Cambridge, New York · field elev 510 ft

Density Altitude at Chapin Field (1B8)

Chapin Field sits at 510 ft, and even a typical July afternoon (83 °F) only lifts density altitude to about 2,147 ft — heat still trims performance, but the field rarely turns high-and-hot.

worst typical month: July · ≈2,147 ft station: BUSKIRK · 9 mi away normals vintage 1991–2020

Typical density altitude by month

From NOAA 1991–2020 monthly normals at BUSKIRK (9 mi from the field) · standard pressure, dry air
Month Avg temp °F DA at avg temp Afternoon high °F DA on a typical afternoon
January 22.2 −1,877 ft 33.1 −1,105 ft
February 23.7 −1,769 ft 35.5 −938 ft
March 32.3 −1,161 ft 44.2 −340 ft
April 45.9 −225 ft 58.8 635 ft
May 57.1 523 ft 70.5 1,392 ft
June 65.7 1,084 ft 78.3 1,885 ft
July 70.3 1,379 ft 82.5 2,147 ft
August 68.2 1,245 ft 80.8 2,041 ft
September 60.9 772 ft 73.8 1,601 ft
October 49.6 24 ft 61.6 818 ft
November 38.1 −758 ft 48.6 −43 ft
December 28.6 −1,421 ft 38.3 −744 ft

▲ above 5,000 ft · ⚠ above 8,000 ft. These are planning references at standard pressure and dry air — afternoon humidity and low pressure both push the real number higher. Run today's values below.

Run today’s numbers for 1B8

Altimeter-style gauge: field elevation and density altitude needles 03691215 DENSITY ALT ×1,000 FT 2,178 DENSITY ALTITUDE · FEET
field elevation density altitude

DENSITY ALTITUDE 2,178 ft

Field elevation 510 ft — the air behaves like 2,178 ft.

PRESSURE ALT
511 ft
ISA DEVIATION
RULE-OF-THUMB DA
AIR DENSITY INDEX
AIR DENSITY
WATER · GRAINS/LB

For training and reference · verify with official sources and your POH before flight · no tool on this site renders a go / no-go judgment

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Frequently asked questions

How high does density altitude get at 1B8 in summer?

On a typical July afternoon — around 83 °F at the nearest NOAA normals station — density altitude at Chapin Field reaches roughly 2,147 ft at standard pressure. Hotter-than-normal days, low pressure, and humidity all push it higher, so run the day's actual numbers before flying.

What is the density altitude at 1B8 on an average day?

It swings with the seasons: from roughly −1,877 ft at the coldest month's average temperature to about 1,379 ft at the warmest month's — all from a constant field elevation of 510 ft. The month-by-month table above carries the full year.

What is the field elevation of Chapin Field?

510 ft MSL, from the FAA NASR airport record (28-day cycle effective 2026-08-06). The identifier is 1B8 (FAA), in Cambridge, New York.