Bechtol Field (56AK) Area Aviation Weather & Runway Winds
As of 3:56 AM AKDT, Oct 28, based on the nearest station (PAWS), 56AK is currently VFR with winds from 090° at 4 knots, visibility 10+ statute miles, and no ceiling reported.
Aviation weather near Bechtol Field in Wasilla, AK, decoded from the nearest reporting station (PAWS): conditions and runway crosswinds.
Bechtol Field (56AK) is a general aviation airport serving pilots in and around Wasilla, AK at a field elevation of 1,200 ft. 56AK has no weather station of its own. Conditions here are decoded from PAWS, about 2 nm away, the nearest reporting station, and local conditions can differ. It has one runway (11/29), the longest 1,400 ft. The nearest TAF is issued for PAAQ.
No weather station at this airport: showing the nearest station PAWS, 1.9 nm away.
Wind from the east (090°) at 4 kt, visibility 10+ statute miles, no cloud data, temperature -1°C (31°F), altimeter 30.41 inHg. Conditions are Visual Flight Rules (VFR).
METAR PAWS 281156Z AUTO 09004KT 10SM CLR M01/M03 A3041 RMK AO2 SLP273 T10061028 11006 21044 58012 FZRANO $
What changed at PAWS (nearest station)?
Since the 1056Z (2:56 AM AKDT) report, compared automatically against the latest METAR.
- Pressure falling: altimeter 30.43 → 30.41 inHg.
Current pilot readout for 56AK
Based on the nearest station (PAWS), 56AK is currently VFR with winds from 090° at 4 knots, visibility 10+ statute miles, and no ceiling reported. the wind favors southeast-facing runway ends (11). Density altitude is approximately -1,000 ft (field elevation 1,200 ft). 56AK does not publish a TAF. The nearest TAF station is PAAQ, about 15 nm away.
New to aviation weather? How to read a METAR → · What VFR/MVFR/IFR mean → · Decode any METAR/TAF → · Density altitude calculator →
Runway wind check
Estimated head/tailwind and crosswind for each runway end from the current reported wind.
| Runway | Length | Surface | Head / Tail | Crosswind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11FAV | 1,400 ft | TURF | 3 kt head | 3 kt left |
| 29 | 1,400 ft | TURF | 3 kt tail | 3 kt right |
Open the crosswind calculator to try your own wind and runway numbers →
56AK runways
1 physical runway · 2 runway ends. Each card opens the runway's intelligence page: equipment and lighting, LAHSO, frequencies, today's configuration, predicted use, history and approaches.
- Status not monitoredRunway 11/291,400 × 50 ft · TURFCurrent useno stated-runway source at 56AKWind
- 11
- 3 kt headwind · 3 kt crosswind from left
- 29
- 3 kt tailwind · 3 kt crosswind from right
no active equipment NOTAM receivedView Runway Intelligence →
“Current use” is what the facilitystates; wind components are arithmetic on the current METAR against TRUE headings; status reflects NOTAMs received through SWIM, the tower's TFDM record and the D-ATIS — a runway reads “Open” only with a complete NOTAM picture.
24-hour trend
Wind, ceiling and flight category over the last 24 hours.
Over the last 23 h: wind 0→4 kt, ceiling unlimited → unlimited.
56AK weather radar
Live NEXRAD + lightning, with a 4-hour future-radar forecast. Drag to pan, tap ⚡ to toggle lightning.
Radar: NOAA/NWS via IEM · Forecast: NOAA HRRR · Lightning: NOAA · Map © Stadia Maps © OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap
NOAA NEXRAD composite and lightning, updated about every five minutes; amber frames are HRRR model guidance, not observed radar. Not for navigation.
Pilot reports (PIREPs) within 100 NM of 56AK
Reported by pilots in flight over the past 6 hours, via aviationweather.gov.
Show raw report
ANC UA /OV TED360010/TM 1125/FL050/TP B190/SK TOPS 004/TB NEG/IC NEG/RM DURGC CLR ABOVE 004
ANC UAHeader: reporting station and UA: a routine pilot report.OV TED360010Location: fix or navaid, optionally with a radial and distance in NM.TM 1125Reported at 11:25 UTC.FL050Altitude: 5,000 ft MSL.TP B190Aircraft type reporting.SK TOPS 004Sky condition: cloud bases and tops in hundreds of feet MSL.TB NEGTurbulence: none reported.IC NEGIcing: none reported.RM DURGC CLR ABOVE 004Remarks.Show raw report
ANC UA /OV TED189005/TM 0727/FL050/TP B739/SK SKC/TB LGT/IC NEG/RM DURD
ANC UAHeader: reporting station and UA: a routine pilot report.OV TED189005Location: fix or navaid, optionally with a radial and distance in NM.TM 0727Reported at 07:27 UTC.FL050Altitude: 5,000 ft MSL.TP B739Aircraft type reporting.SK SKCSky condition: cloud bases and tops in hundreds of feet MSL.TB LGTTurbulence: light.IC NEGIcing: none reported.RM DURDRemarks.⚠️ PIREPs are unverified pilot reports. Not for operational use: conditions change between reports.
Recent aviation weather trends at 56AK
From ATIS Alerts' hourly weather history.
Over the past 24 hours, the nearest station PAWS reported mostly VFR across 24 observations, with 0 flight-category changes. Wind most often came from the E.
Most recent change: MVFR → VFR
Share of hours each runway had the most headwind. From wind reports, not ATC assignments.
- 11
- 90%
- 29
- 10%
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Live crosswind meter
56AK has no weather feed online, so the wind comes from PAWS, 1.9 nm away.
Wind is 40° off runway 11, the end with the most headwind right now.
Have a weather station at 56AK? Help us make your field's weather available to every pilot, free. Add your field's wx station →Turf · 1,400 ft. Headings from FAA runway data. Not for navigation.
Field aerial
North up
Imagery: USGS The National Map (public domain). Something off? ✏️ Suggest an edit
Airport info
From the FAA airport record (cycle 2026-10-01) and OurAirports.
Services
- Control tower
- None
- Wind indicator
- Unlighted
Airport
- Type
- General aviation airport
- FAA LID
- 56AK
- City
- Wasilla
- State
- Alaska
- Country
- United States
- Elevation
- 1,200 ft
- Coordinates
- 61.5750, -149.6060
- Runways
- 1 physical runway · 2 runway ends
- Longest runway
- 1,400 ft
- Weather reporting
- Nearest station PAWS
- TAF
- Nearest PAAQ
- Time zone
- America/Anchorage
- Next sunset
- 13h 50m
Run a flight school, FBO, or club here? Embed 56AK's live status on your website, free →
Nearby airports
Compare nearby METAR/TAF stations within 25, 50 and 100 NM before departure or arrival.
Within 25 NM
8 airports+2 more within 25 NM
25–50 NM
8 airports+2 more within 50 NM
50–100 NM
8 airports+2 more within 100 NM
RC flying fields nearby
AMA model-aircraft club fields around this airport: live wind, crosswind & flyability on each page.
- Mack Dr. - City of Wasilla , Wasilla, AK · 3 mi
- Frontier Fun Flyers - Tidewater Field , Glenn Hwy, AK · 11 mi
- Alaska Drone Racing League - Peters Creek Christian Church , Chugiak, AK · 13 mi
Pilot PIREPs for Bechtol Field (56AK)
Community-submittedCommunity-submitted airport notes from pilots about runway conditions, wildlife, FBOs, fuel, turbulence, ramp access, and local tips.
Read recent community-submitted pilot notes for Bechtol Field, including runway conditions, wildlife activity, FBO/fuel notes, turbulence, ramp access, and local airport tips.
⚠️ Pilot PIREPs on ATIS Alerts are community-submitted airport notes for situational awareness only. They are not official FAA PIREPs, NOTAMs, weather briefings, airport advisories, or flight-planning guidance. Always verify with official FAA/NWS sources, airport management, ATC, and current publications.
No Pilot PIREPs have been submitted for 56AK yet. Recently flew here? Help the next pilot by leaving a quick airport note.
Pilot PIREPs are community pilot notes for situational awareness only, not official FAA PIREPs or advisories. Verify with official sources. Notes are moderated before they appear; helpful marks and reports help us keep them useful.
⚠️ Not for operational use. Always verify with official FAA-approved preflight weather sources before flight.
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