Airports / South Africa / RCB
Richards Bay Airport.
Richards Bay, South Africa · 109 ft elevation. A private-aviation gateway on the Bravo register.
FARB
IATA RCB
0
Operators based
109
Elevation ft
Field elevation
Nearest alternate
Field standing
44 nm
To the nearest alternate
Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi Airport (ULD).
Overview
Richards Bay Airport, listed as FARB / RCB, is a mid-sized airport in Richards Bay, South Africa. The field lies at an elevation of 109 feet. The airport supports scheduled airline service as well as private jet and charter movements.
RCB has no resident charter fleet; trips here are typically flown by operators repositioning from surrounding airports. Useful alternates include Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi Airport (ULD, 44 nm), Mkuze Airport (MZQ, 67 nm), and King Shaka International Airport (DUR, 73 nm). RCB offers a single 4,265-foot paved runway, which supports charter types through the light jet class.
Quotes for flights out of RCB vary with aircraft type, repositioning, and schedule flexibility. Use the cost estimator to model a trip from RCB, or browse verified operators serving the area.
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Field capability
ICAO
FARB
IATA
RCB
FAA / Local
FARB
Elevation
109 ft
Coordinates
28.7410° S · 32.0921° E
Airspace
G · GolfClass G, GolfUncontrolled field, no tower. Pilots self-announce and sequence themselves on the common traffic advisory frequency.Source: FAA NASR class airspace
Size
Medium
Scheduled svc
Yes
Elevation vs South Africa fields
state range 20–5,700 ft
At 109 ft, RCB sits lower than 90% of the 62 South Africa fields on the register.
Runways & aircraft access
1 runway
longest 4,265 ft
- 05/234,265 ft × 69 ftAsphaltLighted
Which aircraft can operate here
vs longest paved runway 4,265 ft
RCB's 4,265 ft paved runway typically supports charter aircraft up to light jets.
- Turboprop3,000 ft
- Light Jet3,500 ft
- Midsize Jet4,500 ft
- Super-Midsize Jet5,000 ft
- Heavy Jet5,500 ft
- VIP Airliner6,000 ft
Class minimums are sea-level planning rules of thumb. A specific aircraft's balanced-field length varies with weight, temperature, and field elevation. Confirm performance with the operator.
Access & alternates
Closest alternate fields by great-circle distance, every listing links to its own field brief.
- 44nmULDPrince Mangosuthu Buthelezi AirportUlundi
- 67nmMZQMkuze AirportMkuze
- 73nmDURKing Shaka International AirportDurban
- 82nmVIRVirginia AirportDurban
- 104nmPZBPietermaritzburg AirportPietermaritzburg
- 124nmLAYLadysmith AirportLadysmith
Location
Open the full mapFARB · Richards Bay Airport · Richards Bay, South Africa
Flight times from here
Approximate nonstop block times from RCB on a typical midsize charter jet. Faster classes trim these; add positioning and taxi for the real schedule.
| Destination | Distance | Block time |
|---|---|---|
| Boston (BED) | 7,104 nm | 16h 55m |
| New York (TEB) | 7,201 nm | 17h 9m |
| Miami (MIA) | 7,244 nm | 17h 15m |
| Palm Beach (PBI) | 7,252 nm | 17h 16m |
| Washington DC (IAD) | 7,327 nm | 17h 26m |
| Nashville (BNA) | 7,723 nm | 18h 22m |
| Chicago (ORD) | 7,826 nm | 18h 36m |
| Houston (HOU) | 8,073 nm | 19h 10m |
Common questions
- What size private jets can use RCB?
- Richards Bay Airport's longest paved runway is 4,265 ft, which typically supports charter aircraft up to light jets. Lighter classes (turboprops, light and midsize jets) operate comfortably; confirm exact performance for a specific tail with the operator, since balanced-field length shifts with weight, temperature, and elevation.
- What is the longest runway at RCB?
- Richards Bay Airport has one runway; the longest measures 4,265 ft on a paved surface and is lit for night operations.
- What is the nearest major airport to RCB?
- The closest alternate is Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi Airport (ULD), about 44 nm away, followed by Mkuze Airport (MZQ) at 67 nm. Operators often position aircraft between these fields depending on ramp space and availability.
- How long is a flight from RCB to major cities?
- Typical block times on a midsize jet: Boston about 16h 55m (7,104 nm), New York about 17h 9m (7,201 nm), Miami about 17h 15m (7,244 nm). Faster classes trim these times; add positioning and taxi for the real schedule.