
Source: Skystar calculation from official coordinates.
Skystar at KUKF
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 KUKF.
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 there customs service available at KUKF?
Wilkes County Airport (KUKF) has no onsite customs service. The nearest customs facility is Smith Reynolds Airport (KINT), located 42.83 nautical miles away. Crews arriving from outside the United States need to plan their clearance through that facility instead of at Wilkes County itself. Dispatchers should factor in the additional routing and coordination this distance requires when planning international arrivals into the North Wilkesboro area.
What runway does KUKF offer for business aviation operations?
Wilkes County Airport (KUKF) has a single runway, 01/19, measuring 6,201 feet long and 100 feet wide with an asphalt surface. This length accommodates most business aviation aircraft operating into North Wilkesboro. The airport has no control tower, so arrivals and departures are conducted under non-towered procedures. Pilots should note the field elevation of 1,303 feet when computing performance figures for this runway.
What obstacles should pilots be aware of near the runway at KUKF?
Wilkes County Airport (KUKF) has documented close-in obstructions on approach to its runway. Brush 10 feet tall sits 50 feet from the threshold, offset 436 feet right of centerline. Trees 33 feet tall stand 89 feet from the threshold, offset 285 feet left of centerline. An unlighted water tank also lies in the approach path to Runway 01, and deer are reported on and in the vicinity of the airport.
Is fuel available at KUKF outside of normal FBO hours?
Wilkes County Airport (KUKF) offers both 100LL and Jet A fuel. Fueling during regular FBO business hours is standard, and a 24-hour call-out service is also available. That after-hours service requires prior arrangement and may carry a call-out fee. Pilots planning fuel stops outside normal daylight attendance hours at this North Wilkesboro field should contact the FBO in advance to confirm arrangements and details.
Does traffic at KUKF vary by season?
Yes, business aviation traffic at Wilkes County Airport (KUKF) is notably seasonal. Monthly operations rise from around 97 to 111 flights in the winter months to a peak of 198 operations in June, based on 2025 FAA TFMSC data. Activity stays elevated through the summer, with July and August both recording close to 190 operations, before tapering into the fall and winter. Dispatchers scheduling flights into North Wilkesboro during the summer season should anticipate this higher traffic volume.