Balmaceda Airport

SCBA / BBA

Balmaceda, CL

Last Updated
Apr 22, 20:00Z

Current Weather

Display Units
Fresh 28 min ago
20:00Z

🌙 Night
VFR
Flight Rules
9°C
Temperature
Dewpoint: 1°C
27 kt
300° G38 kt
10+ km
Visibility
20,000 ft
Ceiling
Above Ground Level
--
QNH
Altimeter Setting

Raw METAR

METAR SCBA 222000Z 30027G38KT 9999 FEW030 SCT050 BKN200 09/01 Q1010

Clouds - Visual Profile

12,000ft
9,000ft
6,000ft
3,000ft
Ground
Field Elev: 1,722 ft
FEW 3,000 ft AGL
SCT 5,000 ft AGL
BKN 20,000 ft AGL
🌤️
FEW
Few (1/8-2/8 sky coverage)
3,000 ft
AGL (Above Ground)
4,722 ft AMSL
SCT
Scattered (3/8-4/8 sky coverage)
5,000 ft
AGL (Above Ground)
6,722 ft AMSL
☁️
BKN
Broken (5/8-7/8 sky coverage)
20,000 ft
AGL (Above Ground)
21,722 ft AMSL

Weather Briefing

VFR

Balmaceda Airport is currently reporting visual flight rules (VFR) conditions with broken clouds at 20,000 feet and 10 miles or greater visibility.

Wind Analysis

Winds are from the west-northwest (300°) at 27 knots with gusts to 38 knots. Runway 27 is favored with a 23-knot headwind and 14-knot crosswind component (gusting to 19 knots crosswind). These are strong winds that may exceed crosswind limits for light aircraft.

Visibility & Ceiling

Visibility is unrestricted. The ceiling is 20000 feet AGL (broken), well above standard VFR minimums.

Temperature & Moisture

Temperature is 9°C (48°F) with a dewpoint of 1°C, indicating moderate moisture conditions.

Forecast Outlook

The TAF forecast covers the next 24 hours. Conditions are expected to fluctuate between VFR and MVFR. VFR pilots should be prepared for deteriorating conditions. Expected weather includes: Light Rain. Winds are forecast to reach up to 30 knots during the period. Temporary MVFR conditions are forecast between 18:00Z and 04:00Z.

Pilot Recommendations

Conditions are favorable for visual flight. Gusty conditions may exceed demonstrated crosswind components for many general aviation aircraft. Check your aircraft's limitations. The forecast indicates conditions may deteriorate. Ensure you have fuel reserves and a viable alternate airport.

This briefing is generated from real-time METAR and TAF data. Always verify with official sources before flight.

Forecast (TAF)

View Full TAF
Raw TAF
TAF SCBA 221603Z 2218/2318 30025KT 9999 BKN030 TX08/2218Z TN05/2311Z TEMPO 2218/2304 30030G40KT BKN025 BECMG 2306/2308 7000 -RA BKN016 OVC030
Upcoming Changes (Next 12 Hours)
20:27Z BASE
+0h
VFR 300° 25 kt
Visibility: 10+ km
Ceiling: 3,000 ft
06:00Z BECMG
+10h
MVFR
Visibility: 7 km
Ceiling: 1,600 ft
Light Rain

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
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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
CBA
09
27 ✈️

Runway Information

Runway Length Width Surface Heading Wind Component
✈️ 09/27
Active: 27
8,205 ft 148 ft ASP 99°
23.4 kt 13.5 kt
30° angle
🟢 Active Runway: Best headwind component for current conditions
⬆️ Headwind: Favorable wind component
↔️ Crosswind: ≤10kt Safe, 11-15kt Caution, >15kt Challenging

Weather Statistics - SCBA

7,193 observations | Sep 2025 - Apr 2026

Flight Rules Distribution

VFR
95.6%
MVFR
3%
IFR
1.1%
LIFR
0.3%

Balmaceda Airport enjoys predominantly VFR conditions, with visual flight rules prevailing 95.6% of the time. Prevailing winds are from the NW averaging 19.7 knots, with gusts recorded up to 48 knots. Temperature extremes range from -7°C to 33°C, reflecting significant seasonal variation. The best months for VFR flying are November, December, January.

Wind Analysis

Prevailing Direction: NW (315°)
Average Speed: 19.7 kt
Maximum Recorded: 48 kt
Calm Winds: 1%
Direction Distribution:
N
0.9%
NE
0.5%
E
2.3%
SE
2.8%
S
1.5%
SW
1.8%
W
42.3%
NW
46.8%

Temperature Range

Average: 10.1°C
Range: -7°C to 33°C
-7°C 33°C

Visibility

Average: 10 SM
Below 3 SM: 0%
Fog Frequency: 0.5%

Best Months for VFR

November December January

Runway Wind Analysis

Runway 09/27
Favorable wind: 100%
Avg crosswind: 8.5 kt

Statistics computed from 7,193 METAR observations (Sep 2025 - Apr 2026). Data sourced from official aviation weather services. Updated daily.

Balmaceda Airport - Airport Information

Airport Details

ICAO Code: SCBA
IATA Code: BBA
Type: medium airport
Status: active
Elevation: 1,722 ft MSL

Location

City: Balmaceda
Country: CL
Latitude: -45.915968°
Longitude: -71.689499°
Time Zone: Etc/GMT+5

Runway Information

Runway 09/27
Length: 8,205 ft
Width: 148 ft
Surface: ASP
ILS: No

About Balmaceda Airport

Overview

Balmaceda Airport serves the Aysén Region in southern Chile, providing critical aviation infrastructure for a remote and geographically challenging area. Located at 1722 ft MSL with coordinates -45.915968, -71.689499, the airport supports regional transportation and connectivity in Patagonia. The medium-sized airport features a single asphalt runway (09/27) spanning 8205 feet.

Flying Conditions

Weather conditions at Balmaceda are predominantly VFR, with 96.1% of observations supporting visual flight rules. Prevailing westerly winds average 21.2 knots, with occasional gusts up to 48 knots. Temperature ranges from -7°C to 33°C, with an average of 9.9°C, creating generally stable flying conditions. November, December, and January represent the best VFR months for operations.

Notable Features

The airport's geographical location in Patagonia suggests potential for challenging terrain and dynamic wind patterns. Runway 09/27 experiences favorable wind conditions 100% of the time, with an average crosswind of 8.7 knots. The surrounding landscape likely includes mountainous and potentially turbulent air currents typical of southern Chilean topography.

Approach Considerations

Pilots should anticipate consistent westerly winds when planning approaches to Balmaceda Airport. The long 8205-foot runway provides substantial landing margin, and the low frequency of IFR conditions (0.8%) suggests generally clear approach environments. Visibility averages 10 statute miles, with extremely rare instances of restricted visibility or fog.

Data Sources & Accuracy: Airport information sourced from OurAirports.com, a collaborative database of worldwide airport data. Weather data from official aviation weather services including NOAA Aviation Weather Center and international METAR/TAF providers. Information is updated regularly but pilots should always verify current conditions and NOTAMs through official channels before flight operations.

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.