Delaware River Bay Authority Airport — Regional Transportation Infrastructure Aviation
The Delaware River Bay Authority (DRBA) Airport in New Castle, Delaware represents a unique category of aviation facility: an airport operated by a bi-state transportation authority rather than a municipal, county, or federal agency. The Delaware River and Bay Authority is a compact between Delaware and New Jersey that manages transportation infrastructure including the Delaware Memorial Bridge, ferry services, and airports on both sides of the Delaware River and Bay. The DRBA operates aviation facilities in New Castle, Delaware and Cape May Airport in New Jersey, giving the authority a multi-modal transportation role that integrates aviation, bridge, and water ferry services in the Delaware Bay corridor. FAA Eastern Region oversight and Delaware DOT coordination apply to DRBA aviation operations in New Castle.
The New Castle area's DRBA aviation facility serves the specialized needs of the bi-state authority's operations, which may include executive transportation, inspection flights for bridge and navigation infrastructure, helicopter operations, and support for the DRBA's ferry operations connecting Lewes, Delaware to Cape May, New Jersey. New Castle's position on the Delaware River, immediately adjacent to the Delaware Memorial Bridge crossing, places the DRBA's New Castle facilities at the heart of the authority's transportation corridor management mission. New Castle County Airport (ILG) is in the same general area, and the DRBA facility complements rather than competes with the county's public-use commercial and GA airport.
What is the Delaware River and Bay Authority?
The Delaware River and Bay Authority (DRBA) is a bi-state agency of Delaware and New Jersey managing transportation infrastructure including the Delaware Memorial Bridge, the Cape May-Lewes Ferry, and airports on both sides of the Delaware Bay corridor.
What aviation facilities does the DRBA operate?
The DRBA operates the New Castle Airport in Delaware and Cape May Airport in New Jersey, as well as supporting the aviation needs of its bridge and ferry infrastructure operations across the Delaware Bay region.
Is the DRBA Airport accessible to the public?
DRBA aviation facilities serve the authority's operational needs. Access for general aviation may be available depending on the facility's operational status — contact the DRBA directly for current access procedures and availability.
What role does aviation play in the DRBA's transportation mission?
Aviation enables the DRBA to provide executive transportation, infrastructure inspection flights (bridge and waterway), and rapid response capability across the Delaware Bay corridor that connects Delaware and New Jersey through the authority's transportation network.
Delaware River & Bay Authority Airport Contact Information
Address, Phone Number, and Hours for an Airports in Lakeview, Oregon.
| Name | Delaware River & Bay Authority Airport |
| Address | 100 Churchmans Road, New Castle DE 19720 Map |
| Phone | (302) 325-5124 |
| Website | |
| Hours |
Map of Delaware River & Bay Authority Airport
Transportation Authority Aviation at the Delaware River and Bay Authority Facility
New Castle, Delaware sits on the western bank of the Delaware River at a historically significant location — it was Delaware's colonial capital before Dover, and the Delaware Memorial Bridge crossing less than a mile away connects the two states of the DRBA compact. The DRBA's New Castle aviation facility is integrated into the authority's broader transportation mission, and aviation users should contact the DRBA directly for current operational information, access procedures, and available services at the New Castle facility.
For general aviation pilots seeking public airport services in New Castle, New Castle County Airport (ILG) is immediately adjacent and provides full commercial and GA facilities including FBO services, instrument approaches, and scheduled airline access. The Delaware DOT aeronautics section and FAA Eastern Region maintain current regulatory information for DRBA aviation operations as part of Delaware's statewide aviation infrastructure oversight. The DRBA's integrated transportation approach — combining bridge, ferry, and aviation assets — represents an innovative model for multi-modal regional transportation authority that positions aviation as a core operational tool alongside the more visible bridge and water ferry services that define the DRBA's public identity in the Delaware-New Jersey corridor.