First Flight Airport (KFFA)
The Birthplace of Aviation
KFFA — land where the Wright Brothers flew. Explore the Outer Banks.
First Flight Airport Specifications
Runway 03/21
3,000 x 60 ft
Asphalt
Elevation
13 ft MSL
Sea level field
CTAF
122.9
Common Traffic Advisory
Tie-downs
24-hr Limit
Bring ropes
Located in Kill Devil Hills, NC, FFA commemorates the site of the first powered flight. Adjacent to the Wright Brothers National Memorial. A lot has changed — you can now have a 4×4 vehicle delivered to the airport to explore the Outer Banks via Beach4x4.
Pilot Warnings
Know Before You Go
NO FUEL Available at FFA
Nearest fuel: Dare County (MQI).
WARNING: Deer Often on Runway
Buzz runway before landing.
About
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 the only public-use airports in the United States operated by the National Park Service, 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.
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 limited to daylight hours. Tie-downs are available with a 24-hour parking limit but 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.
Alternates & Neighbors
Nearby OBX Airports
Other public-use fields up and down the Outer Banks. Useful for fuel, IFR alternates, or just hopping between islands.
KMQI
Dare County Regional
Manteo, NC · ~7 nm south. Lit 4,300 ft runway, self-serve 100LL, AWOS. Nearest fuel stop for KFFA.
KONX
Currituck County Regional
Maple, NC · ~25 nm north. 5,500 ft runway, fuel, GA terminal. Good gateway to the northern Outer Banks and Corolla.
KHSE
Billy Mitchell Airstrip
Frisco, NC · ~45 nm south on Hatteras Island. 3,000 ft NPS-operated strip near Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. No fuel.
W95
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.
Informational site only. Not affiliated with the National Park Service or FAA. Pilots: always consult the FAA Chart Supplement and current NOTAMs before flight.
Last updated: May 17, 2026