The U.S. aircraft register, updated daily
Airports · Alaska · airport · FAA file effective October 1, 2026

Lake Hood Airport

LHD · PALH · Anchorage, Alaska · Anchorage County · map

Lake Hood Airport is a public-use airport owned by the State of Ak - Dot & Pf, 3 miles southwest of Anchorage, Alaska, 79 feet above sea level. Its one runway, 14/32, is 2,200 feet of gravel and dirt. It has 3 water landing areas. It has a control tower, fuel (100 octane avgas, 100LL avgas, Jet A) and about 1,032 general-aviation aircraft based on the field by the FAA's count. The receiver network heard 31 different aircraft arrive or depart here in the last seven days. The FAA counts about 72,110 takeoffs and landings a year. About 11,200 passengers boarded flights here in the FAA's fiscal year 2024.

Quick answers answers refresh every morning

What is the airport code for Lake Hood Airport?

Its FAA code is LHD, and its ICAO code is PALH.

Where is Lake Hood Airport?

It is 3 miles southwest of Anchorage, Alaska, 79 feet above sea level.

How long is the runway at Lake Hood Airport?

Its one runway, 14/32, is 2,200 feet long, gravel and dirt.

Does Lake Hood Airport have a control tower?

Yes, it has a control tower.

What fuel can you buy at Lake Hood Airport?

The FAA's airport file lists 100 octane avgas, 100LL avgas, Jet A.

Are there flight schools at Lake Hood Airport?

8 flight schools, flying clubs or college flight programmes are based within about 15 miles of it, including University of Alaska Anchorage and Knik Flying Club LLC. Compare them

Where are the nearest FAA examiners to Lake Hood Airport?

16 pilot examiners and 15 aviation medical examiners 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 Lake Hood 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 LHD · ICAO PALH
Kind
Airport · open to the public · publicly owned
Owner
State of Ak - Dot & Pf
Elevation
79 feet above sea level
Pattern altitude
600 feet above the airport
Control tower
A control tower · around the clock
Attended
around the clock
Lights
runway lights sunset to sunrise
Fuel and services
100 octane avgas, 100LL avgas, Jet A; the services card below
On the chart
Anchorage sectional
Magnetic variation
13E
In the FAA's files since
June 1947

This airport's record at the FAA

Runways 4

EW1432NSSENWN1,000 ft
Runways drawn to scale from the FAA's positions, north up.
FAA airport diagram for Lake Hood Airport
The FAA's official airport diagram (taxiways, ramps, hot spots); tap to enlarge, or open the FAA's PDF.

For understanding the field, not for navigation.

RunwayLength × widthSurfaceLights
E/W4,541 × 188 ftWater
14/322,200 × 75 ftGravel and dirt, goodMedium-intensity lights
N/S1,930 × 200 ftWater
SE/NW1,369 × 150 ftWater
  • Runway 14: tree 68 ft high 936 ft from the end
  • Runway 32: right-hand traffic pattern, tree 78 ft high 1,117 ft from the end

Radio frequencies

Common traffic advisory (CTAF) · Tower126.8Lake Hood
ATIS (recorded airport information) · Lhd and automated weather (ASOS)125.6Lake Hood
Clearance delivery119.4Lake Hood
Approach and departure · Class C airspace119.1Lake Hood

Automated weather (ASOS), by phone 907-245-5432.

Fuel and services as reported to the FAA

Fuel
100 octane avgas, 100LL avgas, Jet A
Repairs
airframe and engine: major repairs
Parking
hangars, tie-downs
Also here
air freight, avionics, beach gear, cargo handling, charter flights, flight instruction

Other fields with jet fuel nearby: Ted Stevens Anchorage International (1 nm southwest), Alaska Regional Hospital Heliport (4 nm east), Merrill Field (4 nm northeast).

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

  • Located runway 14/32 transient parking and the FBO (fixed-base operator).
  • Ltd to 9000 LB or less.
  • Traffic pattern overlaps seadrome pattern.
  • Floating debris on Lake.
  • Area northwest and southwest of Lake spenard from canal eastward 1500 feet not vsbl from the control tower.
  • Waterfowl, nesting areas and large flocks of birds SPRING-FALL in the vicinity of airport.
  • Pub ramps on north and west shore of Lake Hood.
  • Noise sensitive area in effect - amgr for information.
  • Taxiway V pcl security gate east of taxiway east; key 121.75 3 times.
  • See notice in section C for airport layout graphic.
  • Ctn: paew; taxiway/road around Lake Hood multi use; recommended landing light durg tax.
  • Taxiway H-2/LAKESHORE taxiway gates pcl; key 121.75 3 times.

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.

Based aircraft as counted for the FAA, fiscal year 2024

single-engine999multi-engine33
Based aircraft, as a table
aircraft
single-engine999
multi-engine33
31different aircraft heard arriving or departing here in the last 7 days (254 in 30 days)

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 aircraft heard arriving or departing are the site's own record from the volunteer receiver network, airliners included; aircraft whose owners asked the FAA not to be displayed are left out. The register section below shows how many aircraft are registered to owners in town, a different measure again.

11,200passengers boarded flights here in the FAA's fiscal year 2024

Takeoffs and landings a year about 72,110, the FAA's fiscal year 2024 (October 2023 to September 2024)

airline100air taxi and commuter18,000general aviation, travelling44,000general aviation, local10,000military10
Takeoffs and landings, as a table
a year
airline100
air taxi and commuter18,000
general aviation, travelling44,000
general aviation, local10,000
military10

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 Anchorage from the FAA register

2,529 aircraft are registered to owners in Anchorage, Alaska: 2,048 piston singles, 214 turboprops, 121 helicopters, 82 piston twins, 28 business jets. 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

Fuel and service companies in Anchorage, by their names on the register (a start, not a directory):

Flight schools, flying clubs and college flight programmes based within about 15 miles:

Charter operators and airlines based in Anchorage (12 of 63):

  • Grant Aviation INC 55 aircraft on the certificate
  • Ryan Air, INC. 24 aircraft on the certificate Ryan Air is an Alaska Bush carrier operating scheduled and charter freight and passenger services to over 80 villages across Western Alaska from eight hubs.
  • Rusts Flying Service INC 23 aircraft on the certificate Rust's Flying Service is a seaplane operator based at Lake Hood in Anchorage, Alaska, offering flightseeing tours and air charters throughout Alaska.
  • Pathfinder Aviation LLC 22 aircraft on the certificate Pathfinder Aviation is a helicopter operator based in Anchorage, Alaska, providing remote aviation operations and logistics services worldwide.
  • Alpha Aviation LLC 20 aircraft on the certificate Alpha Aviation LLC is a helicopter operator based in Anchorage, Alaska, providing utility, industrial, and charter services throughout Alaska.
  • Elevate Aviation LLC 20 aircraft on the certificate Elevate Jet is a private jet charter operator based in Anchorage, Alaska, offering on-demand charter flights, aircraft management, and maintenance services.
  • ACE Air ACE Air Cargo (Alaska Central Express INC) 20 aircraft on the certificate ACE Air Cargo is Alaska's largest scheduled all-cargo carrier, operating daily air cargo flights to and from Anchorage serving many Alaskan communities.
  • TransNorthern LLC 11 aircraft on the certificate TransNorthern Aviation operates passenger and cargo flights from Anchorage, Alaska.
  • Katmai Air, LLC 10 aircraft on the certificate Katmai Air operates scheduled and charter flights across Alaska from bases in Anchorage and King Salmon.
  • Fly 4 You INC 8 aircraft on the certificate
  • J and M Alaska Air Tours INC 7 aircraft on the certificate
  • Scott Air Express Desert Splash Adventures Alaska Seaplanes Seaport Airlines Island Air Express (Scott Air, LLC) 7 aircraft on the certificate

Repair stations in Anchorage (12 of 25, all of them):

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

16 pilot examiners (the FAA's designated pilot examiners, who give the practical tests for pilot certificates) are based within 50 nautical miles: 15 for private pilot, 13 for commercial and instrument, 9 for airline transport pilot, 12 for flight instructor, 3 for sport pilot, 3 for type ratings; 13 for airplanes, 10 for multi-engine airplanes, 9 for seaplanes, 3 for helicopters, 1 for gliders. Also nearby: 15 aviation medical examiners, 2 mechanic examiners, 4 airworthiness representatives (maintenance), 3 airworthiness representatives (manufacturing), 8 engineering representatives, 1 aircraft dispatcher examiner, 8 aircrew program designees.

All 57 nearby, by kind, with contact details

What each kind does
  • DPE: Designated Pilot Examiner: gives the practical tests (checkrides) for pilot certificates and ratings.
  • AME: Aviation Medical Examiner: a doctor who issues the medical certificates pilots must hold.
  • DME: Designated Mechanic Examiner: tests candidates for the mechanic certificate (airframe and powerplant).
  • DAR-T: Designated Airworthiness Representative, maintenance: issues airworthiness certificates and approvals for aircraft in service.
  • DAR-F: Designated Airworthiness Representative, manufacturing: issues airworthiness certificates for newly built aircraft and parts.
  • DER-T: Designated Engineering Representative: approves engineering data for repairs and alterations on the FAA's behalf.
  • DADE: Designated Aircraft Dispatcher Examiner: tests candidates for the dispatcher certificate.
  • APD: Aircrew Program Designee: an airline's own check pilot who gives the FAA's tests to the airline's pilots.

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 · 61 since 1982, 4 fatal

2026-07-22ANC26LA076 · Cessna 180K N180LW · accident · no injuries
2026-01-25ANC26LA011 · Cessna 150K N6333G · accident · no injuries
2024-11-02ANC25LA008 · Cub Crafters INC Cc18-180 N55PK · accident · serious injuries
2024-09-14ANC24LA093 · Cessna 180B N5275E · accident · minor injuries
2024-08-02ANC24LA073 · De Havilland Dhc2 N4444Z · accident · no injuries
2023-11-13ANC24LA004 · Piper Pa-22 N8095C · accident · minor injuries
2023-06-18ANC23LA043 · Buck/Crawford/Crawford Christavia Mk-1 N5075T · accident · no injuries
2023-03-05ANC23LA024 · Enstrom F-28C N5688R · accident · no injuries
2022-12-03ANC23LA016 · Champion 7Gcbc N8365V · accident · no injuries
2022-07-26ANC22LA063 · De Havilland Dhc2 N9776R · accident · serious injuries
2021-07-23ANC21LA064 · Piper Pa-14 N4206H · accident · no injuries
2021-07-07ANC21LA058 · Maule M-5-210C N349X · accident · no injuries

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

In town
Who works here
Record
Around it

The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/airport/LHD.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 27, 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.