KSAR/SAR METAR Sparta Community Airport - Hunter Field

Sparta, IllinoisElevation 538 ftSmall airport

CURRENT STATUS

VFR23 min old

No ceiling, visibility 10 SM.

FLIGHT CATEGORY

VFR

ceiling & visibility

WIND

140@3

steady

VISIBILITY

10 SM

16.1 km

CEILING

None

no BKN/OVC layer

DENSITY ALT

581 ft

+43 ft vs field

CURRENT METAR

Decoded observation

Observed 0015Z (7:15 PM local) · 23 min old

KSAR is currently VFR. Winds are from the southeast at 3 knots. Visibility is 10 statute miles. There is no ceiling.

WIND

140° at 3 kt

Steady.

VISIBILITY

10 statute miles

16.1 km, good.

CEILING & SKY

CLR

FEW and SCT layers are not ceilings.

TEMP / DEWPOINT

18°C / 10°C

64°F / 50°F. 8°C spread.

ALTIMETER

30.36 inHg

1028.1 hPa, above standard.

WEATHER & HAZARDS

No significant hazards

No precipitation or obscuration reported.

Codes in this report: AUTO CLR 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)

T01770095

precise temperature 17.7°C, dew point 9.5°C

FAA: no delays reported at SAR.

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

SUGGESTED RISK · TRAINING USE

Suggested risk level: Low

›No TAF available for this airport.

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 VFR, wind from 140° at 3 kt, visibility 10 SM, ceiling none. Forecast suggests tonight mostly cloudy, low near 51F, 1% chance of precipitation. Key risks: no significant hazards are highlighted right now, but always confirm against an official briefing.

Day	Conditions	Temp F	Wind	Gusts	Precip
Tonight	Mostly Cloudy	51	S 1 kt	–	1%
Monday	Partly Sunny	76/49	S 5 kt	–	2%
Tuesday	Mostly Cloudy	75/51	S 5 kt	–	0%
Wednesday	Sunny	78/53	S 7 kt	–	0%
Thursday	Sunny	82/53	S 7 kt	–	1%
Friday	Mostly Sunny	80/57	S 6 kt	–	15%
Saturday	Chance Rain Showers	74/58	S 6 kt	–	74%
Sunday	Chance Rain Showers	76	SW 7 kt	–	39%

Source: National Weather Service (office LSX). Forecast issued 0037Z.

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

2 runways · 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

140° at 3 kt

Components computed from the current on-field METAR wind.

RECOMMENDED

RWY 182 kt headwind · 2 kt crosswind

RUNWAYS BY WIND · best end

HEAD

2 kt

CROSS

2 kt L

BEST

HEAD

2 kt

CROSS

2 kt R

HEAD

2 kt tail

CROSS

2 kt L

HEAD

2 kt tail

CROSS

2 kt R

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

RUNWAYS

Runway detail & declared distances

2 runways · longest 4,002 ft

09/27

Dimensions

2,958 x 110 ft

Surface

Turf (good)

RWY 0991°T

Traffic patternLeft

RWY 27271°T

Traffic patternLeft

18/36

Dimensions

4,002 x 75 ft

Surface

Asphalt (good)

Edge lights

MED

RWY 18180°T

REILYes

VGSIPAPI (P4L)

Traffic patternLeft

RWY 360°T

VGSIPAPI (P4L)

Traffic patternLeft

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

581 ft

Pressure altitude

98 ft

Field elevation

538 ft MSL

Temperature

18°C (64°F)

Dewpoint

10°C (50°F)

Altimeter

30.36 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

2307Z 6:07 PM

Sunrise

1218Z 7:18 AM

Loggable night

2334Z (6:34 PM local) → 1151Z (6:51 AM local)

end of evening to start of morning civil twilight

Position lights required

2307Z (6:07 PM local) → 1218Z (7:18 AM local)

sunset to sunrise (91.209)

Night passenger currency

0007Z (7:07 PM local) → 1118Z (6:18 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

Sparta Community Airport - Hunter Field is in Sparta, Illinois. Field elevation 538 ft MSL. Airport facts are drawn from OurAirports and the FAA NASR dataset.

OPERATIONS & CONTACT

OwnershipPublicly owned

UseOpen to the public

TypeSmall airport

ManagerSCOTT MARQUARDT

Manager phone(618) 443-5321

AttendedALL SAT, 0800–1500

CHARTS & AIRSPACE

ICAO / IATAKSAR / SAR

SectionalST LOUIS

Center (ARTCC)KANSAS CITY

Flight service (AFSS)SAINT LOUIS

RegionIllinois

CountryUnited States

Coordinates38.1489, -89.6987

Distance from city2 NM N

SERVICES & LIGHTING

Fuel100LL · Jet A

Control towerNon-towered

Field lightingSee remarks

BeaconSunset to sunrise · White-green (lighted land airport)

CTAF123.075

UNICOM123.075

FREQUENCIES

Communications

125.2

ST LOUIS APP/DEP

A/D

118.375

AWOS 3

AWOS

122.8

CTAF/UNICOM

UNIC

123.075

CTAF

123.075

UNICOM

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

AIRCRAFT ACTIVITY

KSAR traffic patterns

2026-06-19 to 2026-10-23, 50 days observed · data 2026-10-23

High confidence

TRAFFIC VOLUME (30-DAY)

AVG LANDINGS/DAY

4.2

AVG OPS/DAY

6.7

Operations trend (15 days)

Busiest day: Tue · Busiest month: Aug

FLEET MIX

Piston single 70%Unknown 11%Helicopter 10%Twin 6%Jet 3%

Mostly small piston aircraft.

TOP AIRCRAFT TYPES

›P28A (Piston single) · ~24 landings/mo

›EC30 (Helicopter) · ~7 landings/mo

›UNKN (Unknown) · ~4 landings/mo

›C172 (Piston single) · ~4 landings/mo

›M20P (Piston single) · ~3 landings/mo

LIKELY BASED AIRCRAFT

Low-confidence estimate

Aircraft likely based near this airport (estimate), mostly single-engine piston aircraft.

›P28A (Piston single)

›EC30 (Helicopter)

›O1 (Piston single)

›C172 (Piston single)

›M20P (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.

KBLV Scott AFB/Midamerica Airport

25 NM N

VFR

KMDH Southern Illinois Airport

31 NM SE

VFR

KCPS St Louis Downtown Airport

33 NM NW

VFR

KENL Centralia Municipal Airport

36 NM NE

VFR

KMWA Veterans Airport of Southern Illinois

40 NM SE

VFR

KMVN Mount Vernon Outland Airport

41 NM E

VFR

AIRPORT REMARKS

Operational remarks

›MIRL RY 18/36 & WIND INDICATOR PRESET ON LOW INTST; TO INCR INTST & ACTVT REIL RY 18 & TWY A - CTAF.

›& 27 MARKED WITH WHITE CONES.

›FOR CD CTC ST LOUIS APCH AT 314-890-1017.

›MIGRATORY WATERFOWL NW OF RY 18/36.

›RWY 18 MARKINGS FADED.

›RWY 36 MARKINGS FADED.

›RY 18 PAPI, UNUSBL BYD 7 DEG LEFT OF COURSE.

›SELF SVC FUEL AVBL 24 HRS WITH CREDIT CARD.

OFFICIAL LINKS & SOURCES

↗Official METAR on AviationWeather.gov

↗Search NOTAMs (official FAA NOTAM Search)

↗Official airport website

↗Wikipedia

↗KSAR on OurAirports

FREQUENTLY ASKED

Does KSAR have a METAR?

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

Does KSAR have a TAF?

When KSAR issues a TAF, its decoded forecast timeline loads live on this page; otherwise use the nearest TAF-issuing field as a planning reference.

What is the field elevation at KSAR?

KSAR sits at 538 ft MSL, which factors into the density-altitude estimate on this page.

Is this an official preflight weather briefing for KSAR?

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.