ISU Flying Cyclones

Flight operations at the Ames Airport (KAMW)

Disclaimer

This information is provided to help pilots flying at the Ames airport. It is not a substitute for official charts and publications and it may be out of date or contain errors. Check AirNav for more up to date information.

Overview

The Ames airport is located about 2 miles south of the city and 2 miles SE of the ISU central campus. It is about 30 nm north of Des Moines (KDSM). Ames is on the Omaha section, near the eastern edge. Fly east for 20 miles and you'll be on the Chicago sectional. The airport is class E down to the surface. It is fairly busy for a non towered field, but the activity is erratic. Some days it's very busy, other days it's deserted.

Communications Frequencies

CTAF: 122.7
ASOS: 132.025
Des Moines Approach: 123.9
Clearance Delivery: 126.0
Lights: 126.0

Airport Layout

KAMW has two lighted runways. Runway 1-19 is 5701 x 100 and runway 13-31 is 3491 x 75. Runway 01 is the calm wind runway and has an approach lighting system (MALSR). Both runways are lighted and all lights are pilot controlled. The frequency is NOT CTAF. It is 126.0. You can't see the end of RW 1 from either 13 or 31 (and vice-versa)

There is one FBO on the field. Hap's Air Service (515-232-4310) is open 7 days a week and provides flight training, charter, maintenance, fuel (fuel truck will come to you), courtesy car, and Hertz rentals (limited hours). You can reach them on Unicom (122.7). They have a pilot lounge, a computer for flight planning use, and pilot supplies. Parking is in front of the FBO. There is no fee. Overnight hangar space is sometimes available, but call in advance to check. The FBO is not open 24hrs and there is a call out fee for after hours service. There is no self service fuel available.

Traffic Pattern and Noise abatement

Runways 19 and 31 are left traffic, while runways 1 and 13 are right traffic. Be especially alert for other traffic on days with light wind as traffic for opposite runways would be flying head-on while downwind. Pattern altitude is 2000 MSL (~1000 AGL). For noise abatement, avoid flying over the group of houses east of the airport.

VFR Operations

Ames works like any normal uncontrolled field. If you're flying south of the field, beware of the tall antennas about 10 nm S of the airport. There are 4 of them and they reach 2000 AGL. You can almost always pick up flight following from Des Moines.

IFR Operations

On arrival, you'll be talking to Des Moines approach. There are 6 IFR approaches into KAMW: ILS 01, VOR 31, and an RNAV(GPS) for all runways. The ILS is unmonitored. DSM approach will usually vector you to final. There are no STARS into KAMW. When departing, talk to DSM clearance delivery on 126.0 to pick up your clearance. They will usually clear you for an immediate departure. Departure frequency is generally DSM approach on 123.9. There are no SIDS but there are departure procedure listed in the AF/D.

Things To Watch For

• Alleman and Elkhart Towers: These are radio antennas about 10 nm south of the airport. There are 4 of them. The tallest ones are 2000 AGL (3000 MSL) and supported by guy wires. The towers are not always lit.
• Ames tends to have a lot of flight training activity, so it's likely there will be student pilots flying around and people doing a lot of touch and goes. There may be people doing crosswind practice on the other runway. Most traffic is good about broadcasting intentions on CTAF.
• Jet traffic. Ames gets jets coming in regularly. They often make straight in approaches, generally to Runway 1/19.
• Gliders - there is an active glider club based out of the Ames airport. They fly when the weather is nice, with the highest activity between April and October.
• TFRs - we get hit by 2 types of TFRs. When the president is in DSM, the VIP TFR reaches up to Ames. Second, any time there is an ISU football game, there is an automatic sporting event TFR from 1 hour before game time to one hour after the game. It goes from the surface to 3000AGL within a 3nm radius of the stadium. The entire Ames airport is within this radius. So you need to talk to ATC to get in or out. Sporting event TFRs are not published as NOTAMs.