3/ 5 reviews
Staff & service
“When we called for updates the staff answered the phone from home/one the go.”
Julie May5★ on Google
Airports / Canada / YFS
Medium airport · YFS
Fort Simpson Airport.
Fort Simpson, Canada · 555 ft elevation. A private-aviation gateway on the Bravo register.
4.0/5
Google rating
15 ratings
0
Operators based
555
Elevation ft
Scheduled service
Fort Simpson, CanadaELEV 555 FTMedium airportScheduled service
4.0
Google rating
15
Google reviews
ratings on Google
555
Field elevation
feet above sea level
106
Nearest alternate
nm to YWY
Field standing
106 nm
To the nearest alternate
Wrigley Airport (YWY).
Overview
Fort Simpson Airport (CYFS / YFS) sits in Fort Simpson, Canada, where it functions as a mid-sized airport. Field elevation is 555 feet above sea level. Scheduled carriers operate here, and the field also sees regular private and charter activity.
While no charter operators list YFS as their home base, the field is reachable for repositioned charter aircraft from nearby bases. The closest alternate fields are Wrigley Airport (YWY, 106 nm), Fort Liard Airport (YJF, 112 nm), and Hay River / Merlyn Carter Airport (YHY, 167 nm). The field has a single 6,000-foot paved runway, long enough for charter aircraft up to VIP airliners.
Trip costs from YFS are driven by the aircraft category flown and how far it must reposition. Browse operators flying from the area or estimate a trip cost from YFS to plan your flight.
Run an FBO at CYFS? Become the preferred FBO
What fliers highlight.
From the stored review texts
2/ 5 reviews
Terminal & facilities
“Clean and small.”
Jason Mcleod4★ on Google
Themes counted by keyword across Google review texts for Fort Simpson Airport, every quote is verbatim from a real review.
Field capability
ICAO
CYFS
IATA
YFS
FAA / Local
CYFS
Elevation
555 ft
Coordinates
61.7602° N · 121.2370° W
Airspace
G · GolfClass G, GolfUncontrolled field, no tower. Pilots self-announce and sequence themselves on the common traffic advisory frequency.Source: FAA NASR class airspace
Size
Medium
Scheduled svc
Yes
Elevation vs Canada fields
state range 6–3,940 ft
At 555 ft, YFS sits lower than 62% of the 251 Canada fields on the register.
Runways & aircraft access
1 runway
longest 6,000 ft
- 14/326,000 ft × 150 ftAsphaltLighted
Which aircraft can operate here
vs longest paved runway 6,000 ft
YFS's 6,000 ft paved runway typically supports charter aircraft up to VIP airliners.
- Turboprop3,000 ft
- Light Jet3,500 ft
- Midsize Jet4,500 ft
- Super-Midsize Jet5,000 ft
- Heavy Jet5,500 ft
- VIP Airliner6,000 ft
Class minimums are sea-level planning rules of thumb. A specific aircraft's balanced-field length varies with weight, temperature, and field elevation. Confirm performance with the operator.
Access & alternates
Closest alternate fields by great-circle distance, every listing links to its own field brief.
- 106nmYWYWrigley AirportWrigley
- 112nmYJFFort Liard AirportFort Liard
- 167nmYHYHay River / Merlyn Carter AirportHay River
- 180nmYYEFort Nelson AirportFort Nelson
- 195nmYZFYellowknife International AirportYellowknife
- 204nmYOPRainbow Lake AirportRainbow Lake
Location
Open the full mapCYFS · Fort Simpson Airport · Fort Simpson, Canada
Flight times from here
Approximate nonstop block times from YFS on a typical midsize charter jet. Faster classes trim these; add positioning and taxi for the real schedule.
| Destination | Distance | Block time |
|---|---|---|
| Anchorage (ANC) | 819 nm | 2h 18m |
| Seattle (SEA) | 860 nm | 2h 24m |
| Jackson Hole (JAC) | 1,152 nm | 3h 5m |
| Salt Lake City (SLC) | 1,303 nm | 3h 26m |
| Vail / Eagle (EGE) | 1,428 nm | 3h 43m |
| Denver (DEN) | 1,448 nm | 3h 46m |
| San Francisco (SFO) | 1,450 nm | 3h 46m |
| Aspen (ASE) | 1,453 nm | 3h 47m |
Common questions
- What size private jets can use YFS?
- Fort Simpson Airport's longest paved runway is 6,000 ft, which typically supports charter aircraft up to VIP airliners. Lighter classes (turboprops, light and midsize jets) operate comfortably; confirm exact performance for a specific tail with the operator, since balanced-field length shifts with weight, temperature, and elevation.
- What is the longest runway at YFS?
- Fort Simpson Airport has one runway; the longest measures 6,000 ft on a paved surface and is lit for night operations.
- What is the nearest major airport to YFS?
- The closest alternate is Wrigley Airport (YWY), about 106 nm away, followed by Fort Liard Airport (YJF) at 112 nm. Operators often position aircraft between these fields depending on ramp space and availability.
- How long is a flight from YFS to major cities?
- Typical block times on a midsize jet: Anchorage about 2h 18m (819 nm), Seattle about 2h 24m (860 nm), Jackson Hole about 3h 5m (1,152 nm). Faster classes trim these times; add positioning and taxi for the real schedule.