Know Before You Go

NO FUEL Available at FFA

Nearest fuel: Dare County (MQI).

WARNING: Deer Often on Runway

Watch for wildlife on and near the runway. Monitor CTAF, stay alert and be prepared to go around.

First Flight Airport — A Historic Strip in Kill Devil Hills

First Flight Airport (KFFA) is a small, public-use, non-towered airfield on the grounds of the Wright Brothers National Memorial in Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina. It is one of a small number of public-use airfields located within a National Park Service unit, and it sits at the very site where Orville and Wilbur Wright flew the world’s first powered airplane on December 17, 1903. Pilots who land here can park their aircraft and walk to the memorial and visitor center in about ten minutes.

One wrinkle worth knowing: in December 1903 the town of Kill Devil Hills did not exist. It was not chartered until 1953, fifty years after the flight, so the dunes had no town name of their own. Kitty Hawk, the nearest village with a post office and a weather station, is the name that went out on the telegram — and the name that reached the newspapers.

The single runway, 03/21, is 3,000 feet long and 60 feet wide, paved in asphalt, at an elevation of 13 feet MSL. There is no fuel, no lighting, and no tower on the field — operations are CTAF 122.9 and permitted from 30 minutes before sunrise until 30 minutes after sunset. Aircraft may park in the tie-down area for 24 consecutive hours, or 48 total hours in any 30-day period, and pilots must bring their own ropes. The closest fuel and full services are at Dare County Regional (KMQI), about seven nautical miles south in Manteo. KFFA is the ICAO identifier; FFA is the FAA location identifier; both refer to the same airport and are used interchangeably in pilot publications.

This site collects the runway specs, frequencies, alternates, and practical visiting information pilots and travelers most often ask about. For the full pilot briefing, see the First Flight Airport pilot information page. For visiting tips and what to do at the memorial, see the visiting guide.

Nearby OBX Airports

Other public-use fields up and down the Outer Banks. Useful for fuel, IFR alternates, or just hopping between islands.

Most Outer Banks visitors do not fly in at all — they land at Norfolk (ORF) and drive down, about 96 miles, and the last stretch to the 4x4 beaches needs the right vehicle. Here is how that drive actually works.

Dare County Regional

Manteo, NC · ~7 nm south. Lit 4,300 ft runway, self-serve 100LL, AWOS. Nearest fuel stop for KFFA.

Currituck County Regional

Maple, NC · ~25 nm north. 5,500 ft runway, fuel, GA terminal. Good gateway to the northern Outer Banks and Corolla.

Billy Mitchell Airstrip

Frisco, NC · ~45 nm south on Hatteras Island. 3,000 ft NPS-operated strip near Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. No fuel. Closed Aug. 17, 2026 until about mid-November for runway repaving (National Park Service).

Ocracoke Island Airport

Ocracoke, NC · ~70 nm south. 3,000 ft strip on the southern Outer Banks. Ferry-only island, fly-in or boat-in only.

Frequently asked questions about First Flight Airport

Where is First Flight Airport?

First Flight Airport (FAA: FFA / ICAO: KFFA) is in Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina, on the grounds of the Wright Brothers National Memorial. It is on the central Outer Banks, about 90 minutes by car south of Norfolk, Virginia.

Is First Flight Airport the same as Kitty Hawk?

No. The airport and the Wright Brothers Memorial are in Kill Devil Hills, the town immediately south of Kitty Hawk. The Wright Brothers’ famous 1903 telegram was filed from the Kitty Hawk Weather Bureau, which is why “Kitty Hawk” stuck in the history books — but the flight itself happened on the dunes of what is now Kill Devil Hills. See our Kitty Hawk vs. Kill Devil Hills explainer for the full story.

Can you actually land at the Wright Brothers Memorial?

Yes. First Flight Airport (KFFA) sits on the memorial grounds and is open to the public from 30 minutes before sunrise until 30 minutes after sunset. From the tie-down area it is roughly a 10-minute walk to the visitor center. It is one of only a few public-use airfields located within a unit of the National Park Service.

Is FFA the same as KFFA?

Yes. “FFA” is the FAA location identifier; “KFFA” is the ICAO identifier with the U.S. prefix added. Both refer to First Flight Airport in Kill Devil Hills. Pilot publications use the two interchangeably.

Do you need permission (PPR) to land at KFFA?

No prior permission is required. KFFA is a public-use, non-towered field on CTAF 122.9, open from 30 minutes before sunrise until 30 minutes after sunset. Tie-down parking is limited to 24 consecutive hours or 48 total hours in any 30-day period, and pilots must bring their own ropes.

Where do you get fuel?

There is no fuel at KFFA. The nearest fuel is at Dare County Regional Airport (KMQI), about 7 nautical miles south in Manteo. KMQI has self-serve 100LL, AWOS, and an FBO.

How do I get to the Outer Banks if I am not flying myself?

The closest commercial airport with regular airline service is Norfolk International (ORF) in Virginia, about 90 minutes by car from Kill Devil Hills. For a full comparison of every option — commercial and general aviation — see our airport comparison guide. You can also read our quick answer on the closest airport to the Outer Banks.

✈️New — Test Your KnowledgeThe First Flight Quiz20 fun questions about the Wright Brothers, Kill Devil Hills, and the dawn of flight.→