From the Flight Deck – KGED – Delaware Coastal Airport

As a dog rescue pilot we get to fly into a number of airports. This post is the first, in what I hope is many to come, about airports pilots should consider using for rescue flights.

KGED is located in Georgetown, Delaware and is ideally situated for flight going from South Carolina and North Carolina to New Jersey and New York.

This most confusing issue with this airport is the three names people call it. When you are coming in to land or departing you have to make sure you catch all the names to get the right radio calls.

The FAA Identifier for the airport is KGED but pilots call it Georgetown, or Delaware Coastal Airport. And on the VFR sectional map it is labeled Sussex County.

Yes, it can get really confusing, but as long as you know about the three names, you’ll be fine. I’ve been known to use all three in the same radio call on CTAF to make sure everyone knows which airport I’m talking about.

You can watch some of our videos that include segments from KGED if you click here.

When you land you will get a chance to meet Justin, Jerry, or Garrett from Georgetown Air Services. Garrett is the guy in charge. I can’t think of enough kudos and kind words for the service they offer there. The guys are professional, friendly, and will take good care of you from fueling to just being great hosts for dog pilots.

Jerry, who has a rescue dog himself, thinks a benefit of landing at Georgetown is that “when you stop here, your dog can go”. Good point. We’ve walked many a dog off the apron.

Speaking of fueling, the State of Delaware will refund $0.23 from every gallon of gas purchased if you are not a Delaware resident. The guys will give you the refund form if you ask for it. If you eat at the restaurant in the terminal you get another $0.10 or so off per gallon.

The bathrooms are always clean.

I think the restaurant is a great place to eat. Garrett said, “Stop at Georgetown and fill your plane and your belly” and he’s absolutely right.

The staff at Arena’s at the Airport is kind and dog friendly. In warmer weather there is an outside seating area and the staff has been known to keep our drinks and dog water bowls full as the dogs sit with us at lunch.

Here is one of our passengers eying our sandwich as we sat outside at Arena’s on a flight.

The food is well priced and piled high. The soup and sandwich combo is a good deal.

But back to the flying stuff.

KGED has two runways. 22-4 and 10-28. The longer runway is 5,500 x 150 and big airliners land there for maintenance work at a facility across the field. It’s an odd sight to see a big jet coming in on a long final when a Piper has just cleared the runway.

There is an RNAV (GPS) approach for 4-22. You fall under Dover approach for ATC.

The field has a GCO so you can get your clearance on the ground. And yes, the GCO actually works. You’ll be connected with Dover clearance at Dover AFB.

Most of my landings at KGED have been using the RNAV (GPS) 4 approach and it’s an open descent as you approach from the south.

And for my ground transporter friends from Doobert.com I would highly recommend this airport as a place to do a ground transportation exchange. The address is:

21553 Rudder Lane
Georgetown, DE

Here is my bottom line, I think from the guys at the desk to the crew in the restaurant, this field is the place to go to do a dog exchange in Delaware.