Ennis Big Sky Airport
EKS · KEKS · Ennis, Montana · Madison County · map
Ennis Big Sky Airport is a public-use airport owned by Madison County, 6 miles southeast of Ennis, Montana, 5,433 feet above sea level. Its one runway, 16/34, is 7,600 feet of asphalt. It has fuel (100LL avgas, Jet A-1, Jet A-1 with additive) and about 34 based aircraft. The FAA counts about 12,350 takeoffs and landings a year. About 10 passengers boarded flights here in the FAA's fiscal year 2024.
Weather and planning now, the forecast, warnings, pilot reports, winds aloft, restrictions
Weather right now KEKS · observed 12:35 pm MDT (18:35 UTC), 4 minutes ago
IFR instrument conditions
- Wind from the north-northwest (330°) at 6 knots
- Visibility 1 miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 400 feet, scattered clouds at 3,400 feet
- Weather: light snow, mist
- Temperature 28°F (-2°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter 30.03 inHg
The forecast issued Mon 11:24 am MDT (17:24 UTC), good until Tue 12:00 pm MDT (18:00 UTC)
- From Mon 12:00 pm MDT (18:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility 1 mile, light snow rain, scattered clouds at 300 feet, overcast at 1,000 feet IFR
- At times between Mon 12:00 pm MDT (18:00 UTC) and 1:00 pm MDT (19:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility ¾ mile, light snow, overcast at 300 feet LIFR
- From Mon 2:00 pm MDT (20:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility more than 6 miles, overcast at 1,500 feet MVFR
- From Mon 7:00 pm MDT (01:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility 6 miles, mist, a broken layer at 500 feet IFR
- From Tue 6:00 am MDT (12:00 UTC): wind light and variable, visibility 5 miles, mist, overcast at 800 feet IFR
The codes as issued (METAR and TAF)
METAR KEKS 121835Z AUTO 33006KT 1SM -SN BR FEW004 SCT034 M02/M03 A3003 RMK AO2
TAF KEKS 121724Z 1218/1318 VRB06KT 1SM -SNRA SCT003 OVC010 TEMPO 1218/1219 VRB06KT 3/4SM -SN OVC003 FM122000 VRB06KT P6SM OVC015 FM130100 VRB06KT 6SM BR BKN005 FM131200 VRB03KT 5SM BR OVC008
From the National Weather Service's aviation weather service, refreshed every few minutes; times are local to the airport with UTC in brackets. For a flight, get your briefing from Flight Service or an approved provider.
Flight planning warnings, pilot reports, winds aloft, restrictions · for planning, not a briefing
3 warnings in force over this field:
- AIRMET SIERRA 4E: low cloud or poor visibility (IFR conditions) (due to ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 miles, precipitation, mist).
- AIRMET ZULU 2C: moderate icing up to 23,000 ft.
- AIRMET SIERRA 1E: mountains obscured by cloud (due to mountains obscured by clouds, precipitation, mist).
6 pilot reports within 100 nautical miles in the last three hours, the nearest three:
- B737 at 5,000 ft, 37 nm northeast, 12:37 pm MDT (18:37 UTC): remarks: very minimal if any icing during the descent.
as filed, and in English
BZN UA /OV BZN/TM 1837/FL050/TP B737/RM VERY MINIMAL IF ANY ICING DURD
- Report
- a routine report filed through BZN
- Where
- over BZN
- Time
- 18:37 UTC
- Height
- at 5,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B737
- Remarks
- very minimal if any icing during the descent
- E75L at 5,000 ft, 37 nm northeast, 12:05 pm MDT (18:05 UTC): overcast above 5,000 ft.
as filed, and in English
BZN UA /OV BZN/TM 1805/FL050/TP E75L/SK OVC050
- Report
- a routine report filed through BZN
- Where
- over BZN
- Time
- 18:05 UTC
- Height
- at 5,000 ft
- Aircraft
- E75L
- Sky
- overcast from 5,000 ft
- B738 at 5,000 ft, 37 nm northeast, 11:20 am MDT (17:20 UTC): overcast above 5,000 ft.
as filed, and in English
BZN UA /OV BZN/TM 1720/FL050/TP B738/SK OVC050
- Report
- a routine report filed through BZN
- Where
- over BZN
- Time
- 17:20 UTC
- Height
- at 5,000 ft
- Aircraft
- B738
- Sky
- overcast from 5,000 ft
Winds aloft at the nearest forecast point (DLN, 38 nm west), for use 14:00–21:00 UTC: 9,000 ft: light and variable, -3 °C; 12,000 ft: 170° at 16 kt, -6 °C; 18,000 ft: 180° at 21 kt, -18 °C.
No temporary flight restriction within 50 nautical miles.
The full picture: all warnings and reports, winds to 39,000 ft, radar and forecast charts
From the government's aviation weather service and the FAA's restriction list, refreshed every few minutes. This is for planning; the legal briefing comes from Flight Service or the FAA's own tools. Ordinary notices to air missions (closed runways, lights out) are not shown: the FAA's notice search is not open to sites like this one at this time.
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 EKS · ICAO KEKS
- Kind
- Airport · open to the public · publicly owned
- Owner
- Madison County
- Elevation
- 5,433 feet above sea level
- Control tower
- No control tower
- Attended
- every day, 7:00 am to 5:00 pm
- Lights
- runway lights see the remarks below; beacon sunset to sunrise
- Fuel and services
- 100LL avgas, Jet A-1, Jet A-1 with additive; the services card below
- On the chart
- Great Falls sectional
- Magnetic variation
- 12E
- In the FAA's files since
- August 1975
Runway
For understanding the field, not for navigation.
| Runway | Length × width | Surface | Lights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16/34 | 7,600 × 100 ft | Asphalt, excellent | Medium-intensity lights |
- Runway 16: PAPI, four lights on the left, right-hand traffic pattern, fence 56 ft high 1,765 ft from the end
- Runway 34: PAPI, four lights on the left
Radio frequencies
| Common traffic advisory (CTAF) · UNICOM | 122.8 | |
| Approach and departure · Bozeman A Center (remote transmitter) Low | 118.975 | |
| Eks and aWOS-3P | 119.85 |
Automated weather (AWOS-3P), by phone 406-682-3835.
Fuel and services as reported to the FAA
- Fuel
- 100LL avgas, Jet A-1, Jet A-1 with additive
- Repairs
- airframe and engine: minor repairs
- Parking
- hangars, tie-downs
- Also here
- air ambulance, charter flights, flight instruction, aircraft rental
Other fields with jet fuel nearby: Ruby Valley Field (32 nm northwest), Bozeman Yellowstone International (37 nm northeast), Dillon Airport (38 nm west).
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 Montana · avgas.
The FAA's remarks as written in the airport file, spelled out
- Afld surface condition unmonitored 5:00 pm to 7:00 am.
- Activate medium-intensity runway lights runway 16/34 - the common traffic frequency. PAPI runway 16 and 34 operates continuously.
- 16/34 1020 feet dist mkrs each end.
- After hours credit card fueling.
- DE-ICING type 1 avail.
- Cold temperature airport. Altitude correction required at or below -24C.
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
Based aircraft, as a table
| aircraft | |
|---|---|
| single-engine | 30 |
| multi-engine | 2 |
| helicopters | 2 |
Takeoffs and landings a year about 12,350, the FAA's fiscal year 2024 (October 2023 to September 2024)
Takeoffs and landings, as a table
| a year | |
|---|---|
| air taxi and commuter | 750 |
| general aviation, travelling | 5,000 |
| general aviation, local | 6,500 |
| military | 100 |
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 Ennis from the FAA register
26 aircraft are registered to owners in Ennis, Montana: 23 piston singles, 2 balloons, 1 piston twin. 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 Montana.
Examiners and inspectors nearby designated by the FAA · within 50 nautical miles
3 pilot examiners (the FAA's designated pilot examiners, who give the practical tests for pilot certificates) are based within 50 nautical miles: 3 for private pilot, 2 for commercial and instrument, 1 for flight instructor, 1 for type ratings; 2 for airplanes, 2 for multi-engine airplanes, 1 for helicopters, 1 for gliders. Also nearby: 4 aviation medical examiners, 1 mechanic examiner, 1 airworthiness representative (maintenance), 1 airworthiness representative (manufacturing), 1 engineering representative, 1 training center examiner, 2 administrative pilot examiners.
- Gregory Bruce Mecklenburg private pilot, commercial and instrument, flight instructor, instrument instructor, commercial pilot; airplanes, multi-engine airplanes, gliders · Bozeman, MT (37 nm) · (406) 580-5412 · meckles1@msn.com
- Jeffrey Cook private pilot, type ratings, commercial pilot, private pilot (proficiency); helicopters · Bozeman, MT (37 nm) · (406) 579-1195 · jeffcook13@gmail.com
- Peta Sarah Sheridan private pilot, commercial and instrument, instrument instructor, instructor renewals, military competency, ground instructor, foreign pilot certificates; airplanes, multi-engine airplanes · Bozeman, MT (37 nm) · (360) 635-2324 · petasheridan@gmail.com
All 14 nearby, by kind, with contact details
What each kind does
- DPE: Designated Pilot Examiner: gives the practical tests (checkrides) for pilot certificates and ratings.
- 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 · 4 since 1982, 0 fatal
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.
Nearby within 30 nautical miles
Connections how this airport links to the rest of the register
- Aircraft registered in Ennis 26 aircraft · 23 piston singles, 2 balloons, 1 piston twins
- NTSB accidents and incidents at or near this airport 4 since 1982 · 0 fatal
- Accidents and incidents in Montana 1,119 since 1982 · 165 in the last ten years
- Nearby landing places within 30 nautical miles 8 airports, heliports and seaplane bases
- Public-use airports in Montana 127 landing places
- Montana 6,042 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/airport/EKS.json.
Facts from the FAA's airport file effective October 1, 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 9, 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.