Airports / Alaska / ELV
Elfin Cove Seaplane Base.
Elfin Cove, Alaska. A private-aviation gateway on the Bravo register.
PAEL
IATA ELV
0
Operators based
n/a
Elevation ft
Field standing
15 nm
To the nearest alternate
Pelican Seaplane Base (PEC), 6 fields within 50 nm.
Overview
Elfin Cove Seaplane Base (PAEL / ELV) is a seaplane base serving Elfin Cove, Alaska. Scheduled carriers operate here, and the field also sees regular private and charter activity.
While no charter operators list ELV as their home base, the field is reachable for repositioned charter aircraft from nearby bases. The closest alternate fields are Pelican Seaplane Base (PEC, 15 nm), Gustavus Airport (GST, 24 nm), and Hoonah Airport (HNH, 30 nm). The field has a single 10,000-foot unpaved runway, long enough for charter aircraft up to turboprops.
Trip costs from ELV 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 ELV to plan your flight.
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Field capability
ICAO
PAEL
IATA
ELV
FAA / Local
ELV
Elevation
n/a
Coordinates
58.1952° N · 136.3470° 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
Seaplane
Scheduled svc
Yes
Runways & aircraft access
1 runway
longest 10,000 ft
- NW/SE10,000 ft × 1500 ftWaterUnlit
Which aircraft can operate here
vs longest runway 10,000 ft
ELV's 10,000 ft runway typically supports charter aircraft up to turboprops.
- 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.
- 15nmPECPelican Seaplane BasePelican
- 24nmGSTGustavus AirportGustavus
- 30nmHNHHoonah AirportHoonah
- 31nmEXIExcursion Inlet Seaplane BaseExcursion Inlet
- 44nmTKETenakee Seaplane BaseTenakee Springs
- 46nmFNRFunter Bay Seaplane BaseFunter Bay
Location
Open the full mapPAEL · Elfin Cove Seaplane Base · Elfin Cove, AK
Flight times from here
Approximate nonstop block times from ELV on a typical midsize charter jet. Faster classes trim these; add positioning and taxi for the real schedule.
| Destination | Distance | Block time |
|---|---|---|
| Anchorage (ANC) | 450 nm | 1h 27m |
| Seattle (SEA) | 819 nm | 2h 18m |
| Jackson Hole (JAC) | 1,292 nm | 3h 24m |
| San Francisco (SFO) | 1,351 nm | 3h 33m |
| Salt Lake City (SLC) | 1,397 nm | 3h 39m |
| Las Vegas (LAS) | 1,570 nm | 4h 3m |
| Vail / Eagle (EGE) | 1,585 nm | 4h 5m |
| Aspen (ASE) | 1,607 nm | 4h 8m |
Common questions
- What size private jets can use ELV?
- Elfin Cove Seaplane Base's longest runway is 10,000 ft, which typically supports charter aircraft up to turboprops. 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 ELV?
- Elfin Cove Seaplane Base has one runway; the longest measures 10,000 ft.
- What is the nearest major airport to ELV?
- The closest alternate is Pelican Seaplane Base (PEC), about 15 nm away, followed by Gustavus Airport (GST) at 24 nm. Operators often position aircraft between these fields depending on ramp space and availability.
- How long is a flight from ELV to major cities?
- Typical block times on a midsize jet: Anchorage about 1h 27m (450 nm), Seattle about 2h 18m (819 nm), Jackson Hole about 3h 24m (1,292 nm). Faster classes trim these times; add positioning and taxi for the real schedule.