CBH4 Prairie Creek Airport

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Located far north in the Canadian Wilderness, Prairie Creek Airport is situated next to Prairie Creek in the Northwest Territories, Canada. The airport is private and operated by Canadian Zinc Corporation. Its primary role is to serve as a supporting base for local mining operations at the adjacent Prairie Creek Mine, which is also operated by Canadian Zinc Corporation. The remote airport features a single 914 meter (2998 feet) long gravel runway; it has two windsocks and no supporting navigational aids; approach and departure are strictly under VFR conditions.

The airport’s GPS coordinates are: 61°33′53.0″N 124°48′54.0″W (61.564722, -124.815000)

The very remote location of this unique airport provides a visually breathtaking approach and departure above the Canadian Wilderness. The steep surrounding terrain and unpredictable weather associated with mountainous terrain do not leave much margin for error, and this, coupled with the short, just under 3000 ft gravel runway, is likely to keep even the most experienced pilot on their toes. The airport does not feature an actual control tower, and prior permission is generally required to land there, except, of course, in case of an emergency. Air Tindi, headquartered at Yellowknife Airport in the Northwest Territories, Canada, and the operator of the largest fleet of active Dash 7 aircraft, is a primary operator of flights in and out of Prairie Creek Airport, most frequently using their Dash 7 aircraft. The flight from Yellowknife to Prairie Creek typically takes just over an hour in the Dash 7, and its much-lauded STOL capability makes it a uniquely capable cargo and passenger aircraft for the journey to this remote, short runway location.

Prairie Creek Airport sits at an elevation of about 900 m (2950 ft) and is surrounded by mostly alpine-like evergreen forest and mountainous terrain. The runway surface consists mainly of gravel, and the 914 x 30 meter (3000 x 100 ft) gravel runway is designated RWY 14 / RWY 32, with high terrain towering over the adjacent eastern and western areas. There is a small parking area located at the southern end of the runway. In the real world, the airport is generally open from 1 May until 31 August; of course, there are no such restrictions other than the weather in the simulator. Due to the likelihood of persistent snow on the ground even in early May, there are snow markers at the runway edge.

Note: MSFS 2024 has incorrect default vegetation in this area. Asobo is aware of this issue.