Francis S. Gabreski Airport

Francis S. Gabreski Airport
Name	Francis S. Gabreski Airport
Iata	FOK
Icao	KFOK
Faa	FOK
Type	Public
Owner	Suffolk County
Operator	Suffolk County Department of Economic Development and Planning
City-served	Westhampton Beach, New York
Location	Suffolk County, New York
Elevation-ft	83

Francis S. Gabreski Airport is a public use airport located in Westhampton Beach, New York on Long Island, operated by the Suffolk County Department of Economic Development and Planning. The airport, designated FOK by the Federal Aviation Administration and KFOK by ICAO, occupies a site with historical ties to World War II and subsequent United States Air Force operations, and serves a mix of general aviation, limited commercial service, and military activity. The facility is named for Francis S. Gabreski, a decorated United States Army Air Forces and United States Air Force fighter ace from World War II and the Korean War.

History

The airfield began as RAF Bungay-style coastal air defenses during the expansion of United States Army Air Corps training and support bases in the early 1940s, later commissioned as Mitchel Field satellite and used extensively by United States Army Air Forces units during World War II. After the war the site transitioned into the United States Air Force era, hosting air defense squadrons during the Cold War and integrating into regional networks that included installations such as Grumman Aerospace Corporation test sites and nearby Brookhaven National Laboratory research facilities. In the 1950s and 1960s the airport supported operations of units connected with Air Defense Command and later Tactical Air Command, reflecting broader shifts following the National Security Act of 1947. Suffolk County acquired civil control and renamed the complex in honor of Francis S. Gabreski; the facility later accommodated aircraft types ranging from P-47 Thunderbolt veterans’ displays to modern F-15 Eagle and A-10 Thunderbolt II transient operations. In the late 20th century, redevelopment paralleled regional aviation changes influenced by entities like Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and transportation planning by Metropolitan Transportation Authority-planned corridors.

Facilities and operations

The airport covers a multi-runway complex with primary paved runways supporting turbine traffic, instrument approaches approved by the Federal Aviation Administration and navigational aids compatible with Area Navigation and Instrument Landing System procedures. Fixed-base operators at the field provide services for Cessna 172, Beechcraft King Air, and Bombardier Dash 8 types, as well as maintenance aligned with Federal Aviation Administration Part 145 repair-station standards. The airport includes hangars used by corporate aviation tenants such as NetJets-style fractional ownership firms, flight schools with fleets of Piper PA-28 series trainers, and avionics shops maintaining Garmin avionics. Air traffic services coordinate with the New York Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON), John F. Kennedy International Airport flow control, and relay traffic advisories related to nearby airspace dominated by LaGuardia Airport and Long Island MacArthur Airport operations. Onsite facilities support general aviation, aeronautical charting connections with United States Geological Survey datasets, and environmental monitoring consistent with New York State Department of Environmental Conservation guidelines.

Airlines and destinations

Commercial scheduled service has varied, with regional and commuter operators historically linking the airport to metropolitan centers such as John F. Kennedy International Airport, LaGuardia Airport, and seasonal links to Islip (Long Island MacArthur Airport). Past carriers included commuter airlines operating turboprops under codeshare arrangements with major carriers such as American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines regional affiliates. Charter operators provide ad hoc links to destinations served by corporations and sports teams including itineraries to Teterboro Airport for corporate shuttles and seasonal leisure flights to Nantucket Memorial Airport and Martha's Vineyard Airport.

Military use and units

The airport hosts a significant military presence through units of the New York Air National Guard and associated Air National Guard components, often operating alongside federal United States Air Force transient units. Units based at or using the field have included support and logistics squadrons affiliated with broader organizations such as First Air Force and joint exercises with United States Navy and United States Coast Guard units. The installation has supported operations during national emergencies and mobilizations coordinated with North American Aerospace Defense Command and regional defense planning involving Joint Task Force elements and state-level response teams reporting to the Governor of New York.

Accidents and incidents

Notable incidents at the field have involved general aviation occurrences investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board and overseen by the Federal Aviation Administration for safety recommendations. Events have ranged from hard-landing occurrences involving light singles such as Cessna 172 to more complex multi-agency responses when military aircraft transients experienced minor mishaps. Each event prompted procedural reviews drawing expertise from organizations including the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association and local emergency responders coordinated through Suffolk County Police Department and Suffolk County Fire Rescue assets.

Ground transportation and access

Ground access to the airport connects with New York State Route 27 and local arterials feeding into the Southampton corridor, with proximity to Montauk Highway and commuter links to Long Island Rail Road stations at Hampton Bays station and Westhampton station. Surface transit options include taxi services, rideshare operators such as Uber and Lyft, and county-operated shuttle arrangements that integrate with regional transit planning overseen by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Parking facilities accommodate transient and long-term parking needs for passengers and tenants, and ground handling coordinates with logistics providers that serve corporate and charter operations including catering by vendors used also by carriers like Delta Connection affiliates.

Category:Airports in Suffolk County, New York Category:Airports established in 1940s