New Castle Airport (KILG), Delaware
Landing essentials
Whether you can land, whether you can refuel, and how customs works here.
Overview
New Castle Airport, KILG, is a towered, public-use field in Wilmington, Delaware, roughly 25 nautical miles from the Philadelphia metro area. It handles a business aviation-heavy traffic mix, with onsite CBP inspection services and a USDA compliance agreement supporting international arrivals, and its three paved runways, including a 7,275-foot primary strip, accommodate a wide range of turbine and jet equipment.
Runways
New Castle Airport has three paved runways. The longest, 09/27, is 7,275 ft long and 150 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
New Castle Airport has Jet A and 100LL available on the field. Fueling is available 24 hours a day, every day, and the airport has an operating control tower.
Source: FAA Form 5010 / NASR.
Customs
New Castle Airport has US Customs and Border Protection clearance available onsite, with general clearance for international arrivals. A USDA compliance agreement is in place.
Source: CBP list of ports of entry.
Business aviation traffic
New Castle Airport recorded 8,709 business aviation movements in 2025. Traffic peaks in October. Business aviation traffic at KILG concentrates somewhat toward the fall, peaking in October at 900 operations against a February low of 609.
Business jet movements, FAA TFMSC count. Peak month October, 900 movements in 2025.
Source: FAA TFMSC, business jet movements, 2025.
Climate
New Castle Airport averages 9.6 days above 90°F in July, 23.6 freeze days in January and 2.0 snow days in February. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 86.8°F, and January the coldest, at 41.4°F.
Weather station is on the field. Some values are estimated by the agency. 1991–2020 climate normals.
Source: NOAA NCEI.
Operating constraints
New Castle Airport has published operating constraints in six categories: access, runway notes, emergency arresting systems, environmental, pavement strength and other notes.
ARNG operates 1200-2130Z on weekdays, with additional hours for scheduled training, and is closed Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays. Prior permission is required; contact Griffin Operations. Limited transient maintenance, service, and parking are available; contact Griffin Operations 10 minutes out on the applicable frequency.
For clearance delivery when the tower is closed, contact Philadelphia Approach.
When the tower is closed, pilots activate MALSR on Runway 01; REIL on Runways 09, 27, and 19; PAPI on Runways 09 and 27; HIRL on Runway 01/19 and Runway 09/27; and MIRL on Runway 14/32, all via CTAF.
Runway 14/32 is not available for Part 121 or Part 380 scheduled passenger operations with more than 9 passenger seats, or non-scheduled passenger operations with more than 30 passenger seats. No Part 121 or Part 380 operations are permitted on this runway except for taxiing.
Runway 14/32 has non-standard military Assault Landing Zone (ALZ) lighting.
Runway 09/27 is not available for touch-and-go landings by turbojet aircraft between 2300 and 0700.
When the control tower is closed, pilots must announce intentions over CTAF before landing, takeoff, or ground movement on runways and taxiways.
The 5,000-foot distance remaining sign on Runway 01 is missing.
The 5,000-foot distance remaining sign on Runway 27 is missing.
The 2,000-foot distance remaining sign on Runway 09 is missing.
An Engineered Material Arresting System (EMAS), 303 feet long by 170 feet wide, is located at the departure end of Runway 19.
Birds are present on and in the vicinity of the airport.
Military ANG: expect increased bird activity, including waterfowl, during BASH Phase II, from March through May and September through November. Contact Castle Operations for current bird watch conditions.
PCR VALUE: 441/F/B/X/T
PCR VALUE: 632/F/B/X/T
PCR VALUE: 400/F/B/X/T
Taxilane G northwest of Taxiway H is limited to aircraft with a wingspan of 79 feet or less. The section of Taxilane G between Taxiway H and Taxiway G1 is limited to aircraft with a wingspan of 49 feet or less.
Private ground vehicles cross Taxiway A between Taxiways A4 and C.
When the control tower is closed, emergencies are announced on CTAF directly to the ARFF station.
The terminal apron is closed except for air carrier use.
The terminal apron fence line is located 118 feet east of the Taxiway A centerline.
Source: FAA Chart Supplement.
Nearby airfields
New Castle Airport has five airfields within 22 NM. The closest is Summit (KEVY), 10.91 NM southwest.
Part of the Philadelphia area.
Source: Skystar calculation from official coordinates.
Skystar at KILG
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 KILG.
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 available at KILG?
New Castle Airport, KILG, operates three paved asphalt runways. Runway 09/27 is the longest at 7,275 feet, with Runway 01/19 close behind at 7,012 feet, both 150 feet wide. Runway 14/32 measures 4,602 feet and carries restrictions on Part 121 and Part 380 passenger operations above set seat thresholds, aside from taxi movements. Runway 19 also has a 303-foot EMAS bed at the departure end for overrun protection. All three runways share the same 150-foot width.
Is customs clearance available at KILG?
Yes, KILG offers onsite CBP inspection services along with a USDA compliance agreement, allowing international arrivals to clear without diverting to another facility. This makes New Castle Airport a practical option for business aircraft arriving from outside the United States. The airport is towered and operates with continuous attendance coverage. Crews should still coordinate arrival details in advance given the specific compliance requirements tied to the USDA agreement.
Does KILG see seasonal traffic variation?
Business aviation traffic at KILG is not evenly distributed across the year, with October showing the highest volume at 900 operations compared to a February low of 609. This pattern reflects a moderate seasonal concentration rather than a sharp single-month spike. Dispatchers planning fall trips into New Castle Airport should anticipate a busier ramp environment in October relative to winter months. The FAA TFMSC traffic data for 2025 underlies these monthly figures.
What lighting operates at KILG when the tower is closed?
When the control tower at New Castle Airport is closed, pilots activate MALSR on Runway 01, REIL on Runways 09, 27, and 19, and PAPI on Runways 09 and 27, all via CTAF. HIRL covers Runway 01/19 and Runway 09/27, while MIRL serves Runway 14/32, also activated through CTAF. Pilots must announce intentions over CTAF before landing, takeoff, or ground movement whenever the tower is closed. Emergencies during tower closure are announced directly to the ARFF station on CTAF.
Are there taxiway width restrictions at KILG?
Yes, Taxilane G northwest of Taxiway H at New Castle Airport is limited to aircraft with a wingspan of 79 feet or less. A further-restricted section of Taxilane G, between Taxiway H and Taxiway G1, is limited to aircraft with a wingspan of 49 feet or less. Operators of larger business jets and any midsize-to-large aircraft should confirm routing on the ground ahead of taxi at KILG to avoid these constrained sections. These limits apply specifically to that taxilane and do not affect the main runway system.