Ralph Wien Memorial Airport (PAOT), Alaska
Landing essentials
Whether you can land, whether you can refuel, and how customs works here.
Overview
Ralph Wien Memorial Airport, identified by the codes PAOT and OTZ, serves Kotzebue, Alaska, as a public-use, non-towered field roughly 381 nautical miles from the nearest metro area. The airport records annual FAA TFMSC business aviation traffic of 7,051 operations against a total of 10,832, reflecting its role as a regional hub for the surrounding Northwest Arctic communities. Its primary runway, 09/27, is a 6,300-foot paved asphalt strip, complemented by a shorter gravel crosswind runway, 18/36. Fuel is available in both 100LL and Jet A, with attendance scheduled Wednesday through Monday from 0700 to 1900.
Runways
Ralph Wien Memorial Airport has two paved and unpaved runways. The longest, 09/27, is 6,300 ft long and 150 ft wide, with an asphalt surface.
Runways are listed longest first.
Source: FAA Form 5010.
Fuel and airfield services
Ralph Wien Memorial Airport has Jet A and 100 available on the field. Fueling is available from 7am to 7pm, daily, and the airport has no control tower.
Source: FAA Form 5010 / NASR.
Customs
Ralph Wien Memorial Airport does not clear customs. The nearest port of entry is Nome (PAOM), 159 NM away.
Source: CBP list of ports of entry.
Business aviation traffic
Ralph Wien Memorial Airport recorded 7,051 business aviation movements in 2025. Traffic peaks in August. Business aviation traffic at PAOT concentrates in the summer months, peaking in August at 861 operations against a February low of 415, according to FAA TFMSC data.
Business jet movements, FAA TFMSC count. Peak month August, 861 movements in 2025.
Source: FAA TFMSC, business jet movements, 2025.
Climate
Ralph Wien Memorial Airport averages 31.0 freeze days in January and 3.8 snow days in February. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 60.1°F, and January the coldest, at 4.5°F.
Weather station is on the field. Some values are estimated by the agency. 1991–2020 climate normals.
Source: NOAA NCEI.
Operating constraints
Ralph Wien Memorial Airport has published operating constraints in five categories: access, runway notes, environmental, pavement strength and other notes.
Aircraft operations with more than 30 passenger seats are not authorized. Aircraft with a wingspan greater than 49 feet require prior permission from the airport manager. Uncontrolled vehicle access is present.
The REIL for runways 09 and 27 are pilot-activated via CTAF. HIRL for runway 09/27 and MIRL for runway 18/36 operate from 0700 to 2400, with pilot activation via CTAF outside that time. The PAPI for runways 09 and 27 operate continuously.
A road is located 430 feet from the threshold. Vehicle height on that road is limited to 13 feet.
An irregular surface is located 1,175 feet east of the threshold.
Runway, taxiway, and ramp edge lights extend 30 inches above ground.
Birds and waterfowl are present in the vicinity of the airport.
PCR VALUE: 713/F/B/X/T.
The safety area is non-standard. Locked wheel turns are not authorized.
Airport services are available from 0700 to 2000. Outside those hours, contact the airport manager.
The parking area is unlighted. Transient parking arrangements go through flight service.
Taxiways and ramps have numerous dips and rough surfaces.
Sand used has a larger gradation than FAA recommended; see AC150/5200-30.
Numerous wind turbine towers, 330 feet tall, are located 3.5 miles southeast.
A weather camera is available on the internet at https://weathercams.faa.gov.
The airport is TSA regulated; see 49 CFR 1542. All gates and doors are secured at all times. For information, contact the airport manager.
An irregular surface is located on taxiway E, 175 feet southwest.
Source: FAA Chart Supplement.
Nearby airfields
Ralph Wien Memorial Airport has three airfields within 50 NM. The closest is Robert / Bob / Curtis Memorial (PFNO), 37.41 NM east.
Source: Skystar calculation from official coordinates.
Skystar at PAOT
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 PAOT.
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
Is there customs clearance available at PAOT?
Ralph Wien Memorial Airport, PAOT, has no onsite customs service. The nearest customs facility is at PAOM, located approximately 158.81 nautical miles away. Crews requiring customs clearance need to plan a stop at that facility or another designated port of entry before or after operating into Kotzebue. This distance should be factored into fuel and routing planning for any international arrival. Dispatchers should confirm current customs procedures directly with the relevant port of entry.
What runway options does OTZ offer for larger aircraft?
OTZ, Ralph Wien Memorial Airport, has a paved asphalt runway, 09/27, measuring 6,300 feet long and 150 feet wide. A second runway, 18/36, is 3,876 feet long and 90 feet wide with a gravel surface, unpaved and generally suited to smaller aircraft. The paved runway carries a PCR value of 713/F / B/X / T. Operators with wingspans greater than 49 feet require prior permission from the airport manager before using the field.
Are there any notable obstructions near the runway at Ralph Wien Memorial Airport?
Ralph Wien Memorial Airport reports a road located 430 feet from the runway threshold, with vehicle height on that road limited to 13 feet. There is also an irregular surface area 1,175 feet east of the threshold. Separately, numerous wind turbine towers reaching 330 feet stand about 3.5 miles southeast of the airport. Crews should account for these features during approach and departure planning at PAOT.
What are the operating hours and after-hours procedures at PAOT?
Airport services at Ralph Wien Memorial Airport, PAOT, are available from 0700 to 2000. Outside those hours, arrangements go through the airport manager. The field's attendance schedule runs all days Wednesday through Monday from 0700 to 1900. Runway lighting, including HIRL on 09/27 and MIRL on 18/36, operates on a separate schedule from 0700 to 2400, with pilot-activated lighting available via CTAF outside that window.
Does traffic at OTZ vary by season?
Yes, business aviation traffic at OTZ, Ralph Wien Memorial Airport, shows a seasonal pattern based on FAA TFMSC data for 2025. Monthly operations range from a low of 415 in February to a high of 861 in August. Traffic builds through the spring and summer months before tapering into winter. Dispatchers planning operations in Kotzebue should anticipate this higher summer volume when scheduling around the field's single paved runway and limited after-hours support.