Wheeler Sack Army Air Field

KGTB

Fort Drum, US

Last Updated
Jul 4, 17:05Z

Military Airport

Restricted

This is a U.S. military installation. Civil aircraft operations are generally prohibited without prior authorization.

Access Notes:

Most military airfields closed to civil traffic; some joint-use exceptions exist

Consult official AIP (FAA AIP GEN 3.3) for current access procedures and restrictions.

Current Weather

Display Units
Fresh 21 min ago
17:05Z

☀️ Day
MVFR
Flight Rules
23°C
Temperature
Dewpoint: 21°C
4 kt
260°
8 SM
Visibility
1,600 ft
Ceiling
Above Ground Level
1013 hPa
QNH
Altimeter Setting

Raw METAR

SPECI KGTB 041705Z AUTO 26004KT 8SM -RA BKN016 OVC023 23/21 A2992 RMK AO2 SLP128 $

Clouds - Visual Profile

12,000ft
9,000ft
6,000ft
3,000ft
Ground
Field Elev: 688 ft
BKN 1,600 ft AGL
OVC 2,300 ft AGL
☁️
BKN
Broken (5/8-7/8 sky coverage)
1,600 ft
AGL (Above Ground)
2,288 ft AMSL
☁️
OVC
Overcast (8/8 sky coverage)
2,300 ft
AGL (Above Ground)
2,988 ft AMSL

Weather Briefing

MVFR

Wheeler Sack Army Air Field is currently reporting marginal VFR (MVFR) conditions with overcast skies at 2,300 feet and 8 SM visibility.

Wind Analysis

Winds are from the west (260°) at 4 knots.

Visibility & Ceiling

Visibility is 8 SM. The ceiling is 1600 feet AGL (broken), placing conditions in the MVFR category.

Temperature & Moisture

Temperature is 23°C (73°F) with a dewpoint of 21°C. The temperature-dewpoint spread is very narrow, indicating saturated or near-saturated air. Fog formation or low cloud development is likely.

Pilot Recommendations

VFR pilots should exercise caution. Consider filing IFR if instrument rated, or postponing the flight if conditions are expected to deteriorate further. The narrow temperature-dewpoint spread creates risk of fog formation, particularly during evening and early morning hours.

This briefing is generated from real-time METAR and TAF data. Always verify with official sources before flight.

QNH
1013 hPa
Sea Level Pressure
For altitude above MSL
QFE
990 hPa
Field Pressure
Height above aerodrome (688 ft)
Pressure Alt
696 ft
QNE Reference
Standard: 1013 hPa
Density Altitude: 1,821 ft
ISA Deviation: +9.4°C

24-Hour Weather Evolution

Loading weather data...
Data Sources
  • • Current conditions from METAR observations
  • • Historical data from past 24 hours
  • • No forecast or predicted data included
  • • Data updated with each new METAR report
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Note: Future values beyond current TAF validity are estimates based on climatological data and trends. Always verify with current forecasts before flight operations.

Airport Runway Layout

N
GTB
03
21
08
26 ✈️
15
33

Runway Information

Runway Length Width Surface Heading Wind Component
03/21 10,000 ft 150 ft CON 16°
1.8 kt 3.6 kt
116° angle
✈️ 08/26
Active: 26
4,482 ft 150 ft CON 70°
4.0 kt 0.0 kt
0° angle
15/33 4,999 ft 150 ft CON 133°
2.4 kt 3.2 kt
127° angle
🟢 Active Runway: Best headwind component for current conditions
⬆️ Headwind: Favorable wind component
↔️ Crosswind: ≤10kt Safe, 11-15kt Caution, >15kt Challenging

Weather Statistics - KGTB

12,092 observations | Sep 2025 - Jul 2026

Flight Rules Distribution

VFR
52%
MVFR
29.8%
IFR
12.1%
LIFR
6.1%

Wheeler Sack Army Air Field is frequently affected by reduced visibility conditions, with VFR weather only 52% of the time and IFR/LIFR conditions occurring in 18.2% of observations. Prevailing winds are from the W averaging 8.7 knots, with gusts recorded up to 34 knots. Temperature extremes range from -30°C to 32°C, reflecting significant seasonal variation. The best months for VFR flying are July, October, June.

Wind Analysis

Prevailing Direction: W (270°)
Average Speed: 8.7 kt
Maximum Recorded: 34 kt
Calm Winds: 7.5%
Direction Distribution:
E
2.8%
N
7.8%
S
10%
W
28%
NE
6.1%
NW
7.2%
SE
15.6%
SW
14.9%

Temperature Range

Average: 3.4°C
Range: -30°C to 32°C
-30°C 32°C

Visibility

Average: 8.9 SM
Below 3 SM: 3.2%
Fog Frequency: 1.6%

Best Months for VFR

July October June

Runway Wind Analysis

Runway 03/21
Favorable wind: 100%
Avg crosswind: 5.6 kt
Runway 08/26
Favorable wind: 100%
Avg crosswind: 5 kt
Runway 15/33
Favorable wind: 100%
Avg crosswind: 5.7 kt

Statistics computed from 12,092 METAR observations (Sep 2025 - Jul 2026). Data sourced from official aviation weather services. Updated daily.

Wheeler Sack Army Air Field - Airport Information

Airport Details

ICAO Code: KGTB
Type: medium airport
Status: active
Elevation: 688 ft MSL

Location

City: Fort Drum
Country: US
Latitude: 44.055599°
Longitude: -75.719498°
Time Zone: Etc/GMT+5

Runway Information

Runway 03/21
Length: 10,000 ft
Width: 150 ft
Surface: CON
ILS: No
Runway 08/26
Length: 4,482 ft
Width: 150 ft
Surface: CON
ILS: No
Runway 15/33
Length: 4,999 ft
Width: 150 ft
Surface: CON
ILS: No

About Wheeler Sack Army Air Field

Wheeler Sack Army Air Field is a military facility. Civilian access may be restricted or require Prior Permission (PPR). Pilots should consult the US AIP for current access procedures and restrictions.

Overview

Wheeler Sack Army Air Field is a medium-sized military airport located at Fort Drum in northern New York State. Situated at 688 feet above mean sea level with coordinates 44.055599, -75.719498, the airfield serves military aviation operations and supports the 10th Mountain Division. Its three concrete runways provide substantial operational flexibility for military aircraft.

Flying Conditions

Weather conditions at Wheeler Sack demonstrate significant variability, with visual flight rules (VFR) conditions present 49.2% of the time and marginal VFR conditions occurring 32.8% of observations. Temperature ranges from -21°C to 28°C, with an average of 1.5°C, indicating potential challenges in winter and summer operations. Prevailing winds from the west (270°) average 8.9 knots, with occasional gusts up to 34 knots.

Notable Features

The airport features three runways: 03/21 at 10,000 feet, 08/26 at 4,482 feet, and 15/33 at 4,999 feet, all constructed of concrete. Each runway demonstrates 100% favorable wind alignment, with modest average crosswind components ranging from 5.1 to 5.9 knots. The longest runway (03/21) provides substantial length for diverse military aircraft operations.

Approach Considerations

Pilots should anticipate generally good visibility, with an average of 8.8 statute miles and only 4% of observations showing visibility below 3 miles. September through November offer the most consistent VFR conditions. With calm wind conditions occurring 8.3% of the time, pilots should be prepared for potential wind variability during approach and landing.

Data Sources & Accuracy: Airport information sourced from OurAirports.com, a collaborative database of worldwide airport data. Weather data from official aviation weather services including NOAA Aviation Weather Center and international METAR/TAF providers. Information is updated regularly but pilots should always verify current conditions and NOTAMs through official channels before flight operations.

Official Data Sources

Weather NOAA Aviation Weather Center • International METAR/TAF Network
Airports OurAirports.com • Public domain airport database
NOTAMs FAA NOTAM System • ICAO NOTAM Distribution
Last updated: Jan 1, 1970 12:00 AM UTC

Disclaimer: Data is provided for informational purposes only. Pilots must verify all information through official sources before flight operations. Weather conditions change rapidly; always obtain a current briefing from approved weather services.