CFB Shearwater Heliport

CYAW

Halifax, CA

Last Updated
Mar 5, 13:00Z

Military Airport

Restricted

This is a Canadian Forces Base (CFB). Civil access requires prior authorization.

Access Notes:

CFB installations generally restricted to civil traffic

Consult official AIP (Canada AIP ENR 5.2) for current access procedures and restrictions.

Current Weather

Display Units
Recent 53 min ago
13:00Z

☀️ Day
VFR
Flight Rules
-4°C
Temperature
Dewpoint: -9°C
12 kt
30° G19 kt
15 SM
Visibility
3,200 ft
Ceiling
Above Ground Level
1029 hPa
QNH
Altimeter Setting

Raw METAR

METAR CYAW 051300Z 03012G19KT 15SM FEW023 BKN032 BKN250 M04/M09 A3040 RMK SC2SC3CI2 DENSITY ALT -2686FT SLP299

Clouds - Visual Profile

12,000ft
9,000ft
6,000ft
3,000ft
Ground
Field Elev: 144 ft
FEW 2,300 ft AGL
BKN 3,200 ft AGL
BKN 25,000 ft AGL
🌤️
FEW
Few (1/8-2/8 sky coverage)
2,300 ft
AGL (Above Ground)
2,444 ft AMSL
☁️
BKN
Broken (5/8-7/8 sky coverage)
3,200 ft
AGL (Above Ground)
3,344 ft AMSL
☁️
BKN
Broken (5/8-7/8 sky coverage)
25,000 ft
AGL (Above Ground)
25,144 ft AMSL
QNH
1029 hPa
Sea Level Pressure
For altitude above MSL
QFE
1024 hPa
Field Pressure
Height above aerodrome (144 ft)
Pressure Alt
-329 ft
QNE Reference
Standard: 1013 hPa
Density Altitude: -2,574 ft
ISA Deviation: -18.7°C

Forecast (TAF)

View Full TAF
Raw TAF
TAF AMD CYAW 051204Z 0512/0524 04010G20KT P6SM SCT020 BKN030 BKN120 TEMPO 0512/0516 BKN020 FM051600 02010KT P6SM BKN040 BKN120 FM052000 01008KT P6SM BKN050 RMK NXT FCST BY 051800Z
Upcoming Changes (Next 12 Hours)
13:53Z BASE
+0h
VFR 40° 10 kt
Visibility: >6SM
Ceiling: 3,000 ft
16:00Z FM051600
+3h
VFR 20° 10 kt
Visibility: >6SM
Ceiling: 4,000 ft
20:00Z FM052000
+7h
VFR 10° 8 kt
Visibility: >6SM
Ceiling: 5,000 ft
FCST

24-Hour Weather Evolution

Loading weather data...
Data Sources
  • • Current conditions from METAR observations
  • • Historical data from past 24 hours
  • • No forecast or predicted data included
  • • Data updated with each new METAR report
Chart Features
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  • • Click legend items to toggle data series
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Note: Future values beyond current TAF validity are estimates based on climatological data and trends. Always verify with current forecasts before flight operations.

Airport Runway Layout

N
YAW
10
28
16
34
16H ✈️
34H

Runway Information

Runway Length Width Surface Heading Wind Component
10/28 5,692 ft 200 ft ASP 84°
7.1 kt 9.7 kt
54° angle
16/34 8,998 ft 200 ft ASP 139°
3.9 kt 11.3 kt
109° angle
✈️ 16H/34H
Active: 16H
3,500 ft 112 ft Asphalt
7.7 kt 9.2 kt
130° angle
🟢 Active Runway: Best headwind component for current conditions
⬆️ Headwind: Favorable wind component
↔️ Crosswind: ≤10kt Safe, 11-15kt Caution, >15kt Challenging

Weather Statistics - CYAW

1,579 observations | Sep 2025 - Mar 2026

Flight Rules Distribution

VFR
58.1%
MVFR
28.3%
IFR
7.3%
LIFR
6.2%

CFB Shearwater Heliport is frequently affected by reduced visibility conditions, with VFR weather only 58.1% of the time and IFR/LIFR conditions occurring in 13.5% of observations. Prevailing winds are from the SW averaging 10.5 knots. Temperature extremes range from -15°C to 28°C, reflecting significant seasonal variation. The best months for VFR flying are March, September, January.

Wind Analysis

Prevailing Direction: SW (225°)
Average Speed: 10.5 kt
Maximum Recorded: 30 kt
Calm Winds: 0.5%
Direction Distribution:
N
16.6%
NE
5.8%
E
5.1%
SE
4.6%
S
11.1%
SW
19.3%
W
18.2%
NW
18.7%

Temperature Range

Average: 5.9°C
Range: -15°C to 28°C
-15°C 28°C

Visibility

Average: 13.1 SM
Below 3 SM: 3.5%
Fog Frequency: 1.8%

Best Months for VFR

March September January

Runway Wind Analysis

Runway 10/28
Favorable wind: 100%
Avg crosswind: 6.6 kt
Runway 16/34
Favorable wind: 100%
Avg crosswind: 6.5 kt
Runway 16H/34H
Favorable wind: 100%
Avg crosswind: 6.5 kt

Statistics computed from 1,579 METAR observations (Sep 2025 - Mar 2026). Data sourced from official aviation weather services. Updated daily.

CFB Shearwater Heliport - Airport Information

Airport Details

ICAO Code: CYAW
Type: heliport
Status: active
Elevation: 144 ft MSL

Location

City: Halifax
Country: CA
Latitude: 44.636782°
Longitude: -63.502107°
Time Zone: Etc/GMT+4

Runway Information

Runway 10/28
Length: 5,692 ft
Width: 200 ft
Surface: ASP
ILS: No
Runway 16/34
Length: 8,998 ft
Width: 200 ft
Surface: ASP
ILS: No
Runway 16H/34H
Length: 3,500 ft
Width: 112 ft
Surface: Asphalt
ILS: No

About CFB Shearwater Heliport

CFB Shearwater Heliport is a military facility. Civilian access may be restricted or require Prior Permission (PPR). Pilots should consult the CA AIP for current access procedures and restrictions.

CFB Shearwater Heliport (CYAW) is located in Halifax, CA at an elevation of 144 feet MSL. The airport has 3 runways (10/28, 16/34, 16H/34H), with the longest at 8,998 feet.

Weather Profile

With VFR conditions only 58.1% of the time based on 1,579 observations, CYAW requires careful weather planning. IFR conditions occur in 13.5% of reports, and instrument proficiency is advisable for regular operations here.

Wind Patterns & Runway Selection

Prevailing winds at CYAW come from the SW (225°) with an average speed of 10.5 knots and recorded gusts up to 30 knots. Calm winds are rare (0.5%), so crosswind considerations are a regular factor. Runway 16/34 offers the lowest average crosswind component at 6.5 knots, making it the preferred choice in typical wind conditions.

Seasonal Considerations

The best months for VFR operations are March, September, January, when clear skies are most prevalent. Temperatures at the field range from -15°C (5°F) to 28°C (82°F), averaging 5.9°C (43°F). Altimeter settings typically range from 28.92 to 30.66 inHg (979-1038 hPa).

Data Sources: Airport data from OurAirports.com. Weather statistics derived from 1,579 official METAR observations (Sep 2025 - Mar 2026). Pilots should always verify current conditions through official channels before flight.

Official Data Sources

Weather NOAA Aviation Weather Center • International METAR/TAF Network
Airports OurAirports.com • Public domain airport database
NOTAMs FAA NOTAM System • ICAO NOTAM Distribution
Last updated: Jan 1, 1970 12:00 AM UTC

Disclaimer: Data is provided for informational purposes only. Pilots must verify all information through official sources before flight operations. Weather conditions change rapidly; always obtain a current briefing from approved weather services.