Airports / Alaska / CEM
Central Airport.
Central, Alaska · 937 ft elevation. A private-aviation gateway on the Bravo register.
3.3/5
Google rating
6 ratings
0
Operators based
937
Elevation ft
Google rating
Google reviews
Field elevation
Nearest alternate
Field standing
23 nm
To the nearest alternate
Circle City (New) Airport (IRC), 2 fields within 50 nm.
Overview
Central Airport (PACE / CEM) sits in Central, Alaska, where it functions as a general aviation field. The airport sits 937 feet above sea level. Alongside scheduled airline service, the airport handles a steady flow of private and charter traffic.
No charter operator is headquartered on the field, but operators routinely position aircraft into CEM for departures. When weather or ramp space demands it, nearby options are Circle City (New) Airport (IRC, 23 nm), Birch Creek Airport (KBC, 49 nm), and Fort Yukon Airport (FYU, 61 nm). At 2,782-foot, unpaved, the runway favors turboprops and light general aviation over jet operations.
Charter pricing from CEM depends on aircraft category, positioning distance, and trip timing. Compare rated operators or run a route through the cost estimator to gauge pricing from Central.
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Field capability
ICAO
PACE
IATA
CEM
FAA / Local
CEM
Elevation
937 ft
Coordinates
65.5738° N · 144.7807° 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
Small
Scheduled svc
Yes
Elevation vs AK fields
state range 2–3,318 ft
At 937 ft, CEM sits higher than 87% of the 285 Alaska fields on the register.
Runways & aircraft access
1 runway
longest 2,782 ft
- 07/252,782 ft × 60 ftGravelUnlit
Which aircraft can operate here
vs longest runway 2,782 ft
At 2,782 ft and unpaved, CEM is generally suited to piston and turboprop aircraft rather than jets.
- 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.
- 23nmIRCCircle City (New) AirportCircle
- 49nmKBCBirch Creek AirportBirch Creek
- 61nmFYUFort Yukon AirportFort Yukon
- 69nmCIKChalkyitsik AirportChalkyitsik
- 80nmWBQBeaver AirportBeaver
- 80nmEILEielson Air Force BaseFairbanks
Location
Open the full mapPACE · Central Airport · Central, AK
Flight times from here
Approximate nonstop block times from CEM on a typical midsize charter jet. Faster classes trim these; add positioning and taxi for the real schedule.
| Destination | Distance | Block time |
|---|---|---|
| Anchorage (ANC) | 299 nm | 1h 6m |
| Seattle (SEA) | 1,303 nm | 3h 26m |
| Jackson Hole (JAC) | 1,731 nm | 4h 26m |
| San Francisco (SFO) | 1,852 nm | 4h 42m |
| Salt Lake City (SLC) | 1,856 nm | 4h 43m |
| Vail / Eagle (EGE) | 2,021 nm | 5h 6m |
| Aspen (ASE) | 2,045 nm | 5h 9m |
| Las Vegas (LAS) | 2,055 nm | 5h 11m |
Common questions
- Can private jets use CEM?
- At 2,782 ft and unpaved, Central Airport is generally suited to turboprop and piston aircraft rather than jets. Charter flyers usually depart from a nearby field with a longer runway.
- What is the longest runway at CEM?
- Central Airport has one runway; the longest measures 2,782 ft.
- What is the nearest major airport to CEM?
- The closest alternate is Circle City (New) Airport (IRC), about 23 nm away, followed by Birch Creek Airport (KBC) at 49 nm. Operators often position aircraft between these fields depending on ramp space and availability.
- How long is a flight from CEM to major cities?
- Typical block times on a midsize jet: Anchorage about 1h 6m (299 nm), Seattle about 3h 26m (1,303 nm), Jackson Hole about 4h 26m (1,731 nm). Faster classes trim these times; add positioning and taxi for the real schedule.