KFCS/FCS METAR & TAF Butts AAF (Fort Carson) Air Field

Fort Carson, ColoradoElevation 5,838 ftMedium airport

CURRENT STATUS

MVFR10 min old

Ceiling 2,600 ft, visibility 10 SM.

FLIGHT CATEGORY

MVFR

ceiling & visibility

WIND

130@3

steady

VISIBILITY

10 SM

16.1 km

CEILING

2,600 ft

lowest BKN/OVC

DENSITY ALT

5,812 ft

-26 ft vs field

CURRENT METAR

Decoded observation

Observed 0140Z (7:40 PM local) · 10 min old

KFCS is currently MVFR. Winds are from the southeast at 3 knots. Visibility is 10 statute miles. The ceiling is 2,600 feet AGL. The main issue is ceiling 2600 ft agl (mvfr).

WIND

130° at 3 kt

Steady.

VISIBILITY

10 statute miles

16.1 km, good.

CEILING & SKY

Ceiling 2,600 ft

Lowest broken or overcast layer.

TEMP / DEWPOINT

6°C / 5°C

43°F / 41°F. 1°C spread.

ALTIMETER

30.25 inHg

1024.4 hPa, above standard.

WEATHER & HAZARDS

LOW CIG

Ceiling 2600 ft AGL (MVFR).

Codes in this report: AUTO BKN OVC RMK AO2

Hover or tap any group for a plain-English explanation.

REMARKS: DECODED

AO2

automated station with a precipitation discriminator (can tell rain from snow)

CIG 026V040

ceiling varying between 2600 and 4000 feet

SLP263

sea-level pressure 1026.3 hPa

station needs maintenance

TERMINAL AERODROME FORECAST

TAF timeline

Issued 2000Z (2:00 PM local) · valid to 0200Z (8:00 PM local)

KFCS forecast starts VFR at 20Z. Worst period is 23Z to 02Z with VFR possible (TS, CB, GUST). Best period is 02Z to 08Z (VFR). Conditions are roughly steady over the period. Watch the TEMPO group: thunderstorms are temporarily forecast.

Maximum temperature 24°C expected at 2100Z on day 23.
Minimum temperature 8°C expected at 1200Z on day 24.

VFR

BKN10010,000 ft

VFR

BKN0606,000 ft

BKN0505,000 ft · 5.6 SM

2000Z2:00 PM0200Z8:00 PM0800Z2:00 AM1400Z8:00 AM2000Z2:00 PM0200Z8:00 PM

Codes in this report: 9999 SCT BECMG BKN TEMPO

Tap any group to decode it.

FAA: no delays reported at FCS.

Source: FAA System Operations (ASWS). Operational status only; verify with official FAA sources and NOTAMs.

SUGGESTED RISK · TRAINING USE

Suggested risk level: Moderate

›Conditions are MVFR.

›Temporarily forecast: in the vicinity: thunderstorm (VCTS).

A suggested risk level for training and situational awareness only, not a go/no-go authority. Verify with official sources and apply your personal minimums.

FORECAST & PILOT NOTES · SUPPLEMENTAL

Extended forecast and pilot notes

Current aviation conditions show flight category MVFR, wind from 130° at 3 kt, visibility 10 SM, ceiling 2,600 ft. Forecast suggests tonight showers and thunderstorms likely, low near 39F, 64% chance of precipitation. Key risks: high density altitude; thunderstorms in the forecast. Note: the NWS forecast for now reads "Showers And Thunderstorms Likely" but the current METAR shows none of it; the observation and forecast differ, so trust the METAR for current conditions.

PILOT WEATHER NOTES

High density altitudeMETAR

Density altitude about 5,812 ft (field elevation 5,838 ft). Expect reduced climb performance and a longer takeoff roll.

Thunderstorms in the forecastWeather.gov

Tonight: Showers And Thunderstorms Likely. Watch for developing convection and plan alternates.

Day	Conditions	Temp F	Wind	Gusts	Precip	Pilot note
Tonight	Showers And Thunderstorms Likely	39	SSW 4 kt	–	64%	Thunderstorms in the forecast
Monday	Sunny	63/36	NE 9 kt	–	1%
Tuesday	Sunny	69/38	W 9 kt	–	0%
Wednesday	Sunny	69/39	WSW 13 kt	–	0%
Thursday	Mostly Sunny	68/40	WSW 9 kt	–	5%
Friday	Partly Sunny	68/41	WSW 9 kt	–	10%
Saturday	Mostly Sunny	65/39	WSW 4 kt	–	12%
Sunday	Partly Sunny then Chance Rain Showers	60	SSW 9 kt	–	48%

Note: the NWS forecast for now reads "Showers And Thunderstorms Likely" but the current METAR shows none of it; the observation and forecast differ, so trust the METAR for current conditions.

Source: National Weather Service (office PUB). Forecast issued 0149Z.

Radar

Radar data: NOAA/NWS MRMS composite reflectivity. For situational awareness only, not a substitute for an official weather briefing.

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RUNWAYS & WIND

1 runway · crosswind ranking

ON-FIELD METAR

READING THE BARB · SWIPE FOR MORE →

Calm

5 kt

10 kt

15 kt

20 kt

25 kt

30 kt

35 kt

40 kt

45 kt

50 kt

65 kt

75 kt

100 kt

105 kt

Half feather = 5 kt, full = 10 kt, filled pennant = 50 kt; add them up. The staff points the direction the wind blows from.

WIND USED

130° at 3 kt

Components computed from the current on-field METAR wind.

RECOMMENDED

RWY 133 kt headwind · no crosswind

RUNWAYS BY WIND · best end

HEAD

3 kt

CROSS

calm

BEST

HEAD

3 kt tail

CROSS

calm

Components are estimates from the current METAR wind and runway heading. Verify with the Chart Supplement and NOTAMs.

RUNWAYS

Runway detail & declared distances

1 runway · longest 4,500 ft

13/31

Dimensions

4,500 x 75 ft

Surface

Asphalt (fair)

Edge lights

MED

RWY 13137°T

VGSIPAPI (P4L)

RWY 31317°T

ILSILS/DME

VGSIPAPI (P4L)

Runway data from the FAA NASR dataset (effective 2026-06-11). Verify with the current Chart Supplement and NOTAMs.

FIELD CONDITIONS

Performance & density altitude

Density altitude

5,812 ft

Pressure altitude

5,508 ft

Field elevation

5,838 ft MSL

Temperature

6°C (43°F)

Dewpoint

5°C (41°F)

Altimeter

30.25 inHg

Density altitude estimates how the aircraft performs versus standard atmosphere. Higher density altitude reduces climb performance and increases takeoff distance.

DAYLIGHT & NIGHT

Sun & logging windows

Sunset

0007Z 6:07 PM

Sunrise

1319Z 7:19 AM

Loggable night

0034Z (6:34 PM local) → 1252Z (6:52 AM local)

end of evening to start of morning civil twilight

Position lights required

0007Z (6:07 PM local) → 1319Z (7:19 AM local)

sunset to sunrise (91.209)

Night passenger currency

0107Z (7:07 PM local) → 1219Z (6:19 AM local)

1 hr after sunset to 1 hr before sunrise (61.57(b))

FAA definitions, shown in Zulu with airport-local time. Verify for your operation.

AIRPORT INFORMATION

Facility & services

Butts AAF (Fort Carson) Air Field is in Fort Carson, Colorado. Field elevation 5,838 ft MSL. Airport facts are drawn from OurAirports and the FAA NASR dataset.

OPERATIONS & CONTACT

OwnershipArmy owned

UsePrivate use

TypeMedium airport

Manager phone719-526-2017

AttendedContinuous (24 hours)

CHARTS & AIRSPACE

ICAO / IATAKFCS / FCS

SectionalDENVER

Center (ARTCC)DENVER

Flight service (AFSS)DENVER

RegionColorado

CountryUnited States

Coordinates38.6784, -104.7570

Distance from city3 NM S

SERVICES & LIGHTING

Control towerTowered

Field lightingSunset to sunrise

BeaconSunset to sunrise · Split white-green (military)

FREQUENCIES

Communications

124

SPRINGS APP/DEP

A/D

38.35

FLT FLW

A/G

108.8

ATIS

44.1

PMSV METRO

PMSV

141.15

PTD/OPS

PTD

125.5

TWR

Not all tower/ground/approach frequencies are in our datasets. Verify with the FAA Chart Supplement.

AIRCRAFT ACTIVITY

KFCS traffic patterns

2026-06-12 to 2026-10-23, 49 days observed · data 2026-10-23

High confidence

TRAFFIC VOLUME (30-DAY)

AVG LANDINGS/DAY

13.3

AVG OPS/DAY

17.9

Operations trend (15 days)

Busiest day: Wed · Busiest month: Sep

FLEET MIX

Helicopter 89%Piston single 7%Unknown 4%

Mostly rotorcraft.

TOP AIRCRAFT TYPES

›H60 (Helicopter) · ~87 landings/mo

›H47 (Helicopter) · ~28 landings/mo

›C150 (Piston single) · ~5 landings/mo

›H64 (Unknown) · ~3 landings/mo

›UNKN (Unknown) · ~3 landings/mo

LIKELY BASED AIRCRAFT

Low-confidence estimate

Aircraft likely based near this airport (estimate), mostly rotorcraft.

›H60 (Helicopter)

›H47 (Helicopter)

›SR20 (Piston single)

›C150 (Piston single)

This is an estimate based on repeated flight patterns, not registration data. Do not rely on it to identify specific aircraft or owners.

Data limitations (4)

›ADS-B coverage is incomplete; counts are an observed lower bound, not official totals.

›Some aircraft do not transmit usable ADS-B and are not counted.

›Aircraft types and based estimates are inferred and may be wrong.

›This is not official ATC, FAA, or airport data.

NEARBY AIRPORTS

Weather reference stations

Current flight category at nearby reporting stations.

KCOS City of Colorado Springs Municipal Airport

8 NM N

IFR

KAFF USAF Academy Airfield

18 NM N

IFR

KFLY Meadow Lake Airport

18 NM NE

IFR

KPUB Pueblo Memorial Airport

26 NM SE

MVFR

KAPA Centennial Airport

54 NM N

MVFR

KANK Salida Airport - Harriet Alexander Field

61 NM W

VFR

AIRPORT REMARKS

Operational remarks

›MISC: NO TSNT ACFT SVC.

›SVC: NO FUEL AVBL.

›MISC: WX TECHNICIAN, C719-801-3620 AVBL HTTPS://25OWS.DM.AF.MIL, C520-228-6598/6599.

›UNITS TMPRLY ASGND ARE RQRD TO COORD WX SUPPORT IAW AFMAN 15-129. AUGMENTED WX OBSN VIEW RSTD FROM 180-270 DEG AND 310-340 DEG BY FLT LINE FAC AND BLDGS.

›RSTD: 24 HR PPR FOR ALL ACFT. CTC BASE OPS DSN 691-3935, C719-801-3935.

›500 FT OVRN ON NW EOR, ACTF MAY TAX IN THIS AREA, UNUSE TO F/W ACFT FOR TKOF/LDG/ROLLOUT.

›RWY 13/31 NSTD MARKINGS AND LIGHTING, TWY ALL NSTD MARKINGS AND LIGHTING, TWY B VFR OPS ONLY SR TO SS, NVD OPS ONLY SS TO SR.

›WHEN BUTTS RDO IS CLSD CTC RANGE CTL 38.90 FOR OPS IN R2601. AVN TRNG AREA (ATA) AIR TO AIR FREQ ASSIGNMENT. ACFT OPERATING IN ATA 1-3 WILL MNT FM 37.200. ACFT OPERATING IN ATA 4-7 WILL MNT FM 68.750. ALL ACFT WILL MNT THE APPROPRIATE TRNG AREA FREQ WHEN OPERATING WITHIN R2601. WHEN OPERATING MULTI-SHIP ONLY ONE ACFT IS REQD TO MNT THE TRNG AREA FREQ. TRNG AREA FREQ ARE FOR TFC ADVSY AND DECONFLICTION AND WILL NOT BE USED FOR TACTICAL INTERNAL TFC.

›ALL ACFT MUST REMAIN 100FT AGL OVER CONSTRUCTION AREAS.

›ATC OPR MON-SAT 1300-0900Z++ CLSD WKND AND HOL. A - BASE OPS 1300-0500Z++ MON-FRI EXC HOL.

›COMM: FLT FLW - CARSON RDO OPR MON-SAT 1200-0800Z++ CLSD WKNDS AND HOL.

›D1 SOD PERMANENTLY CLSD.

›CAUTION: EXTV ARTILLERY AND SMALL ARMS FRNG. DUR PERIODS OF STRONG SW SFC WIND EXP STRUCTURE AND TRRN GENERATED TURB WITH WINDSHEAR NEAR THE APCH END RWY 13.

›FLT FLW- BUTTS RDO OPR 1200-1200++ MONDAY-THURSDAY, 1200-0400++FRIDAY- SUNDAY EXC NEW YEARS, THANKSGIVING AND CHRISTMAS DAY.

›TPA MULTI ENG F/W NSTD TFC RWY 13/31 E TFC 7400 FT; ALL OTHERS R/W 6400 FT, F/W 6900 FT.

OFFICIAL LINKS & SOURCES

↗Official METAR on AviationWeather.gov

↗Search NOTAMs (official FAA NOTAM Search)

↗KFCS on OurAirports

FREQUENTLY ASKED

Does KFCS have a METAR?

Yes. KFCS has a current METAR observation, decoded into plain English on this page.

Does KFCS have a TAF?

Yes, a TAF is issued for KFCS; the decoded forecast timeline is shown above.

What is the field elevation at KFCS?

KFCS sits at 5,838 ft MSL, which factors into the density-altitude estimate on this page.

Is this an official preflight weather briefing for KFCS?

No. wxdecoder.com is for education and situational awareness only. It is not an official weather briefing or a substitute for official sources, NOTAM review, and pilot judgment.

This app is for aviation weather education, training, and situational awareness only. It is not a substitute for an official weather briefing, approved flight-planning software, flight service, dispatch procedures, current FAA regulations, or pilot judgment. Always verify weather with official sources before flight.