“Kill Devil Hills Airport” is the common name many visitors use when searching for the small public-use airfield in Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina. The official name is First Flight Airport, with FAA identifier FFA and ICAO identifier KFFA. There is only one airport in Kill Devil Hills, so whether you search for “Kill Devil Hills Airport,” “First Flight Airport,” or “KFFA,” you are referring to the same airfield.
Quick Facts
- Official name: First Flight Airport
- FAA identifier: FFA
- ICAO identifier: KFFA
- City: Kill Devil Hills, NC
- Owner: National Park Service
- Runway: 03/21, 3,000 ft asphalt
- Tower: No (CTAF 122.9)
- Fuel: None — nearest fuel at Dare County Regional (KMQI), 7 nm south
Where Is It?
The airport sits on the grounds of the Wright Brothers National Memorial, between US Highway 158 (the Bypass) and Colington Road in Kill Devil Hills. The runway is visible from the memorial Visitor Center parking lot.
What Makes It Unusual
Kill Devil Hills Airport is one of the few public-use airports in the United States operated by the National Park Service, and it is the only one located at the actual site of the Wright Brothers’ first powered flight. Pilots can park their aircraft and walk to the memorial in about 10 minutes.
Detailed Pilot Information
For runway specs, frequencies, services, alternate airports, and visiting information, see our complete First Flight Airport (KFFA) pilot information page.
Why So Many Names?
Most public-use airports go by a single, well-known identifier, but the airfield at Kill Devil Hills is unusual: it has four common names. Pilots and aviation databases use KFFA (ICAO) or FFA (FAA location identifier). The official property name on National Park Service records is First Flight Airport, commemorating the 1903 Wright Brothers flight. Most visitors and locals refer to it simply as the Kill Devil Hills airport because of where it sits. All four names point to the same 3,000-foot runway on the grounds of the Wright Brothers National Memorial. There is no separate “Kill Devil Hills Airport” — if you are searching for one, this is the airport you mean.
For Pilots Considering KFFA
KFFA is a public, non-towered, daytime-only field with a single asphalt runway, no fuel, no lights, and no on-airport services. Most general aviation pilots flying piston singles or light twins can land here without difficulty, but the field rewards careful pre-flight planning: check the FAA Chart Supplement and current NOTAMs for wildlife advisories (deer activity is common on and near the runway), confirm density altitude on warm days, and have an alternate plan in mind. The closest fuel stop is Dare County Regional (KMQI), about seven nautical miles south in Manteo, which also has a lit runway suitable for overnight or weather diverts.
For Visitors Driving In
If you arrived at this page expecting commercial flights, scheduled service, or a rental car counter — there are none at KFFA. This is a small general aviation strip; the nearest commercial airport with airline service is Norfolk International (ORF) in Virginia, roughly 90 miles north. Visitors most commonly come to Kill Devil Hills to see the Wright Brothers National Memorial itself; the airport is part of the same property and visible from the visitor center parking lot. If you are flying private into the Outer Banks and need ground transportation, see our transportation options page.
