Airports / Montana / GFA
Malmstrom Air Force Base.
Great Falls, Montana · 3,472 ft elevation. A private-aviation gateway on the Bravo register.
KGFA
IATA GFA
0
Operators based
3,472
Elevation ft
Field elevation
Nearest alternate
Field standing
8 nm
To the nearest alternate
Great Falls International Airport (GTF).
Overview
Malmstrom Air Force Base (GFA) sits in Great Falls, Montana, where it functions as a heliport. Field elevation is 3,472 feet above sea level. Free of scheduled airline operations, it serves business aviation, charter flights, and local general aviation.
While no charter operators list GFA as their home base, the field is reachable for repositioned charter aircraft from nearby bases. The closest alternate fields are Great Falls International Airport (GTF, 8 nm), Helena Regional Airport (HLN, 63 nm), and Lewistown Municipal Airport (LWT, 75 nm). At 100-foot, the runway favors turboprops and light general aviation over jet operations.
Trip costs from GFA are driven by the aircraft category flown and how far it must reposition. You may also see the field referenced as Great Falls Municipal Airport. Browse operators flying from the area or estimate a trip cost from GFA to plan your flight.
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Field capability
ICAO
KGFA
IATA
GFA
FAA / Local
GFA
Elevation
3,472 ft
Coordinates
47.5047° N · 111.1870° W
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
Heliport
Scheduled svc
No
Elevation vs MT fields
state range 1,985–6,649 ft
At 3,472 ft, GFA sits lower than 52% of the 31 Montana fields on the register.
Runways & aircraft access
2 runways
longest 100 ft
- H1100 ft × 100 ftAsphaltUnlit
- H2100 ft × 100 ftConcreteUnlit
Which aircraft can operate here
vs longest paved runway 100 ft
At 100 ft, GFA is generally suited to piston and turboprop aircraft rather than 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.
- 8nmGTFGreat Falls International AirportGreat Falls
- 63nmHLNHelena Regional AirportHelena
- 75nmLWTLewistown Municipal AirportLewistown
- 82nmCTBCut Bank International AirportCut Bank
- 85nmHVRHavre City County AirportHavre
- 104nmBZNBozeman Yellowstone International AirportBozeman
Location
Open the full mapKGFA · Malmstrom Air Force Base · Great Falls, MT
Flight times from here
Approximate nonstop block times from GFA on a typical midsize charter jet. Faster classes trim these; add positioning and taxi for the real schedule.
| Destination | Distance | Block time |
|---|---|---|
| Jackson Hole (JAC) | 235 nm | 57m |
| Salt Lake City (SLC) | 405 nm | 1h 21m |
| Seattle (SEA) | 451 nm | 1h 27m |
| Vail / Eagle (EGE) | 507 nm | 1h 35m |
| Aspen (ASE) | 532 nm | 1h 38m |
| Denver (DEN) | 539 nm | 1h 39m |
| Las Vegas (LAS) | 708 nm | 2h 3m |
| San Francisco (SFO) | 771 nm | 2h 12m |
Common questions
- Can private jets use GFA?
- At 100 ft, Malmstrom Air Force Base is generally suited to turboprop and piston aircraft rather than jets. Charter flyers usually depart from a nearby field with a longer runway.
- What is the longest runway at GFA?
- Malmstrom Air Force Base has 2 runways; the longest measures 100 ft on a paved surface.
- What is the nearest major airport to GFA?
- The closest alternate is Great Falls International Airport (GTF), about 8 nm away, followed by Helena Regional Airport (HLN) at 63 nm. Operators often position aircraft between these fields depending on ramp space and availability.
- How long is a flight from GFA to major cities?
- Typical block times on a midsize jet: Jackson Hole about 57m (235 nm), Salt Lake City about 1h 21m (405 nm), Seattle about 1h 27m (451 nm). Faster classes trim these times; add positioning and taxi for the real schedule.