Airports / South Dakota / RCA
Ellsworth Air Force Base.
Rapid City, South Dakota · 3,276 ft elevation. A private-aviation gateway on the Bravo register.
4.2/5
Google rating
85 ratings
0
Operators based
3,276
Elevation ft
Google rating
Google reviews
Field elevation
Nearest alternate
Field standing
6 nm
To the nearest alternate
Rapid City Regional Airport (RAP).
Overview
Ellsworth Air Force Base, listed as KRCA / RCA, is a mid-sized airport in Rapid City, South Dakota. The field lies at an elevation of 3,276 feet. The field has no airline schedules, which keeps it focused on private and general aviation flying.
RCA has no resident charter fleet; trips here are typically flown by operators repositioning from surrounding airports. Useful alternates include Rapid City Regional Airport (RAP, 6 nm), Chadron Municipal Airport (CDR, 78 nm), and Northeast Wyoming Regional Airport (GCC, 105 nm). RCA offers a single 13,497-foot paved runway, which supports charter types through the VIP airliner class.
Quotes for flights out of RCA vary with aircraft type, repositioning, and schedule flexibility. The airport is also known as 28th Bomb Wing. Use the cost estimator to model a trip from RCA, or browse verified operators serving the area.
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Field capability
ICAO
KRCA
IATA
RCA
FAA / Local
RCA
Elevation
3,276 ft
Coordinates
44.1450° N · 103.1040° W
Airspace
D · DeltaClass D, DeltaA control tower runs the immediate airspace. Pilots establish two-way radio contact before entering, typical for busy business-aviation fields.Source: FAA NASR class airspace
Size
Medium
Scheduled svc
No
Elevation vs SD fields
state range 1,289–5,620 ft
At 3,276 ft, RCA sits higher than 82% of the 22 South Dakota fields on the register.
Runways & aircraft access
1 runway
longest 13,497 ft
- 13/3113,497 ft × 300 ftConcreteLighted
Which aircraft can operate here
vs longest paved runway 13,497 ft
RCA's 13,497 ft paved runway typically supports charter aircraft up to VIP airliners.
- 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.
- 6nmRAPRapid City Regional AirportRapid City
- 78nmCDRChadron Municipal AirportChadron
- 105nmGCCNortheast Wyoming Regional AirportGillette
- 122nmPIRPierre Regional AirportPierre
- 126nmAIAAlliance Municipal AirportAlliance
- 136nmVTNMiller FieldValentine
Location
Open the full mapKRCA · Ellsworth Air Force Base · Rapid City, SD
Flight times from here
Approximate nonstop block times from RCA on a typical midsize charter jet. Faster classes trim these; add positioning and taxi for the real schedule.
| Destination | Distance | Block time |
|---|---|---|
| Denver (DEN) | 267 nm | 1h 1m |
| Vail / Eagle (EGE) | 319 nm | 1h 9m |
| Jackson Hole (JAC) | 332 nm | 1h 10m |
| Aspen (ASE) | 340 nm | 1h 11m |
| Salt Lake City (SLC) | 441 nm | 1h 26m |
| Chicago (ORD) | 678 nm | 1h 59m |
| Las Vegas (LAS) | 734 nm | 2h 6m |
| Dallas (DAL) | 739 nm | 2h 7m |
Common questions
- What size private jets can use RCA?
- Ellsworth Air Force Base's longest paved runway is 13,497 ft, which typically supports charter aircraft up to VIP airliners. 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 RCA?
- Ellsworth Air Force Base has one runway; the longest measures 13,497 ft on a paved surface and is lit for night operations.
- What is the nearest major airport to RCA?
- The closest alternate is Rapid City Regional Airport (RAP), about 6 nm away, followed by Chadron Municipal Airport (CDR) at 78 nm. Operators often position aircraft between these fields depending on ramp space and availability.
- How long is a flight from RCA to major cities?
- Typical block times on a midsize jet: Denver about 1h 1m (267 nm), Vail / Eagle about 1h 9m (319 nm), Jackson Hole about 1h 10m (332 nm). Faster classes trim these times; add positioning and taxi for the real schedule.