3B3 Sterling Airport | Sterling, MA

Before you fly into 3B3

Conditions

VFR

Good for visual flying

Airport

Non-towered

Self-announce on CTAF

Pattern alt

1,459'

MSL · field 459' + 1,000 AGL

Favored RWY

RWY 16

H/W +6 · X/W 4 kt L

METAR & TAF 3B3

3B3 does not publish a METAR.

Showing the nearest reporting station: KFIT (FITCHBURG MUNI) · 7.8 NM away. Conditions at 3B3 may differ.

METAR · KFIT

Observed 18:52Z

KFIT 271852Z AUTO 11007KT 10SM CLR 21/01 A3023 RMK AO2 SLP238 T02060006

Wind: 110° @ 7 kt
Visibility: 10 SM
Temp / Dew: 21°C / 1°C
Altimeter: 30.23 inHg
Clouds: CLR
Density alt: 905 ft
Ceiling: Unlimited
Rules: VFR

3B3 does not issue a TAF.

Showing the forecast from the nearest station: KORH (WORCESTER RGNL) · 10.2 NM away. Conditions at 3B3 may differ.

Forecast · TAF

Valid 27 18:00Z–28 18:00Z

TAF KORH 271720Z 2718/2818 08007KT P6SM SKC FM280000 14004KT P6SM SKC FM280800 01004KT P6SM SKC FM281300 09007KT P6SM SKC

BASEVFR

27 18:00Z–28 00:00Z

Wind: 080° at 7 kt
Visibility: ≥ 6 SM
Sky: Clear
Weather: None forecast

18Z

21Z

00Z

03Z

06Z

09Z

12Z

15Z

18Z

NOW

How to read

The top lane is always the active baseline (BASE + FM). Secondary lanes stack temporary and probabilistic deviations in the order they appear in the TAF.

Tap any pill to see the decoded conditions for that period.

Change indicators

BASEBase

Initial conditions at the start of the forecast.

FMFrom

A new baseline that replaces the previous forecast completely, starting at the stated time.

BECMGBecoming

Conditions change gradually over the window shown. By the end, the new conditions apply.

TEMPOTemporary

Fluctuating conditions lasting less than an hour at a time within the window — not the dominant forecast.

PROB30/40Probability

30 or 40% chance of the conditions occurring within the period. Never combined with BECMG.

Airport info & contacts

Manager on record, flight service, ARTCC, attendance schedule and pattern altitude — published by the FAA and refreshed every 28 days.

Location

From city: 2 NM SW
VFR sectional: NEW YORK
ARTCC: ZBW · BOSTON
NOTAM facility: BDR (NOTAM-D)

Airport manager

Name: THOMAS DUFFY
Phone: 978-422-8860
Address: 121 GREENLAND RD, STERLING MA 01564

Flight service · Hours

FSS BDR: BRIDGEPORT1-800-WX-BRIEF
Attendance: THU-SUN · 0800-1800

Frequencies

Tap any row to copy the frequency to your clipboard.

Advisory / CTAF

Runways & pattern

Full page

Runway & wind

tap a runway

110° · 7 kt

See full METAR & TAF

RWY 16

125°M

Head/Tail

+6 kt

Crosswind

4 kt L

Pattern entry · RWY 16

LEFT TRAFFIC

Runway	Heading (°M)	Length	Surface	Traffic
16/34Favored	125° / 305°	3,086 ft	ASPH	Standard L

Runway end performance

End	TORA	TODA	ASDA	LDA	VGSI	Approach lights	Obstruction
16	—	—	—	—	—	—	50', trees, 400' from thr, 125' R of cntrln, slope 4
34	—	—	—	—	—	—	100', tree, 600' from thr, 53' R of cntrln, slope 4

Declared distances in feet. TORA = takeoff run available, TODA = takeoff distance, ASDA = accelerate-stop, LDA = landing distance.

Airport sketch

Runways drawn to scale from FAA survey coordinates, rendered over live satellite imagery. Not for navigation.

Approaches & charts

Chart Supplement

3B3 · CHART_SUPP

Chart Supplement

3B3 · CHART_SUPP

Services on the field

Fuel grades, oxygen, maintenance, ramp storage and lighting — as declared to the FAA by the airport operator.

Fuel & services

Fuel: 100LL
Oxygen (bottled): Not available
Oxygen (bulk): Not available
Airframe repair: Minor
Power plant repair: Minor
Other services: GLD,INSTR,RNTL

Ramp & ground

Transient storage: Tie-down
Landing fee: No fee published
Customs: Not available
Lighting schedule: SEE RMK
Beacon: White / Green (civil land)(WG)
Wind indicator: Yes
Segmented circle: No

Fuel & FBOs

Cheapest 100LL and Jet A on the field and nearby. Always confirm with the FBO before taxi.

Cheapest 100LLNearby

$4.90

0B5·Turners Falls Airport·33.8 nm

Cheapest Jet ANearby

$7.55

0B5·Turners Falls Airport·33.8 nm

FBO	100LL	Jet A	Amenities
Sterling Air 122.900(978) 422-8860 WebsiteIndependent17d ago	$6.60	—

Sterling Air
122.900(978) 422-8860
100LL
$6.60
Jet A
—

Cheaper nearby (within 50 nm)

100LL$4.90at0B5Turners Falls Airport33.8 nmsave $1.70
Jet A$7.55at0B5Turners Falls Airport33.8 nm

Airport notes

Surface conditions, obstructions, local procedures, lighting outages and other notes published with each FAA cycle.

General notes

Wildlife is in the vicinity of the airport.Show FAA
Glider operations are in the vicinity of the airport from sunrise to sunset daily.Show FAA
Gliders are the only right traffic for runway 16.Show FAA
For clearance delivery, contact Bradley Approach at 860-386-3597.Show FAA

Lighting notes

Activated low intensity runway lighting for runway 16/34 and rotating beacon are controlled by CTAF.Show FAA

Runway surface & condition

16/34Runway 16/34 has non-standard low intensity runway lighting; the first 190 feet of runway 16 and the first 240 feet of runway 34 are unlighted.Show FAA

Approach & departure obstructions

16The approach ratio is 11 to 1 to the displaced threshold of runway 16.Show FAA
34The approach ratio is 6 to 1 to the displaced threshold of runway 34.Show FAA

Other notes

The airport was established prior to 1959.Show FAA
Intensive glider activity occurs on weekends.Show FAA

VFR map & nearby airports

VFR sectional. Tap any ICAO chip to open that airport.

Key facts · 3B3

Answer card

ICAO: 3B3
Name: STERLING
Location: STERLING, MASSACHUSETTS
Elevation: 459 ft MSL
Traffic pattern altitude: 1,459 ft MSL (1,000 AGL)
Control tower: Non-towered (use CTAF)
Total runways: 1
Longest runway: 16/34 · 3,086 ft
Published ILS approaches: 0
Published frequencies: 1
Magnetic variation: 15°
Current flight rules: VFR
Current wind: 110° at 7 kt
Favored runway now: RWY 16

Sterling Airport sits in Sterling, Massachusetts at 459 ft MSL. It has one runway, 16/34, which is 3,086 ft long. There is no control tower. CTAF is 122.9. No ILS approaches are published here.

The pattern altitude is not published. Use 1,000 ft AGL for light piston traffic unless the current Chart Supplement says otherwise. Sterling Air is on the field and carries AVGAS 100LL. Call (978) 422-8860 for current service details before you go.

This is a glider-active field. Gliders are the only right traffic for runway 16. Glider operations run from sunrise to sunset daily. Weekend activity can be heavy. Wildlife is also reported in the area. Runway 16/34 has low-intensity lighting that is controlled by CTAF. The first 190 ft of runway 16 and the first 240 ft of runway 34 are unlighted. That matters on night arrivals and during short final planning.

The airport is in central Massachusetts. Expect a non-towered environment with mixed traffic. If you need clearance delivery, contact Bradley Approach at 860-386-3597. Check the current Chart Supplement for any noise or curfew restrictions before flying into the field.

Frequently asked questions

What is the runway length at Sterling Airport (3B3)?

3B3 has one runway, 16/34, that is 3,086 ft long. That is the longest runway on the field.

Is Sterling Airport towered?

No. Sterling Airport is non-towered. Use CTAF 122.9 for self-announce traffic calls.

What is the pattern altitude at 3B3?

The pattern altitude is not published. Use 1,000 ft AGL for light piston traffic unless the current Chart Supplement says otherwise.

Does Sterling Airport have an ILS approach?

No ILS approaches are published for 3B3. Check the current Chart Supplement for any other instrument procedures before you go.

Which FBO is on the field at Sterling Airport?

Sterling Air is on the field. It carries AVGAS 100LL. Call (978) 422-8860 for current service details before arrival.

Are there glider operations at Sterling Airport?

Yes. Glider operations are in the vicinity from sunrise to sunset daily. Weekend activity is described as intensive, so keep a sharp lookout in the pattern.

What should I know about night operations on runway 16/34?

Runway 16/34 has low-intensity lighting controlled by CTAF. The first 190 ft of runway 16 and the first 240 ft of runway 34 are unlighted, so plan your rollout and lineup carefully.

Is there a noise abatement or curfew at 3B3?

Check the current Chart Supplement for any published noise or curfew restrictions before flying into the field.

3B3