Wainwright Airport (PAWI)
Medium airport · Wainwright, Alaska, United States
Airport data
| Name | Wainwright Airport |
|---|---|
| ICAO | PAWI |
| IATA | AIN |
| Elevation | 41 ft (12 m) above mean sea level |
| Coordinates | N 70°38'17" W 159°59'42" 70.63800, -159.99499 |
| Location | Wainwright, Alaska, United States |
| Scheduled service | Yes |
Runways
| Runway | Length | Width | Surface | Lighted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 05/23 | 4,494 ft (1370 m) | 90 ft | GVL | Yes |
Wainwright Airport at a glance
Wainwright Airport is a medium airport in Wainwright, Alaska, United States, known to airline systems as AIN. The field elevation of 41 ft (12 m) is the number every arriving pilot dials against QNH — circuit heights and initial approach altitudes at PAWI are all figured from it. The airport handles scheduled commercial service, so expect controlled procedures, published approaches and commercial traffic in the pattern.
The single runway, 05/23, offers 4,494 ft (1370 m) of gvl surface, with runway lighting for night operations. Runway numbers give magnetic orientation: runway 05 points roughly 50° magnetic.
For the weather side of planning, the live METAR and TAF page for PAWI shows the current observation decoded line by line — wind on an instrument dial, visibility, cloud layers and the resulting flight rules — refreshed continuously from official sources.
Nearest airports to Wainwright Airport
Distances are great-circle, measured from the field reference point — planning distances along airways or roads will run longer.
| Airport | Code | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Atqasuk Edward Burnell Sr Memorial Airport | PATQ | 97 km (52 NM) |
| Wiley Post Will Rogers Memorial Airport | PABR | 137 km (74 NM) |
| Point Lay LRRS Airport | PPIZ | 152 km (82 NM) |
| Cape Lisburne LRRS Airport | PALU | 306 km (165 NM) |
| Nuiqsut Airport | PAQT | 338 km (183 NM) |
Flight-planning notes for Wainwright Airport
Density altitude is the quiet performance-killer at any field: on a hot day the 41 ft field elevation of Wainwright Airport can translate into a substantially higher density altitude, stretching take-off rolls and flattening climb rates — run the numbers rather than trusting the feel of a standard day. Expect published instrument procedures, controlled airspace and clearance requirements; slots and handling may apply to general aviation traffic.
This entry is one of 917 airports and airfields we list for United States — the country index on the airports hub links the rest. Coordinates above are given in both DMS and decimal degrees so they can go straight into a GPS, a flight planner or a chart plot without conversion.
Where this data comes from
The reference layer behind this page builds on the OurAirports dataset — a public-domain, community-maintained register of the world's airports that many flight planners and apps rely on — with equity records preserved from documented historical listings where the dataset is silent. Figures are carried as published: elevations as surveyed, coordinates as filed, runway dimensions as recorded. Nothing is estimated to fill a gap, and the whole layer regenerates from source on every site build, so corrections upstream arrive here automatically.
Frequently asked questions about Wainwright Airport
What is the ICAO code of Wainwright Airport?
The ICAO identifier of Wainwright Airport is PAWI, and its IATA code is AIN. The ICAO code is the one used in flight plans, METAR reports and aeronautical charts.
How high is Wainwright Airport above sea level?
Wainwright Airport sits at an elevation of 41 feet (12 metres) above mean sea level. Field elevation is the reference for pattern altitudes and for setting the altimeter on the ground.
Where exactly is Wainwright Airport located?
The airport lies at 70.6380, -159.9950 — in Wainwright, Alaska, United States, in the northern hemisphere. The closest listed field is Atqasuk Edward Burnell Sr Memorial Airport, about 97 km away.
Does PAWI publish METAR weather reports?
Where the station reports, the current METAR and TAF for PAWI appear on its live weather page on this site, refreshed continuously from the US NWS Aviation Weather Center feed.
How long is the runway at Wainwright Airport?
Wainwright Airport has one runway. The longest, 05/23, measures 4,494 ft (1370 m) with a GVL surface.