Merle K (Mudhole) Smith Airport
CDV · PACV · Cordova, Alaska · Valdez-Cordova County · map
Merle K (Mudhole) Smith Airport is a public-use airport, 11 miles southeast of Cordova, Alaska, 53 feet above sea level. It has 2 runways; the longest, 09/27, is 7,500 feet of asphalt. It has about 30 general-aviation aircraft based on the field by the FAA's count. The FAA counts about 13,605 takeoffs and landings a year. About 18,159 passengers boarded flights here in the FAA's fiscal year 2024.
Quick answers answers refresh every morning
What is the airport code for Merle K (Mudhole) Smith Airport?
Its FAA code is CDV, and its ICAO code is PACV.
Where is Merle K (Mudhole) Smith Airport?
It is 11 miles southeast of Cordova, Alaska, 53 feet above sea level.
How long is the longest runway at Merle K (Mudhole) Smith Airport?
The longest of its 2 runways, 09/27, is 7,500 feet long.
Does Merle K (Mudhole) Smith Airport have a control tower?
No, it has no control tower.
Where can you fly nonstop from Merle K (Mudhole) Smith Airport?
Airline flights go to 6 airports, the busiest of them Ted Stevens Anchorage International, Yakutat, Juneau International, Seattle-Tacoma International, Tatitlek. Every route
Are there flight schools at Merle K (Mudhole) Smith Airport?
One flight school, flying club or college flight programme is based within about 15 miles of it: Back Country Flight Training LLC. Compare them
Where are the nearest FAA examiners to Merle K (Mudhole) Smith Airport?
1 aviation medical examiner work within 50 nautical miles. See them by name
Weather and planning now, the forecast, warnings, pilot reports, winds aloft, restrictions
Fetching the weather now, the forecast, the warnings in force, pilot reports and the winds aloft for Merle K (Mudhole) Smith Airport…
Wind map live wind over the area, from Windy.com
Colours show wind speed, the moving lines its direction; drag the time bar for the coming days. Map and forecast by Windy.com.
The airport facts, runways, radio, fuel and services, the FAA's remarks
The airport
- Codes
- FAA CDV · ICAO PACV
- Kind
- Airport · open to the public · publicly owned
- Elevation
- 53 feet above sea level
- Control tower
- No control tower
- Attended
- every day, 6:00 am to 4:30 pm
- Lights
- runway lights see the remarks below; beacon sunset to sunrise
- Fuel and services
- no fuel reported; the services card below
- Notes
- certified for airline service (Part 139)
- On the chart
- Anchorage sectional
- Magnetic variation
- 19E
- In the FAA's files since
- January 1949
Runways 2
For understanding the field, not for navigation.
| Runway | Length × width | Surface | Lights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 09/27 | 7,500 × 150 ft | Asphalt, good | High-intensity lights |
| 16/34 | 1,934 × 30 ft | Gravel, fair |
- Runway 09: VASI, four boxes on the left, omnidirectional approach lights (ODALS), right-hand traffic pattern, ant 20 ft high 600 ft from the end
- Runway 27: ILS with DME, VASI, four boxes on the left, medium-intensity approach lights with runway alignment lights (MALSR), pole 25 ft high 500 ft from the end
- Runway 34: trees 70 ft high 350 ft from the end
Radio frequencies
| Cordova and rco · Common traffic advisory (CTAF) | 123.6 | Cordova |
| Johnstone Point Center (remote transmitter) Low/high | 119.3 | |
| Cordova and rco | 121.5 | Cordova |
| Cordova and rco | 122.2 | Cordova |
| Middleton Island Center (remote transmitter) Low | 133.6 | |
| Cdv and automated weather (ASOS) | 134.8 |
Automated weather (ASOS), by phone 907-424-5900.
Fuel and services as reported to the FAA
- Fuel
- none reported
- Parking
- tie-downs
- Also here
- cargo handling
Nearest fields reporting jet fuel: Robe Lake Seaplane Base (41 nm northwest), Valdez Pioneer Field (45 nm northwest).
Nearest fields reporting avgas: Valdez Pioneer Field (45 nm northwest).
The FAA's file records what is sold and done at the field, as the airport manager reports it, not who sells it or the price; fuel sellers (FBOs) are not named in any public file. Airports selling jet fuel in Alaska · avgas.
The FAA's remarks as written in the airport file, spelled out
- Closed to air carrier operations more than 30 passenger seats except 24 hour prior permission required in writing - amgr box 598 Cordova AK 99574.
- Erratic winds.
- Activate approach lights (MALSR) runway 27; odals runway 09; VASI runways 09 and 27; high-intensity runway lights runway 09/27 - the common traffic frequency.
- Engineered materials arresting system (emas) 250 feet in length by 170 feet in width located der 27.
- Runway 16/34 not available for part 121/380 schedule and unscheduled operations with passenger carrying operations more than 30 passenger seats.
- 36 in orange cones may 1 - oct 25.
- 36 in orange cones may 1 - oct 25.
- Runway 09 VASI unusable beyond 4 NM due to obstructions.
- Moose and birds in the vicinity of airport and runways.
- Rescue and firefighting (ARFF) equip durg air carrier act only.
- Cordova weather - 424-7614 or 122.65.
- Airport sand lrgr gradation than FAA recommended/see AC150/5200-30.
Flights and activity in the air now, the airlines, based aircraft, takeoffs and landings
Activity now checking the volunteer receiver network…
Within ten miles
- Looking…
Arrivals and departures, last hour
- Looking…
From the volunteer receiver network, a few minutes behind at most; aircraft whose owners asked the FAA not to be displayed are left out; no person is named. Open the live map here.
Scheduled and charter flights from here the DOT's airline reports · August 2025 to July 2026
Airlines reported 1,079 departures from CDV in those twelve months, carrying 32,373 passengers in 93,866 seats (34% filled), to 6 destinations on 2 airlines.
All 6 destinations, the airlines and the aircraft, month by month
From the Bureau of Transportation Statistics' T-100 table: every segment an airline reported flying, three months in arrears. Private, business and training flights are not in it; the live picture is in the activity card.
Based aircraft as counted for the FAA, fiscal year 2024
Based aircraft, as a table
| aircraft | |
|---|---|
| single-engine | 27 |
| helicopters | 2 |
| other | 1 |
The FAA's count is the general-aviation aircraft kept on the field (singles, twins, business jets, helicopters) from its Terminal Area Forecast, the latest year with an actual count; airline fleets are never counted as based anywhere, so a big airline airport shows a small number. The register section below shows how many aircraft are registered to owners in town, a different measure again.
Takeoffs and landings a year about 13,605, the FAA's fiscal year 2024 (October 2023 to September 2024)
Takeoffs and landings, as a table
| a year | |
|---|---|
| airline | 2,540 |
| air taxi and commuter | 4,100 |
| general aviation, travelling | 1,855 |
| general aviation, local | 4,100 |
| military | 1,010 |
Local flights stay in the traffic pattern or nearby, often practice; travelling flights arrive from or leave for somewhere else. Counts at airports without a tower are the FAA's estimates. How this compares nationally: Airports by the numbers.
Who flies and works here aircraft registered in town, the companies, the examiners nearby
Aircraft registered in Cordova from the FAA register
64 aircraft are registered to owners in Cordova, Alaska: 54 piston singles, 4 piston twins, 3 turboprops, 3 helicopters. Not every one of them is based at this airport; the based-aircraft count above is the FAA's figure for this airport alone.
Companies and organisations in town with two or more aircraft:
Individuals are counted, not named (the site's policy at this time). All aircraft registered in Alaska.
Who works here from the FAA's certificate lists and the register
Flight schools, flying clubs and college flight programmes based within about 15 miles:
- Back Country Flight Training LLC 1 aircraft · Cordova
Charter operators and airlines based in Cordova:
- Ridgeline Aviation, Inc. 3 aircraft on the certificate Ridgeline Aviation is an FAA Part 135 air carrier and Part 133 external load operator based in Cordova, Alaska.
- Alaska Wilderness Outfitting Company, LLC 3 aircraft on the certificate Alaska Wilderness Outfitting Company operates fishing and wilderness adventure trips from Cordova, Alaska.
- Kennedy, Jared Wayne 2 aircraft on the certificate
- Orca Air Charters LLC 1 aircraft on the certificate
- Cordova Air Service, Inc 1 aircraft on the certificate
Companies in the same town as this airport, and schools within about 15 miles of it (each placed at the main public airport of its town, or at the town's centre); not every one of them works from this field. All operators · all repair stations · all flight schools · all FBOs.
Examiners and inspectors nearby designated by the FAA · within 50 nautical miles
No pilot examiner is based within 50 nautical miles, as far as the FAA's list places them. Also nearby: 1 aviation medical examiner.
All 1 nearby, by kind, with contact details
What each kind does
- AME: Aviation Medical Examiner: a doctor who issues the medical certificates pilots must hold.
Designees are listed with the name and contact details the FAA publishes for them on its designee locator (read October 10, 2026): the FAA lists them so that pilots, mechanics and companies can find them. Private individuals are not named, the site's policy at this time. A designee who would rather not appear here can ask us through the contact address on the About page. Each designee is placed at the main public airport of the town the FAA lists (or the nearest one to its zip code), so "nearby" means the town, not an exact address. All examiners by state.
Safety record the NTSB's cases at or near this airport
Accidents and incidents at or near this airport NTSB records · 15 since 1982, 1 fatal
Cases the NTSB recorded with this as the nearest airport, newest first. Each opens the full report in plain English. The country as a whole: Where accidents happen.
Connections how this airport links to the rest of the register
- Aircraft registered in Cordova 64 aircraft · 54 piston singles, 4 piston twins, 3 turboprops
- Island City Seaplanes INC 5 aircraft in town
- Ridgeline Aviation INC 3 aircraft in town
- Cordova Air Service INC 2 aircraft in town
- Ridgeline Aviation, Inc. 3 aircraft on the certificate · charter operator
- Alaska Wilderness Outfitting Company, LLC 3 aircraft on the certificate · charter operator
- Kennedy, Jared Wayne 2 aircraft on the certificate · charter operator
- Orca Air Charters LLC 1 aircraft on the certificate · charter operator
- Back Country Flight Training LLC 1 aircraft · flight school
- Ted Stevens Anchorage International (ANC) 543 flights in twelve months · Alaska Airlines Inc., Alaska Central Express
- Yakutat (YAK) 513 flights in twelve months · Alaska Airlines Inc., Alaska Central Express
- Juneau International (JNU) 9 flights in twelve months · Alaska Airlines Inc., Alaska Central Express
- Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA) 9 flights in twelve months · Alaska Airlines Inc.
- Tatitlek (TEK) 4 flights in twelve months · Alaska Central Express
- Sitka Rocky Gutierrez (SIT) 1 flights in twelve months · Alaska Central Express
- NTSB accidents and incidents at or near this airport 15 since 1982 · 1 fatal
- Accidents and incidents in Alaska 5,930 since 1982 · 826 in the last ten years
- Nearby landing places within 30 nautical miles 3 airports, heliports and seaplane bases
- Public-use airports in Alaska 392 landing places
- Alaska 9,141 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/airport/CDV.json.
Facts from the FAA's airport file effective October 1, 2026, written out in plain English; weather from the National Weather Service's aviation weather service; registered aircraft from the FAA register as of October 26, 2026; accidents from the NTSB's public database. Owners are shown only when they are an organisation; no person is named. Check the official sources before a flight: this page is for understanding an airport, not for planning one.