Josephs Airport

Georgetown, US πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ Closed Airport

ICAO

US-11230

IATA

-

Elevation

42 ft

Region

US-DE

Local Time

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Airport Information

GPS Code: Not available

Local Code: Not available

Location: 38.636956Β° N, -75.356374Β° E

Continent: NA

Type: Closed Airport

Keywords: DE49

Terminal Information Not Available
Terminal arrivals and departures are only available for airports with scheduled commercial service and IATA codes.

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Airport Information

Technical Information

For Aviation Geeks

Designation Length Width Surface Status
15/33 4564 ft 60 ft ASPH Active Lighted

Type Description Frequency
UNIC UNICOM 123.0 MHz

Airport Closure Information

Last updated: Jul 27, 2025
Closure Date

The airport ceased being depicted on aeronautical charts after 1979 and was listed as 'closed to public' by 1982. It was officially listed by the FAA as 'closed indefinitely' by 1995. The definitive closure and reversion of the land to agriculture occurred between the early 1980s and mid-1990s.

Reason for Closure

As a small, privately-owned airfield, the exact reason for closure is not officially documented. However, the most probable cause was personal or economic reasons of the owner/operator, Joseph Josephs. This is a common fate for small private airfields when the owner retires, passes away, or finds the operation and maintenance no longer financially viable. There is no evidence to suggest it was closed due to a specific accident, military conversion, or urban development.

Current Status

The site of the former Josephs Airport has been completely reclaimed for agricultural use. All traces of the runway, taxiways, and any associated buildings like hangars have been removed. The land is now an active, cultivated farm field, indistinguishable from the surrounding farmland. Satellite imagery confirms there is no remnant of the former airfield, though a nearby road is named 'Josephs Road', likely after the family that owned the farm and airport.

Historical Significance

Josephs Airport was a small, private general aviation airfield established in the late 1960s. Its significance was rooted in serving the local aviation and agricultural community of Georgetown, Delaware. Owned and operated by Joseph Josephs, it featured a single unpaved (turf/dirt) runway, which was extended from 2,100 feet to 2,500 feet during its operational life. The airport handled light, single-engine aircraft for personal, recreational, and likely agricultural purposes (such as crop dusting), which was vital in a rural area like Sussex County. It was a characteristic example of the numerous private farm strips that supported general aviation in the mid-20th century.

Reopening Prospects

There are zero known plans or prospects for reopening Josephs Airport. The land has been fully integrated back into a private farm for several decades. Furthermore, the town of Georgetown is served by the much larger, public-use Sussex County Airport (ICAO: KGED), which has paved runways, instrument approaches, and extensive aviation services. The existence of this superior nearby facility makes the redevelopment of a small, private grass strip at the former Josephs Airport location both unnecessary and economically unfeasible.

Nearby Airports

Delaware Coastal Airport
GED β€’ KGED
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~6 km away
Ockel Farms Airport
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Eagle Crest-Hudson Airport
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Owens Field
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Huey Airport
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West Private Airport
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Frankford, US
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~22 km away
Distances are approximate and calculated as straight-line distances.

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