Fort Benton Airport

79S · Fort Benton, MT · 2,869 ft elevation · var 14E · Non-towered

Overview Weather Runways Comms & NavAids Charts Services & info

Airport information

FAA LID: 79S
Coordinates: 47.8451, -110.6360
Elevation: 2,869 ft MSL
Magnetic variation: 14E
Sectional chart: GREAT FALLS
Airport use: Public
Control tower: No
Weather station: AWOS-3PT · 121.125 · ☎ 406-622-5976
ARTCC: SALT LAKE CITY (ZLC)
Flight service (FSS): GREAT FALLS
NOTAM facility: GTF
Attendance: UNATNDD
Beacon: white-green (SS-SR)
Segmented circle: Yes
Wind indicator: lighted
Activated: 1940/04
Distance from city: 1 NE

Weather

METAR observed

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TAF forecast

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Sun & FAA night 2026-06-21

Event	Local (MDT)	UTC
Morning civil twilight Loggable night ends	04:42 AM	10:42Z
Sunrise	05:24 AM	11:24Z
Sunset	09:25 PM	03:25Z
Evening civil twilight Loggable night begins	10:06 PM	04:06Z

Loggable night (§1.1)

10:06 PM → 04:42 AM

Night currency (§61.57)

10:25 PM → 04:24 AM

Plan a flight from 79S

Destination (ICAO)

TAS (kt)Burn (gph)Reserve (hr)Wind from (°)Wind (kt)

Night operations

Airport lighting: SEE RMK
Rotating beacon: white-green · SS-SR
Pilot-controlled lighting: ACTVT PAPI RWY 05 & 23; MIRL RWY 05/23 - CTAF. on 122.8 — Chart Supplement ↗

Runway lighting aids — 05: 2-light PAPI (left) · 23: 2-light PAPI (left).

FAA night windows (civil twilight, loggable night §1.1, currency §61.57) are in the live weather panel above.

Traffic pattern

Landing runway

LEFT traffic

Landing: Rwy 05 · 048°
Pattern: left (turns left)
TPA: 3,900 ft MSL (≈1,000 AGL)
CTAF: 122.8

Enter the left downwind for Rwy 05 at 3,900 ft MSL (≈1,000 AGL) on a 45°. TPA estimated at 1,000 ft AGL (not charted for this field).

Runway 05/23

4,300 ft × 75 ft · Asphalt (Excellent)

Edge lights: Med. Weight bearing: Single wheel 16k.

Heading: 048° mag · 62° true
Markings: nonprecision
VGSI: 2-light PAPI (left) (3°)
Traffic pattern: Left

Heading: 228° mag · 242° true
Markings: nonprecision
VGSI: 2-light PAPI (left) (3°)
Traffic pattern: Left

Runway 14/32

1,700 ft × 75 ft · Dirt (Good)

Heading: 138° mag · 152° true
Traffic pattern: Left
Approach obstacle: Pline, 50 ft, 830 ft from threshold, 0 ft B of centerline — 16:1 slope to clear · penetrates the 20:1 visual approach surface

Heading: 318° mag · 332° true
Traffic pattern: Left

Will it fit? Your aircraft's required runway length (from the POH) — checked against every runway here

ft · ≥1.5× comfortable, under 1.25× tight · saved across airports

Runway	Length	Your margin
05/23	4,300 ft
14/32	1,700 ft

Communication frequencies

Service	Frequency	Notes
CTAF	122.8	ACTVT PAPI RWY 05 & 23; MIRL RWY 05/23 - CTAF.
UNICOM	122.8
79S AWOS-3PT	121.125
GREAT FALLS RCAG	133.4	APCH/DEP CTL SVC PRVDD BY SALT LAKE CITY ARTCC ( ZLC) ON FREQS 133.4/285.4 (GREAT FALLS RCAG).
GREAT FALLS RCAG	285.4	APCH/DEP CTL SVC PRVDD BY SALT LAKE CITY ARTCC ( ZLC) ON FREQS 133.4/285.4 (GREAT FALLS RCAG).

Source: FAA NASR (current 28-day cycle).

Nearby navigation aids

NavAid	Type	Freq	Radial / Dist magnetic
GFA · Malmstrom	TACAN	115.80	r030° / 30.1 NM
GTF · Great Falls	VORTAC	115.10	r037° / 39.3 NM

Chart Supplement FAA A/FD

Open PDF ↗

Preview Chart Supplement

VFR sectional

Open 79S on the VFR sectional (SkyVector) ↗

Services

Fuel available: 100LL
Bottled oxygen: NONE
Bulk oxygen: NONE
Airframe service: NONE
Powerplant service: NONE
Parking: tiedowns
Other services: Agricultural, Instruction, Survey

Ownership & management

Owner

FT BENTON & CHOUTEAU CO

CHOUTEAU COUNTY COURTHOUSE, PO BOX 459, FORT BENTON, MT

406-622-9494

Manager

MIKE MAY

PO BOX 1512, COLONY BAY ROAD, FORT BENTON, MT

(406) 781-9478

Remarks FAA

FOR CD CTC SALT LAKE ARTCC AT 801-320-2568.
ACTVT PAPI RWY 05 & 23; MIRL RWY 05/23 - CTAF.
PAY PHONE AVAILABLE.
OR CONTACT ANDY TAYLOR @ 406-622-5682.

Nearby airports

MT77 · Peterson Ranch AirportPrivate (18 NM)5U8 · Geraldine Airport (21 NM)MT01 · Owen Bros AirportPrivate (26 NM)3U8 · Big Sandy Airport (28 NM)MT49 · Horner FieldPrivate (30 NM)1MT7 · Prill FieldPrivate (33 NM)

Weather is live from the Aviation Weather Center; airport facility data is from the FAA NASR (28-day cycle). For planning and education only; always verify against official sources. Open 79S in a full tool: METAR/TAF decoder, crosswind calculator, sun & night times, or the density altitude calculator. Planning from here? Find the nearest airport with fuel or an approach, or check whether an IFR alternate is required.

About 79S

Fort Benton Airport (79S) is an airport in Fort Benton, MT, at 2,869 ft MSL. It has 2 runways, the longest 4,300 ft, with no control tower (pilot-controlled). This page shows live METAR/TAF weather, runway crosswinds, frequencies, navaids, and FAA charts for 79S, refreshed from the Aviation Weather Center and FAA NASR.

Does 79S have a control tower?

No. Fort Benton Airport is a non-towered (pilot-controlled) airport; use the published CTAF/UNICOM on the Comms & NavAids tab.

What is the longest runway at 79S?

Fort Benton Airport has 2 runways; the longest is 4,300 ft. See the Runways tab for headings, surface, and lighting.

Where is 79S?

Fort Benton Airport is in Fort Benton, MT, at an elevation of 2,869 ft MSL. Coordinates: 47.8451, -110.6360.

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