Hay River / Merlyn Carter Airport guide

Hay River / Merlyn Carter Airport (ICAO CYHY) serves Hay River, a town on the south shore of Great Slave Lake in the Northwest Territories. It sits about 2.8 km north of the town at an elevation of 165 m (541 ft). The airport is named after bush pilot Merlyn Carter, who was killed by a black bear in 2005.

The airport has two runways. Runway 14/32 is asphalt and measures 1,829 m (6,000 ft), with approach lights and a PAPI glide slope indicator. Runway 05/23 is 1,220 m (4,001 ft) with a gravel and asphalt surface. Statistics Canada counted 5,012 aircraft movements in 2010. The Government of the Northwest Territories owns and operates the airport as one of its public airports.

Scheduled passenger service is limited. Air Tindi links Hay River with Edmonton, Fort Smith and Yellowknife, and Canadian North flies to Yellowknife. Buffalo Airways flies cargo to Yellowknife. Schedules change, so confirm flight days and times with the airline before travelling. Sandhill cranes nest on the airport grounds from May to September.