Shelby Airport (KSBX), Montana
Landing essentials
Whether you can land, whether you can refuel, and how customs works here.
Overview
Shelby Airport (KSBX) is a public-use, non-towered field in north-central Montana, sitting at 3,443 feet elevation and recording modest traffic levels typical of a Tier 2 facility. FAA TFMSC data for 2025 shows 169 total annual operations, with 152 attributed to business aviation, reflecting the airport's role as a regional stop rather than a high-volume terminal. The field offers both 100LL and Jet A+ fuel, with self-service options extending coverage beyond attended hours. No customs service exists on-site; the nearest customs-equipped airport is Cut Bank International, roughly 20 nautical miles to the west.
Runways
Shelby Airport has two paved runways. The longest, 05/23, is 5,005 ft long and 75 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
Shelby Airport has Jet A+ and 100LL available on the field. Fueling is available from 8am to 6pm, daily, and the airport has no control tower.
Source: FAA Form 5010 / NASR.
Customs
Shelby Airport does not clear customs. The nearest port of entry is Cut Bank International (KCTB), 20 NM away.
Source: CBP list of ports of entry.
Business aviation traffic
Shelby Airport recorded 152 business aviation movements in 2025. Traffic peaks in August. Business aviation traffic at KSBX is concentrated in a few months, with August and March showing notably higher operations than the rest of the year according to FAA TFMSC data.
Business jet movements, FAA TFMSC count. Peak month August, 28 movements in 2025.
Source: FAA TFMSC, business jet movements, 2025.
Climate
Shelby Airport averages 8.0 days above 90°F in July, 29.4 freeze days in December and 2.9 snow days in January. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 82.2°F, and January the coldest, at 31.4°F.
Weather station is on the field. Some values are estimated by the agency. 1991–2020 climate normals.
Source: NOAA NCEI.
Operating constraints
Shelby Airport has published operating constraints in three categories: runway notes, environmental and other notes.
The PAPI for runway 05 and 23 is pilot-activated, and medium intensity runway lighting for runways 05/23 and 11/29 is activated via CTAF.
Deer are present on and in the vicinity of the airport.
After hours, fuel is available via self-service credit card for 100LL and Jet A+. A fuel truck is also available for Jet A+.
Taxiway edges are marked with reflectors.
For clearance delivery, contact Salt Lake ARTCC.
Source: FAA Chart Supplement.
Nearby airfields
Shelby Airport has five airfields within 50 NM. The closest is Cut Bank International (KCTB), 20.46 NM west.
Source: Skystar calculation from official coordinates.
Skystar at KSBX
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 KSBX.
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 on-site at KSBX?
There is no customs service at Shelby Airport itself. The nearest customs facility is Cut Bank International, located approximately 20 nautical miles away. Dispatchers planning international arrivals into KSBX should route customs clearance through Cut Bank rather than expecting on-field processing. This applies to all inbound flights requiring border clearance in this area of Montana.
What runways are available at Shelby Airport (KSBX)?
Shelby Airport (KSBX) has two paved asphalt runways. Runway 05/23 is the longer of the two at 5,005 feet by 75 feet wide, and also serves as the airport's max paved length. Runway 11/29 measures 3,701 feet by 60 feet. Both runways are equipped with medium intensity runway lighting activated over CTAF.
What fuel is available at KSBX outside attended hours?
Shelby Airport (KSBX) offers self-service fuel via credit card for 100LL and Jet A+ after hours. A fuel truck is also available for Jet A+ dispensing. During attended hours, the field operates Monday through Friday from 0800 to 1800 local time. Pilots arriving outside these hours can still rely on the self-service option for both fuel types.
Who provides clearance delivery for KSBX?
Clearance delivery for Shelby Airport (KSBX) is handled through Salt Lake ARTCC rather than a local tower, since KSBX is a non-towered field. Pilots needing a CD clearance should contact Salt Lake Center directly. This arrangement is typical for non-towered airports in this region of Montana that fall under Salt Lake's airspace.