BIG Changes Happening at Gulf Shores Airport!
As of November 17, 2021, (JKA) “Jack Edwards traffic” will soon go by “Gulf Shores Tower” as the new control tower officially opens!
The associated Class Delta airspace begins at the surface up to, and includes, 2000 feet MSL within a 4.3 NM radius of the JKA Airport Reference Point (30° 17.38’N 87° 40.31’W), excluding Restricted Area R2908.
Effective Date- Wednesday, November 17, 2021 at 7 AM.
Hours of Operation- 7 AM Local to 9 PM Local daily
(1300Z-0300Z Central Standard Time, 1200Z-0200Z Daylight Savings Time)
“Gulf Shores Tower”
New Frequencies- Tower 118.65 (New CTAF at all times)
Clearance Delivery /Ground Control- 121.7
Approach Frequencies- 120.65 now all quadrants for Pensacola Approach
124.55 will be for Clearance Delivery with Pensacola Approach only when JKA Tower is closed
134.525 will be the ATIS frequency when JKA Tower is open and will include continuous automated one-minute-observation weather when Tower is closed
122.7 will be UNICOM ONLY at all times. That means pilots making position reports on 122.7 (as it has been for years) will be talking on the wrong frequency to the wrong crowd when the tower hours of operation are in effect!
The new Gulf Shores Class D goes into effect before the next Sectional Chart update scheduled for
2 December 2021
Also, be sure to check NOTAMS and spread the word to your fellow aviators so they aren’t caught off guard with a dreaded Pilot Deviation.