Alice International Airport KALI: Jointly Owned, Offers Multiple Instrument Approaches

Alice International Airport, FAA identifier KALI, serves as the primary general-aviation facility for Alice and surrounding communities and is jointly owned by the City of Alice and Jim Wells County. Located three miles southeast of town, the airport provides navigation and lighting infrastructure that make it more dependable for local pilots, businesses, and operations that rely on reliable air access.

The airport supports multiple instrument approach procedures, including RNAV/GPS, VOR, and LOC/DME approaches. Those procedures, along with the segmented circle and medium-intensity runway lighting paired with PAPI visual glide-slope indicators, reduce weather-related cancellations and expand the hours and conditions under which aircraft can operate safely into and out of Alice. The Federal Aviation Administration publishes procedure effective dates and procedure links that pilots and operators should consult prior to flight planning.

Management of the field is shared by the City of Alice and Jim Wells County, and operational listings include contact information for the airport manager and city officials. That joint ownership model concentrates local oversight and decision-making, which can make it easier to coordinate maintenance, update lighting or navigational aids, and pursue grants or state and federal funding for upgrades. For local businesses that depend on quick connections to regional markets, and for agricultural, medical or public-safety operations that need dependable air access, those management and infrastructure details matter.

Beyond headline infrastructure, the airport’s role as the principal general-aviation gateway affects the county’s economy by supporting business travel, charter and air-taxi access, and services that benefit small firms and emergency responders. Instrument approaches and published FAA procedures increase predictability for operators that schedule flights from Alice to larger hubs or for visiting contractors and inspectors servicing local industries.

Residents and local leaders should note that keeping approach procedures current, maintaining lighting systems, and preserving the airport’s regulatory documentation are practical steps that sustain air access and safety. Continuing coordination between the City of Alice and Jim Wells County will determine whether investments in the field can attract more aviation activity and support broader economic development.

For now, KALI remains a locally controlled asset with published instrument procedures and contact points available for pilots and businesses; its continued reliability will shape how easily Jim Wells County connects to regional and national markets.