WxDecoder

US-8511 Weather Schaefer Heliport

Rockford, MichiganElevation 826 ftHeliport
OFF-FIELD REFERENCE
Nearest report: KGRR · 11 NM S · 22 min old
Ceiling 25,000 ft, visibility 10 SM.
No on-field report, so no field flight category. Conditions at the field may differ.
OFF-FIELD REFERENCE · KGRR
WIND
190@3
steady
VISIBILITY
10 SM
16.1 km
CEILING
25,000 ft
lowest BKN/OVC
FORECAST & PILOT NOTES · SUPPLEMENTAL

Extended forecast and pilot notes

No current METAR is available for this airport, so there is no observed aviation report to summarize. Forecast suggests tonight partly cloudy, low near 47F, 3% chance of precipitation. Key risks: thunderstorms in the forecast.

PILOT WEATHER NOTES
Thunderstorms in the forecastWeather.gov
Thursday: Chance Rain Showers. Watch for developing convection and plan alternates.
DayConditionsTemp FWindGustsPrecipPilot note
Tonight Partly Cloudy 47 SW 3 kt – 3%
Monday Partly Sunny 63/42 NE 7 kt – 8%
Tuesday Partly Sunny 62/48 E 9 kt 18 kt 1%
Wednesday Mostly Sunny 71/55 S 8 kt – 15%
Thursday Chance Rain Showers 71/51 SW 11 kt – 39% Thunderstorms in the forecast
Friday Chance Rain Showers 69/53 SSE 6 kt – 26%
Saturday Chance Rain Showers 68/53 SSE 7 kt – 43%
Sunday Chance Rain Showers 65 SSW 8 kt – 47%

Source: National Weather Service (office GRR). Forecast issued 0114Z.

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
Crosswind calculator
No runway layout is available for US-8511. Enter a runway number or heading to estimate wind components.
RUNWAYS

Runway detail & declared distances

1 runway

H1
Dimensions
40 x 40 ft
Surface
Turf
Edge lights
PERI
RWY H1

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

FIELD CONDITIONS

Field elevation

Field elevation
826 ft MSL

Density and pressure altitude need a current temperature and altimeter from the METAR.

DAYLIGHT & NIGHT

Sun & logging windows

Sunset
2243Z 6:43 PM
Sunrise
1208Z 8:08 AM
Loggable night
2312Z (7:12 PM local) → 1139Z (7:39 AM local)
end of evening to start of morning civil twilight
Position lights required
2243Z (6:43 PM local) → 1208Z (8:08 AM local)
sunset to sunrise (91.209)
Night passenger currency
2343Z (7:43 PM local) → 1108Z (7:08 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

Schaefer Heliport is in Rockford, Michigan. Field elevation 826 ft MSL. Airport facts are drawn from OurAirports and the FAA NASR dataset.

OPERATIONS & CONTACT
OwnershipPrivately owned
UsePrivate use
TypeHeliport
ManagerJAMES C SCHAEFER
Manager phone616-291-5557
AttendedUNATNDD
CHARTS & AIRSPACE
ICAO / IATAUS-8511
SectionalCHICAGO
Center (ARTCC)CHICAGO
Flight service (AFSS)LANSING
RegionMichigan
CountryUnited States
Coordinates43.0543, -85.4366
Distance from city7 NM SE
SERVICES & LIGHTING
Control towerNon-towered
Field lightingSee remarks
CTAF122.900
FREQUENCIES

Communications

122.900
CTAF
CTAF

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

AIRCRAFT ACTIVITY

Traffic patterns

Aircraft activity data is not available for this airport yet.

NEARBY AIRPORTS

Weather reference stations

US-8511 has no on-field report. Nearest reporting station: KGRR (11 NM S, VFR).

KGRR Gerald R. Ford International Airport
11 NM S
VFR
KMKG Muskegon County Airport
36 NM W
VFR
KAMN Gratiot Community Airport
37 NM NE
VFR
KRQB Roben Hood Airport
40 NM N
VFR
KLAN Capital Region International Airport
41 NM SE
VFR
KBTL Battle Creek Executive Airport at Kellogg Field
46 NM S
VFR
AIRPORT REMARKS

Operational remarks

›ACTVT PERI LGTS - CALL AMGR.
›FOR CD CTC GREAT LAKES APCH AT 269-459-3344, WHEN APCH CLSD CTC CHICAGO ARTCC AT 630-906-8921.
OFFICIAL LINKS & SOURCES
↗Search NOTAMs (official FAA NOTAM Search)
↗US-8511 on OurAirports
FREQUENTLY ASKED
Does US-8511 have a METAR?
No on-field METAR is issued for US-8511. This page uses the nearest reporting station as a reference.
Does US-8511 have a TAF?
No TAF is issued directly for US-8511. Use the nearest TAF-issuing field as a planning reference.
What is the field elevation at US-8511?
US-8511 sits at 826 ft MSL, which factors into the density-altitude estimate on this page.
Is this an official preflight weather briefing for US-8511?
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.