Fort Simpson Airport (CYFS), Northwest Territories
Landing essentials
Whether you can land, whether you can refuel, and how customs works here.
Overview
Fort Simpson Airport (CYFS) serves the community of Fort Simpson, Northwest Territories, with a single paved runway capable of handling business aviation traffic through the region's remote air network. The airport does not offer onsite customs clearance, placing it within a broader pattern of Northwest Territories fields that route border-crossing traffic to a designated customs airport well over a hundred nautical miles away. Its position relative to Yellowknife, Hay River, Fort Nelson, and Rae Lakes places it as a working link across a wide, sparsely served area.
Runways
Fort Simpson Airport has one paved runway, 14/32, 6,000 ft long and 150 ft wide, with an asphalt surface.
Runway geometry from published threshold coordinates. Not for navigation.
Source: FAA Form 5010.
Customs
Fort Simpson Airport does not clear customs. The nearest port of entry is CEN9, 198 NM away.
Source: CBSA list of airports of entry.
Business aviation traffic
Fort Simpson Airport recorded 523 business aviation movements in 2025. Traffic peaks in November. Business aviation traffic at CYFS concentrates most heavily in the fall months, with November peaking at 64 operations against a June low of 21.
Cross-border movements to the United States, FAA TFMSC count. Peak month November, 64 movements in 2025.
FAA TFMSC records a movement outside the United States only when the flight enters US airspace. This is cross-border traffic, not total activity at the airfield.
Source: FAA TFMSC, cross-border movements, 2025.
Climate
Fort Simpson Airport averages 1.9 days above 90°F in July, 31.0 freeze days in January and 2.4 snow days in November. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 74.8°F, and January the coldest, at -2.7°F.
Weather station is on the field. 1991–2020 climate normals.
Source: Environment and Climate Change Canada.
Alternates
Fort Simpson Airport has four alternates within 196 NM. The nearest alternate is Hay River / Merlyn Carter Airport (CYHY), 166.62 NM east.
Source: Skystar calculation from official coordinates.
Skystar at CYFS
We arrange catering, fuel and trip support here. Supplier prices reach you unchanged; our coordination fee sits on its own line.
The same order, priced two ways.
$2,400.00 catering order at CYFS.
Unchanged.
What the kitchen invoices us is what your quote reads.
One line, fixed.
It does not move with the size of the order.
At cost.
Passed on at the exact amount the processor took.
Market practice figures are industry averages, not a specific competitor.
Frequently asked questions
Where is customs clearance handled for aircraft arriving at CYFS?
Fort Simpson Airport (CYFS) does not have customs onsite. The nearest customs point is CEN9, located approximately 197.9 nautical miles away. Crews planning a border-crossing arrival into CYFS need to route their customs clearance through that facility rather than expecting service at the field itself. Dispatchers should factor this distance into routing and fuel planning for any international itinerary touching Fort Simpson.
What runway is available at Fort Simpson Airport (CYFS)?
Fort Simpson Airport (CYFS) has a single runway, designated 14/32, with an asphalt surface. It measures 6,000 feet long and 150 feet wide, matching the airport's published maximum paved runway length. This single strip handles all fixed-wing traffic at the field, so any operational or weather disruption on 14/32 affects the entire airport. The width of 150 feet provides margin for a range of business aviation aircraft types.
How much business aviation traffic does CYFS see, and is it seasonal?
Fort Simpson Airport (CYFS) recorded 523 business aviation operations against 1,223 total annual operations in 2025, according to FAA TFMSC data covering cross-border traffic. Monthly volumes vary noticeably through the year, with November posting 64 operations and June the low point at 21. Traffic also picks up in August, September, and October before tapering into December. Dispatchers scheduling flexible trips may find shoulder-season months carry lighter movement than the fall period.
What kind of winter conditions should crews expect at Fort Simpson Airport?
Fort Simpson Airport (CYFS) sits at 555 feet elevation in an area with sustained sub-freezing conditions for much of the year. January and December each average 31 days below 32°F, with November and March close behind at 30 and 30.8 days respectively. Snow accumulation of an inch or more occurs most frequently in November, at an average of 2.4 days, and remains a factor from October through April. Crews operating into CYFS during these months should plan for cold-weather procedures and possible snow-covered pavement.
How far is Fort Simpson Airport from other airports in the region?
Fort Simpson Airport (CYFS) has several airports within roughly 200 nautical miles. Hay River / Merlyn Carter Airport lies about 166.6 nautical miles to the east-southeast, Rae Lakes Airport is around 177.5 nautical miles to the northeast, Fort Nelson Airport sits about 180.1 nautical miles to the south, and Yellowknife International Airport is approximately 195.4 nautical miles to the east. These distances are relevant for alternate planning given the sparse airport network in this part of the Northwest Territories.