S85 Big Sky Fld Airport Guide

Before you fly into S85

Conditions

VFR

Good for visual flying

Airport

Non-towered

Self-announce on CTAF

Pattern alt

2,953'

MSL · field 1,953' + 1,000 AGL

Favored RWY

RWY 26

H/W +15 · X/W 13 kt R

METAR & TAF S85

S85 does not publish a METAR.

Showing the nearest reporting station: KSDY (SIDNEY-RICHLAND RGNL) · 29.6 NM away. Conditions at S85 may differ.

METAR · KSDY

Observed 00:56Z

KSDY 120056Z AUTO 31020G28KT 10SM BKN080 OVC090 21/05 A2982 RMK AO2 PK WND 30028/0050 SLP100 T02060050 PNO $

Wind: 310° @ 20G28 kt
Visibility: 10 SM
Temp / Dew: 21°C / 5°C
Altimeter: 29.82 inHg
Clouds: OVC
Density alt: 3,266 ft
Ceiling: 8,000 ft AGL
Rules: VFR

S85 does not issue a TAF.

Showing the forecast from the nearest station: KSDY (SIDNEY-RICHLAND RGNL) · 29.6 NM away. Conditions at S85 may differ.

Forecast · TAF

Valid 11 12:00Z–12 12:00Z

TAF KSDY 111130Z 1112/1212 31011KT P6SM -SHRA SCT017 OVC050 FM111400 30013G23KT P6SM BKN060 FM112000 30022G34KT P6SM BKN070 PROB30 1120/1123 6SM -SHRA OVC040 FM120300 30009KT P6SM SCT070

BASEVFR

11 12:00Z–11 14:00Z

Wind: 310° at 11 kt
Visibility: ≥ 6 SM
Sky: Overcast 5,000 ft, Scattered 1,700 ft
Weather: light showers rain

12Z

15Z

18Z

21Z

00Z

03Z

06Z

09Z

12Z

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: 1 NM NE
VFR sectional: BILLINGS
ARTCC: ZLC · SALT LAKE CITY
NOTAM facility: GTF (NOTAM-D)

Airport manager

Name: ROBERT JASPER
Phone: 406-787-5271
Address: BOX 351, CULBERTSON MT 59218

Flight service · Hours

FSS GTF: GREAT FALLS1-800-WX-BRIEF
Attendance: Unattended

Frequencies

Tap any row to copy the frequency to your clipboard.

Advisory / CTAF

Runways & pattern

Full page

Runway & wind

tap a runway

310° · 20 kt

See full METAR & TAF

RWY 26

257°M

Head/Tail

+15 kt

Crosswind

13 kt R

Pattern entry · RWY 26

LEFT TRAFFIC

Runway	Heading (°M)	Length	Surface	Traffic
08/26Favored	77° / 257°	3,800 ft	ASPH	Standard L

Runway end performance

End	TORA	TODA	ASDA	LDA	VGSI	Approach lights	Obstruction
26	—	—	—	—	PAPI 2-box left(3°)	—	—

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 satellite imagery. Not for navigation.

Top-down satellite sketch of S85 BIG SKY FLD in CULBERTSON, MONTANA, showing runways 08/26 drawn to scale over Esri World Imagery

Approaches & charts

Chart Supplement

S85 · CHART_SUPP

Chart Supplement

S85 · 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: Not available
Power plant repair: Not available
Other services: AGRI,AMB,SURV

Ramp & ground

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

Fuel & FBOs

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

Cheapest 100LLNearby

$5.69

KOLF·L.M. Clayton Airport·43.1 nm

Cheapest Jet ANearby

$7.99

KXWA·Overland Aviation·30.8 nm

No on-field FBO prices. See nearby fuel options below.

Cheaper nearby (within 50 nm)

100LL$5.69atKOLFL.M. Clayton Airport43.1 nm
Jet A$7.99atKXWAOverland Aviation30.8 nm

Airport notes

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

General notes

FOR CD CTC SALT LAKE ARTCC AT 801-320-2568.
2,876 FT TWRS 3.5 MIS NW.

Lighting notes

ACTVT MIRL RY 08/26 & PAPI RY 26 - CTAF.

Fuel notes

100LLSELF SERVICE CREDIT CARD 24/7

Other notes

2ON CALL ALL HOURS 406-787-6680/0660.

VFR map & nearby airports

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

Key facts · S85

Answer card

ICAO: S85
Name: BIG SKY FLD
Location: CULBERTSON, MONTANA
Elevation: 1,953 ft MSL
Traffic pattern altitude: 2,953 ft MSL (1,000 AGL)
Control tower: Non-towered (use CTAF)
Total runways: 1
Longest runway: 08/26 · 3,800 ft
Published ILS approaches: 0
Published frequencies: 2
Magnetic variation: 13°
Current flight rules: VFR
Current wind: 310° at 20 kt
Favored runway now: RWY 26

Big Sky Fld is in Culbertson, Montana. The field elevation is 1,953 ft MSL. It has one runway, 08/26, which is 3,800 ft long and asphalt. The airport is non-towered. CTAF and UNICOM are both 122.8. No ILS approaches are published here.

The pattern altitude is not published. For light piston ops, plan on the standard 1,000 ft AGL unless the current Chart Supplement says otherwise. That puts the traffic pattern at 2,953 ft MSL. Self-serve 100LL is available 24 hours a day with a credit card. Airport services are on call at 406-787-6680 or 406-787-0660. Medium intensity runway lights serve runway 08/26. The PAPI on runway 26 is activated by CTAF.

This is a rural field with no tower, so keep your radio work tight and make your intentions clear. There are 2,876 ft towers 3.5 miles northwest of the airport. That matters for low-level maneuvering and for planning your departure and arrival path. For clearance delivery, contact Salt Lake ARTCC at 801-320-2568. Check the current Chart Supplement for any published noise or curfew restrictions before flying into the field.

Frequently asked questions

What is the pattern altitude at S85?

The published pattern altitude is not listed. For light piston traffic, use 1,000 ft AGL unless the current Chart Supplement says otherwise. That works out to 2,953 ft MSL at this field.

Does Big Sky Fld have an ILS approach?

No ILS approaches are published for S85. Plan with the current approach chart set and be ready for a visual or non-precision arrival.

Is S85 towered or uncontrolled?

S85 is non-towered. Use CTAF 122.8 for position reports and local traffic calls.

What runway is available at S85 and how long is it?

There is one runway at S85. Runway 08/26 is asphalt and 3,800 ft long.

Is self-serve 100LL available at Big Sky Fld?

Yes. Self-serve 100LL is available 24 hours a day with a credit card.

What are the runway lights and PAPI setup at S85?

Medium intensity runway lights are available on runway 08/26. The PAPI on runway 26 is activated by CTAF.

Are there any on-field FBOs at S85?

No on-field FBOs are listed. Contact the airport operator directly before arrival, or call the field on CTAF/UNICOM for current FBO availability.

Are there terrain or obstacle concerns near S85?

There are 2,876 ft towers located 3.5 miles northwest of the airport. Keep that in mind on departure and when setting up a low approach or pattern work.

S85