The U.S. aircraft register, updated daily
Airports · Alabama · airport · FAA file effective October 29, 2026

Gulf Shores Intl/Jack Edwards Field

JKA · KJKA · Gulf Shores, Alabama · Baldwin County · map

Gulf Shores Intl/Jack Edwards Field is a public-use airport owned by Gulf Shores Airport Authority, 2 miles north of Gulf Shores, Alabama, 17 feet above sea level. It has 2 runways; the longest, 09/27, is 6,962 feet of asphalt. It has a control tower, fuel (100LL avgas, Jet A with additive) and about 107 general-aviation aircraft based on the field by the FAA's count. The FAA counts about 74,478 takeoffs and landings a year. About 25 passengers boarded flights here in the FAA's fiscal year 2024.

Quick answers answers refresh every morning

What is the airport code for Gulf Shores Intl/Jack Edwards Field?

Its FAA code is JKA, and its ICAO code is KJKA.

Where is Gulf Shores Intl/Jack Edwards Field?

It is 2 miles north of Gulf Shores, Alabama, 17 feet above sea level.

How long is the longest runway at Gulf Shores Intl/Jack Edwards Field?

The longest of its 2 runways, 09/27, is 6,962 feet long.

Does Gulf Shores Intl/Jack Edwards Field have a control tower?

Yes, it has a control tower.

What fuel can you buy at Gulf Shores Intl/Jack Edwards Field?

The FAA's airport file lists 100LL avgas, Jet A with additive.

Where are the nearest FAA examiners to Gulf Shores Intl/Jack Edwards Field?

6 pilot examiners and 14 aviation medical examiners work within 50 nautical miles. See them by name

Weather and planning now, the forecast, warnings, pilot reports, winds aloft, restrictions

Fetching the weather now, the forecast, the warnings in force, pilot reports and the winds aloft for Gulf Shores Intl/Jack Edwards Field…

Wind map live wind over the area, from Windy.com

Colours show wind speed, the moving lines its direction; drag the time bar for the coming days. Map and forecast by Windy.com.

The airport facts, runways, radio, fuel and services, the FAA's remarks

The airport

Codes
FAA JKA · ICAO KJKA
Kind
Airport · open to the public · publicly owned
Owner
Gulf Shores Airport Authority
Elevation
17 feet above sea level
Control tower
A control tower · 7:00 am to 9:00 pm
Attended
every day, 6:00 am to 10:00 pm
Lights
runway lights see the remarks below; beacon sunset to sunrise
Fuel and services
100LL avgas, Jet A with additive; the services card below
Notes
certified for airline service (Part 139)
On the chart
New Orleans sectional
Magnetic variation
0E
In the FAA's files since
March 1978

This airport's record at the FAA

Runways 2

09271735N1,000 ft
Runways drawn to scale from the FAA's positions, north up.
FAA airport diagram for Gulf Shores Intl/Jack Edwards Field
The FAA's official airport diagram (taxiways, ramps, hot spots); tap to enlarge, or open the FAA's PDF.

For understanding the field, not for navigation.

RunwayLength × widthSurfaceLights
09/276,962 × 100 ftAsphalt, goodHigh-intensity lights
17/353,596 × 75 ftAsphalt, goodMedium-intensity lights
  • Runway 09: PAPI, four lights on the left, threshold displaced 462 ft, 6,500 ft available for landing, trees 84 ft high 2,039 ft from the end
  • Runway 27: ILS with DME, PAPI, four lights on the left, medium-intensity approach lights with runway alignment lights (MALSR), 6,500 ft available for landing
  • Runway 17: PAPI, two lights on the left, 3,276 ft available for landing, trees 148 ft high 1,427 ft from the end
  • Runway 35: PAPI, two lights on the left, threshold displaced 320 ft, 3,276 ft available for landing, tree 53 ft high 436 ft from the end

Radio frequencies

Common traffic advisory (CTAF) · Tower118.65Gulf Shores
UNICOM122.7 · Frequency 122.7 for UNICOM use only.
ATIS (recorded airport information)134.525Gulf Shores
Clearance delivery · Ground121.7Gulf Shores
Clearance delivery When tower closed124.55Gulf Shores
Approach and departure120.65Gulf Shores

Automated weather (AWOS-3PT), by phone 251-923-5615.

Fuel and services as reported to the FAA

Fuel
100LL avgas, Jet A with additive
Repairs
airframe and engine: major repairs
Parking
hangars, tie-downs
Oxygen
bottled oxygen (high-pressure), bulk oxygen (high-pressure)
Also here
cargo handling, charter flights, flight instruction, aircraft rental, aircraft sales

Other fields with jet fuel nearby: H L Sonny Callahan Airport (15 nm northwest), Roscoe Field (18 nm east), Pensacola International (27 nm northeast).

The FAA's file records what is sold and done at the field, as the airport manager reports it, not who sells it or the price; fuel sellers (FBOs) are not named in any public file. Airports selling jet fuel in Alabama · avgas.

The FAA's remarks as written in the airport file, spelled out

  • When the control tower closed activate approach lights (MALSR) runway 27; PAPI runways 09, 27, 17 and 35; high-intensity runway lights runway 09/27; medium-intensity runway lights runway 17/35 - the common traffic frequency.
  • Extensive banner towing, helicopter and PARA-SAIL operations along coastline 15 NM miles west to 20 NM east of Gulf shores/orange beach, and 15 NM wsw to 20 NM ese of jka.
  • Caution: hop at or below 300 feet above sea level WI 1 NM of jka when landing/departure helipad located 1.6 NM east, directly under runway 27 final. Nolf barin located 6 miles northeast of AP may be mistaken for Jack Edwards ntl AP. HI vol of military traffic will be operating in the barin field traffic pattern from surface to 3000 feet above ground level.
  • Frequency 122.7 for UNICOM use only.

Flights and activity in the air now, the airlines, based aircraft, takeoffs and landings

Activity now checking the volunteer receiver network…

Within ten miles

  • Looking…

Arrivals and departures, last hour

  • Looking…

From the volunteer receiver network, a few minutes behind at most; aircraft whose owners asked the FAA not to be displayed are left out; no person is named. Open the live map here.

Based aircraft as counted for the FAA, fiscal year 2024

single-engine80multi-engine9jets10helicopters1other7
Based aircraft, as a table
aircraft
single-engine80
multi-engine9
jets10
helicopters1
other7

The FAA's count is the general-aviation aircraft kept on the field (singles, twins, business jets, helicopters) from its Terminal Area Forecast, the latest year with an actual count; airline fleets are never counted as based anywhere, so a big airline airport shows a small number. The register section below shows how many aircraft are registered to owners in town, a different measure again.

25passengers boarded flights here in the FAA's fiscal year 2024

Takeoffs and landings a year about 74,478, the FAA's fiscal year 2024 (October 2023 to September 2024)

airline4air taxi and commuter2,073general aviation, travelling32,038general aviation, local35,626military4,737
Takeoffs and landings, as a table
a year
airline4
air taxi and commuter2,073
general aviation, travelling32,038
general aviation, local35,626
military4,737

Local flights stay in the traffic pattern or nearby, often practice; travelling flights arrive from or leave for somewhere else. Counts at airports without a tower are the FAA's estimates. How this compares nationally: Airports by the numbers.

Who flies and works here aircraft registered in town, the companies, the examiners nearby

Aircraft registered in Gulf Shores from the FAA register

35 aircraft are registered to owners in Gulf Shores, Alabama: 29 piston singles, 2 piston twins, 2 business jets, 1 turboprop, 1 helicopter. Not every one of them is based at this airport; the based-aircraft count above is the FAA's figure for this airport alone.

Individuals are counted, not named (the site's policy at this time). All aircraft registered in Alabama.

Who works here from the FAA's certificate lists and the register

Fuel and service companies in Gulf Shores, by their names on the register (a start, not a directory):

Companies in the same town as this airport, and schools within about 15 miles of it (each placed at the main public airport of its town, or at the town's centre); not every one of them works from this field. All operators · all repair stations · all flight schools · all FBOs.

Examiners and inspectors nearby designated by the FAA · within 50 nautical miles

6 pilot examiners (the FAA's designated pilot examiners, who give the practical tests for pilot certificates) are based within 50 nautical miles: 4 for private pilot, 4 for commercial and instrument, 3 for airline transport pilot, 3 for flight instructor; 4 for airplanes, 4 for multi-engine airplanes. Also nearby: 1 sport aviation examiner, 14 aviation medical examiners, 3 mechanic examiners, 4 airworthiness representatives (maintenance), 5 airworthiness representatives (manufacturing), 3 engineering representatives, 3 training center examiners, 4 administrative pilot examiners.

All 43 nearby, by kind, with contact details

What each kind does
  • DPE: Designated Pilot Examiner: gives the practical tests (checkrides) for pilot certificates and ratings.
  • SAE: Sport Aviation Examiner: gives the tests for sport pilot certificates and light-sport aircraft.
  • AME: Aviation Medical Examiner: a doctor who issues the medical certificates pilots must hold.
  • DME: Designated Mechanic Examiner: tests candidates for the mechanic certificate (airframe and powerplant).
  • DAR-T: Designated Airworthiness Representative, maintenance: issues airworthiness certificates and approvals for aircraft in service.
  • DAR-F: Designated Airworthiness Representative, manufacturing: issues airworthiness certificates for newly built aircraft and parts.
  • DER-T: Designated Engineering Representative: approves engineering data for repairs and alterations on the FAA's behalf.
  • DCTO-E: Designee at a certificated training organisation.
  • Admin-PE: Administrative Pilot Examiner: handles certificate paperwork rather than flight tests.

Designees are listed with the name and contact details the FAA publishes for them on its designee locator (read October 10, 2026): the FAA lists them so that pilots, mechanics and companies can find them. Private individuals are not named, the site's policy at this time. A designee who would rather not appear here can ask us through the contact address on the About page. Each designee is placed at the main public airport of the town the FAA lists (or the nearest one to its zip code), so "nearby" means the town, not an exact address. All examiners by state.

Safety record the NTSB's cases at or near this airport

Accidents and incidents at or near this airport NTSB records · 16 since 1982, 1 fatal

2026-03-08ERA26LA140 · Beech A36 N66519 · accident · 2 killed
2026-02-17ERA26LA117 · Beech V35 N35KA · accident · no injuries
2025-12-30ERA26LA083 · Icon Aircraft INC A5 N601BA · accident · no injuries
2025-08-24ERA25LA313 · Raytheon Aircraft Company A36 N855DC · accident · serious injuries
2022-06-15ERA22LA275 · Cirrus Design CORP Sr22 N432CD · accident · no injuries
2021-05-13ERA21LA216 · Cessna 172 N5170K · accident · no injuries
2018-07-07ERA18LA186 · Piper Pa34 N294AB · accident · minor injuries
2017-08-23ERA17LA319 · Cessna 172 N97116 · accident · no injuries
2015-04-16ERA15CA188 · P&M Aviation LTD. Pulsr N415PM · accident · minor injuries
2014-08-06ERA14CA376 · Piper Pa 34-220T N212RW · accident · minor injuries
2014-06-26ERA14LA324 · Beech 95 55 N9411Y · accident · no injuries
2014-05-22ERA14LA257 · P&M Aviation LTD Quikr N428PM · accident · serious injuries

Cases the NTSB recorded with this as the nearest airport, newest first. Each opens the full report in plain English. The country as a whole: Where accidents happen.

Connections how this airport links to the rest of the register

In town
Who works here
Record
Around it

The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/airport/JKA.json.

Facts from the FAA's airport file effective October 29, 2026, written out in plain English; weather from the National Weather Service's aviation weather service; registered aircraft from the FAA register as of October 28, 2026; accidents from the NTSB's public database. Owners are shown only when they are an organisation; no person is named. Check the official sources before a flight: this page is for understanding an airport, not for planning one.