New Castle Airport
USGS aerial photo as of 16 March 1992
IATA: ILG – ICAO: KILG – FAA LID: ILG
Summary
Airport type		Public
Owner		New Castle County, Delaware
Operator		Delaware River and Bay Authority
Serves		Wilmington, Delaware
Elevation AMSL		79 ft / 24 m
Coordinates		39°40′43″N 075°36′24″W / 39.67861°N 75.60667°W / 39.67861; -75.60667
Website		NewCastleAirportILG.com
Runways
Direction	Length		Surface
	ft	m
1/19	7,012	2,137	Asphalt
9/27	7,181	2,189	Asphalt
14/32	4,603	1,403	Asphalt
Statistics (2006)
Aircraft operations			136,154
Based aircraft			282
Source: Federal Aviation Administration

New Castle Airport (IATA: ILG, ICAO: KILG, FAA LID: ILG), also known as the New Castle County Airport, is a public airport located in unincorporated New Castle County, Delaware, United States and four miles (6 km) south of the central business district of the city of Wilmington.

History

Military usage

Previously called the Wilmington Airport and the Greater Wilmington Airport, the property became a US Army Air Forces military airfield named New Castle Army Air Base (New Castle AAB) during World War II.

Opened in May 1943, New Castle AAB was assigned to the Air Corps Ferrying Command's 2d Ferrying Group, with the 552d Army Air Forces Base Unit being the host unit in charge of the base and its facilities. The primary mission of the airfield was to facilitate the movement of aircraft overseas for delivery to the British and other Allies. Members of the historic Women Air Service Pilots (WASP) served as test and ferry pilots and towed targets for student gunners. There is a statue today at the airport that honors the women of the WASP that served their country in the time of need. On 30 June 1945, the 1596th AAF Base Unit replaced the 552d AAFBU and the 2d Ferrying Group was replaced by the 2d Foreign Transport Group. The mission of the base was changed to being responsible for overseas air transport of passengers and air cargo. With the general drawdown of the Army Air Forces after the war, New Castle Airport became a joint-use base, with civilian aircraft operating from the airfield as an airport.

After the closure of the Army Air Base, New Castle County Airport then hosted the 166th Air Transport Group of the Delaware National Guard. With the establishment of the US Air Force as an independent service in 1947, the 166th was redesignated as a unit of the Delaware Air National Guard. The unit has been successively known as the 166th Military Airlift Group, 166th Tactical Airlift Group, 166th Airlift Group and is now known as the 166th Airlift Wing (166 AW), operating C-130H Hercules. As an Air National Guard unit, the 166 AW is operationally gained by the Air Mobility Command (AMC).

Civil usage

In the late 1990s, the county leased the debt-stricken airport to the bi-state Delaware River and Bay Authority (DRBA), operators of the Delaware Memorial Bridge, on a thirty year lease with the provision that the DRBA may seek up to two additional thirty year leases.

Since taking over operations of the airport, the DRBA has made the airport profitable, upgraded many aging buildings, and constructed numerous new buildings and facilities on the property.

From 1991 through 1998, again from 2000 to 2006, and since April 2008, the state of Delaware is the only state in the union without any scheduled commercial flights in or out of the state. This is largely due to the small size of the state and the close proximity of large airports in Baltimore, Washington D.C., Philadelphia and Salisbury, MD. Skybus Airlines was the last commercial airline to fly out of New Castle Airport, with flights in 2008. Before Skybus, and Delta in 2006, the previous airline with scheduled flights was Shuttle America, which flew out of New Castle as an independent carrier from the airline's founding in November 1998 until February 2000. They offered service to Hartford, Buffalo, and Norfolk, using the 50-seat Dash 8-300 turboprop aircraft. Shuttle America would eventually discontinue its independent operations and become a commuter affiliate of United Express and Delta Connection. Prior to Shuttle America, the last scheduled service was provided to Parkersburg, West Virginia by USAir Express carrier Crown Airways in 1992-1993. United Airlines also served Wilmington, leaving in 1991.

Overview

The airport has one terminal, which has only served car rental agencies during those times when the airport did not have commercial air service. On June 29, 2006, Delta Air Lines began new services from Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport to New Castle Airport, making it the first commercial air service in six years. Delta Connection carrier Atlantic Southeast Airlines operated the service using 50 seat CRJ regional jets, with two daily roundtrip flights. However, Delta Air Lines ended the Wilmington flights on September 6, 2007, leaving Delaware without any commercial air service until March 8, 2008, when Skybus Airlines began new air service from Columbus, Ohio and Greensboro, North Carolina to New Castle Airport. Skybus ceased all operations effective April 4, 2008, once again leaving New Castle Airport without any airline service. As of August 4, 2010, Avis Rent a Car System, LLC, Budget Rent A Car System, Inc., and Cafe Bama are the only tenants in the Main Terminal.

Facilities and aircraft

New Castle Airport covers an area of 1,250 acres (506 ha) which contains three asphalt paved runways: 1/19 measuring 7,012 x 150 ft (2,137 x 46 m), 9/27 measuring 7,181 x 150 ft (2,189 x 46 m), and 14/32 measuring 4,603 x 150 ft (1,403 x 46 m).

For the 12-month period ending December 31, 2006, the airport had 136,154 aircraft operations, an average of 373 per day: 83% general aviation, 12% military, 4% air taxi and 1% scheduled commercial. There are 282 aircraft based at this airport: 59% single engine, 23% jet, 9% multi-engine, 6% helicopter and 3% military.

Runway Information

Runway 01/19

Runway 09/27

Runway 14/32

Radio Navigation Aids

Remarks

• RY 14/32 CLSD TO LARGE AIR CARRIER AIRCRAFT OPERS WITH MORE THAN 30 PSGR SEATS.
• WHEN ATCT CLSD, PILOTS MUST ANNOUNCE INTENTIONS OVER CTAF BEFORE LDGS; TKOFS OR GND TRAVEL ON RYS & TWYS.
• PVT GND VEHICLES CROSS TWY A BTN TWYS A4 & C.
• TWY "K1" CLOSED INDEFINITELY.
• BIRDS ON & INVOF ARPT.
• RWY 09/27 NO TGL FOR TURBO JET 2300-0700.
• TWY 'G' SECTION BTN TWYS 'H' & 'J' LMTD TO ACFT WITH WINGSPAN OF 79 FT OR LESS.
• WHEN TERMINAL BLDG CLSD 2300-0600 CTC ARPT SAFETY DEPARTMENT ON 126.0 OR 302-247-0204 (DIGITAL PAGER).
• TWY 'G' SECTION BTN TWYS 'H' & 'D' LMTD TO ACFT WITH WINGSPAN OF 49 FT OR LESS.

Based Aircraft

Operational Statistics

New Castle Airport 

Address: New Castle County, DE

Tel: 302-328-4632, 302-325-5576

Images and information placed above are from
http://www.airport-data.com/airport/ILG/

We thank them for the data!

General Info
Country	United States
State	DELAWARE
FAA ID	ILG
Latitude	39-40-43.400N
Longitude	075-36-23.500W
Elevation	79 feet
Near City	WILMINGTON

We don't guarantee the information is fresh and accurate. The data may be wrong or outdated.
For more up-to-date information please refer to other sources.