Fairbanks, Alaska · field elev 1,720 ft

Density Altitude at Gold King Creek (PAAN)

Gold King Creek sits at 1,720 ft, and even a typical July afternoon (67 °F) only lifts density altitude to about 2,673 ft — heat still trims performance, but the field rarely turns high-and-hot.

worst typical month: July · ≈2,673 ft station: HEALY · 40 mi away normals vintage 1991–2020

Typical density altitude by month

From NOAA 1991–2020 monthly normals at HEALY (40 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 −0.4 −2,013 ft 8.0 −1,387 ft
February 8.3 −1,365 ft 18.3 −638 ft
March 12.6 −1,050 ft 23.6 −260 ft
April 31.3 280 ft 41.0 946 ft
May 45.4 1,242 ft 55.9 1,938 ft
June 55.5 1,911 ft 66.5 2,622 ft
July 58.0 2,074 ft 67.3 2,673 ft
August 52.9 1,741 ft 61.7 2,314 ft
September 42.7 1,061 ft 50.8 1,602 ft
October 25.5 −126 ft 33.0 398 ft
November 8.3 −1,365 ft 15.8 −818 ft
December 2.7 −1,781 ft 11.6 −1,123 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 PAAN

Altimeter-style gauge: field elevation and density altitude needles 03691215 DENSITY ALT ×1,000 FT 2,654 DENSITY ALTITUDE · FEET
field elevation density altitude

DENSITY ALTITUDE 2,654 ft

Field elevation 1,720 ft — the air behaves like 2,654 ft.

PRESSURE ALT
1,721 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 PAAN in summer?

On a typical July afternoon — around 67 °F at the nearest NOAA normals station — density altitude at Gold King Creek reaches roughly 2,673 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 PAAN on an average day?

It swings with the seasons: from roughly −2,013 ft at the coldest month's average temperature to about 2,074 ft at the warmest month's — all from a constant field elevation of 1,720 ft. The month-by-month table above carries the full year.

What is the field elevation of Gold King Creek?

1,720 ft MSL, from the FAA NASR airport record (28-day cycle effective 2026-08-06). The identifier is PAAN (ICAO) / AK7 (FAA), in Fairbanks, Alaska.