McMurdo Station Ice Runway
Daylight today(Aug 29, 2026, local time)
About 6h 14m of daylight. Civil twilight (dawn/dusk) approximates the FAA definition of night for logging and currency. Times are computed and approximate — verify with official sources.
About McMurdo Station Ice Runway
The Annual Sea-Ice Runway is a type of seasonal ice runway made on frozen McMurdo Sound for the U.S. Antarctic Program during the summer Antarctic field season in proximity to Hut Point Peninsula, which has McMurdo Station and Scott Base. The ice runway was used since the 1950s when the bases were established, but has fallen out favor in 2010s in favor of two runways on land, at Williams Field (NZWD) and the compacted snow runway at Phoenix Airfield (NZFX), which replaced Pegasus Field (NZPG) in 2017. The ice runway was prepared on frozen sea ice on open water in McMurdo Sound, so its exact location varied slightly year to year. The ice was strong enough to land large transport aircraft with traditional landing gear, and no aircraft broke through the ice in its operation; however, parked aircraft had to be monitored if they lowered the ice too much and this is due to the special properties of floating ice.
Summary from Wikipedia, photo via Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA.
Live traffic nearby
Aircraft currently within ~40 nm, from live ADS-B. Positions are approximately real-time — not for navigation.
Live ADS-B by adsb.lol & the OpenSky Network. Not for navigation.
Map
Runway centrelines, navaids and overlapping airspace. Tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Reference only — not for navigation.
Runways (2)
| Runway | Length | Width | Surface | Lighting | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 / 29 | 10,000 ft / 3,048 m | 220 ft | Ice | Lighted | Open |
| 16 / 34 | 10,000 ft / 3,048 m | 220 ft | Ice | Lighted | Open |
Radio frequencies (3)
| Type | Description | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| CNTR | MCMURDO CNTR | 118.200 MHz |
| EMR | INTL DISTRESS | 218.200 MHz |
| TWR | ICE TWR | 126.200 MHz |
Frequently asked questions
Where is McMurdo Station Ice Runway located?
McMurdo Station Ice Runway is closed located in McMurdo Station, Antarctica, at an elevation of 1 ft (0 m).
How many runways does McMurdo Station Ice Runway have?
McMurdo Station Ice Runway has 2 runways, the longest being 10,000 ft / 3,048 m.
Is the information on this page suitable for flight planning?
No. McMurdo Station Ice Runway data here is for reference and training only — not for navigation. Always consult official sources and current charts before any flight.