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Ellsworth Air Force Base Private

RCA · KRCA · Rapid City, SD · 3,276 ft elevation · var 8E · Towered

Airport information

ICAO / IATA
KRCA / RCA
Coordinates
44.1450, -103.1040
Elevation
3,276 ft MSL
Magnetic variation
8E
Sectional chart
CHEYENNE
Airport use
Private
Control tower
Yes
Airspace
Class D · CLASS D SVC 1400-0730Z++ MON-THU, 1400-0100Z++ FRI, CLSD SAT, SUN, GLOBAL STRIKE COMD DOWN DAYS & HOL; OTHER TIMES CLASS E
ARTCC
DENVER (ZDV)
Flight service (FSS)
HURON
NOTAM facility
RAP
Attendance
MON-THU 1400-0730Z++; FRI 1400-0100Z++
Beacon
S-white-green (SS-SR)
Segmented circle
No
Activated
1938/11
Distance from city
5 SW

Weather

METAR observed

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TAF forecast

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Sun & FAA night 2026-06-21

EventLocal (MDT)UTC
Morning civil twilight
Loggable night ends
04:32 AM10:32Z
Sunrise05:09 AM11:09Z
Sunset08:39 PM02:39Z
Evening civil twilight
Loggable night begins
09:16 PM03:16Z
Loggable night (§1.1)
09:16 PM → 04:32 AM
Night currency (§61.57)
09:39 PM → 04:09 AM

Plan a flight from KRCA

Night operations

Airport lighting
SEE RMK
Rotating beacon
S-white-green · SS-SR

Runway lighting aids — 13: 4-light PAPI (left) + ALSF1 · 31: 4-light PAPI (left) + ALSF1.

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

Traffic pattern

13TPANESW
LEFT traffic
Landing
Rwy 13 · 130°
Pattern
left (turns left)
TPA
7,776 ft MSL · 4,500 AGL

Enter the left downwind for Rwy 13 at 7,776 ft MSL · 4,500 AGL on a 45°.

Runway 13/31

13,497 ft × 300 ft · Concrete

Edge lights: High. PCN 73.

13
Heading
130° mag · 138° true
Markings
precision
VGSI
4-light PAPI (left) (3°)
Approach lights
ALSF1
Instrument landing
ILS · CAT I · LOC 111.5 (ELR) · GS 3.30°
Traffic pattern
Left
31
Heading
310° mag · 318° true
Markings
precision
VGSI
4-light PAPI (left) (3°)
Approach lights
ALSF1
Instrument landing
ILS · CAT I · LOC 110.3 (RCA) · GS 3.00°
Traffic pattern
Left
ft · ≥1.5× comfortable, under 1.25× tight · saved across airports

Communication frequencies

ServiceFrequencyNotes
CRAWFORD RCAG127.95APCH/DEP CTL SVC PRVDD BY DENVER ARTCC (ZDV) ON 127.95/338.2 (CRAWFORD RCAG) WHEN ELLSWORTH APCH (RCA) CLSD.
CRAWFORD RCAG338.2APCH/DEP CTL SVC PRVDD BY DENVER ARTCC (ZDV) ON 127.95/338.2 (CRAWFORD RCAG) WHEN ELLSWORTH APCH (RCA) CLSD.
APCH/P DEP/P119.5
ATIS120.625
EMERG121.5
GND/P121.8
LCL/P126.05
EMERG243.0
LCL/P253.5
APCH/P259.1
ATIS269.9
GND/P275.8
DEP/P289.4
SOF311.0
COMD POST321.0
PTD372.2FULL SVC AVBL 1430-2300Z++ DSN 385-1052, C605-385-1052.
PMSV METRO375.775FULL SVC AVBL 1430-2300Z++ 28 OSS DSN 385-1042, C605-385-1042, ALTN SVC AVBL SCOTT AFB 15 OWS DSN 618-256-3663, C618-256-2165.
RCA TACAN108.8/25X

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

Instrument landing systems

RunwayILS
RWY 13ILS · CAT I · LOC 111.5 (ELR) · GS 3.30°
RWY 31ILS · CAT I · LOC 110.3 (RCA) · GS 3.00°

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

Nearby navigation aids

NavAidTypeFreqRadial / Dist magnetic
RCA · EllsworthTACAN108.80r336° / 0.4 NM
RAP · Rapid CityVORTAC112.30r326° / 10.9 NM

Airport diagram

Open PDF ↗
Preview diagram Open the airport diagram PDF

Procedures at a glance

Lowest mins: ILS · vertical guidance Takeoff mins / ODP ↗

Approaches9

Departures

Minimums & Hot Spots

Chart Supplement FAA A/FD

Open PDF ↗
Preview Chart Supplement Open the Chart Supplement PDF

VFR sectional

Open KRCA on the VFR sectional (SkyVector) ↗

Services

Bottled oxygen
NONE
Bulk oxygen
LOW
Airframe service
MAJOR
Powerplant service
MAJOR

Ownership & management

Owner
U.S. AIR FORCE
44TH CSG, ELLSWORTH AFB, RAPID CITY, SD
Manager
BASE OPERATIONS
44TH CSG, ELLSWORTH AFB, RAPID CITY, SD
605-385-1052

Remarks FAA

  • CAUTION: HI POTENTIAL FOR MID-AIR COLLISION EXISTS WITH ACFT FR RAPID CITY ARPT LCTD APRX 6.5 NM SE OF ARPT.
  • JASU: (AM32A-95) (A/M32A-86)
  • OIL: O-132-133-148
  • SERVICE - TRAN ALERT- SVC AVBL 1400-2300Z++ MON-FRI; CLSD SAT, SUN, HOL, AND GLOBAL STRIKE COMD DOWN DAYS. FLEET SVC AVBL 1400-2300Z++ MON-FRI; CLSD SAT, SUN, HOL, AND GLOBAL STRIKE COMD DOWN DAYS
  • RSTD: ALL ACFT MAINT AT OR ABV 7700 FT & 2640 FT HORIZONTAL SEPARATION IN THE IMMED VCNTY OF MT. RUSHMORE; AVOID DEVILS TWR BY 5 NM. PPR ALL FULL STOP ACFT CTC BASE OPS NO EARLIER THAN 72 HR PRIOR TO ETA. FAX DSN 675-1053, C605-385-1053.
  • MISC: INBD VIP CODE 7 OR HI, CTC RAYMOND 33 15 MIN PRIOR TO BLOCK TIME WITH NAME, RANK AND PURPOSE OF VISIT.
  • FM OBS POINT WX TECHNICIANS UNABLE TO SEE THE TDZ OF BOTH RYS.
  • RSTD: PPR MIN 24 HR NTC, CTC DSN 675-1052, C605-385-1052.
  • GLOBAL STRIKE COMD RSRS APPLIED TO GLOBAL STRIKE COMD ONLY
  • EXTV GENERAL AVN AND COML TFC IN VCNTY OF RAPID CITY ARPT 6.5 NM SE OF ARPT.
  • CSTMS/AG/IMG: LTD TO US DOD ACFT ONLY; AVBL WITH 24 HR NOTICE. IMG SERVICE UNAVBL FOR NON-DOD PERS. CTC 28 OSS/OSAA, DSN 675-1052, C605-385-1052.
  • RSTD: AIRCREW SHOULD AVOID BEAR BUTTE, DEFINED BY THE RCA 317/25 FIX, BY FLYING NO LOWER THAN 10,000 FT MSL WITHIN 2NM.
  • FUEL: A++. HOT REFUEL AVBL TO B-1 AND EA-18 ACFT ONLY.
  • CAUTION: MIGRATORY BIRD ACT BASH (PHASE II) MAY AND AUG-OCT OR ACTIVE VIA NOTAM. DEER HAZ, RPT ANY ACT TO TWR/PTD.
  • COMSEC ISSUING AND CLASSIFIED MATERIAL STORAGE UNAVBL FROM AMOPS, CTC COMD POST FOR STORAGE.
  • MISC: TRAN ACFT REQ FOR APCH AND PATTERN WORK, RQR 24 HR NTC, CTC OPS DSN 675-1052, C605-385-1052.
  • OPR 1400-0730Z++ MON-THUR; 1400-0100Z++ FRI. CLSD WKENDS, HOL AND GLOBAL STRIKE COMD DOWN DAYS.
  • PRIM FREQ 311.0.
  • MISC: WX STN AUGMENTS FOR VIS AT OR BELOW 3 SM WHEN NEEDEDED. VIS LTD NE TO SE DUE TO BLDGS.
  • "VERIFY POWDER RIVER TRAINING COMPLEX STATUS BEFORE FILING IFR FPL" VIA SPECIAL USE AIRSPACE SITE: HTTPS://SUA.FAA.GOV/SUA/"
  • WHEN ATCT CLSD, FOR CD CTC DENVER ARTCC AT 303-651-4257.
  • LGT: RWY 31 NSTD ALSF-1, MISSING FIRST CNTRLN BARRETTE PRIOR TO THLD.
  • MISC: ARFF CRITICAL LVL OF SVC (RED) FOR NFPA CAT 9-10 AND USAF VEH SETS 5-6. REDUCED LEVEL OF SVC (YELLOW) FOR NFPA CAT 1-8 AND USAF VEH SETS 1-4. ONLY APPLICABLE WKD EXCLD FEDERAL HOL AND USAF GLOBAL STRIKE FAMILY DAYS. CTC FD C605-385-1113 FOR FURTHER INFO.
  • AIRFIELD LIGHTING ONLY AVAILABLE DURING TWR HOURS.
  • TPA: RECTANGULAR 4500 FT MSL, 5000 FT MSL OVHD, AVOID OVFT OF BASE PROPER WHEN CRC TO LDG.
  • CLSD WKND, HOLS AND GLOBAL STRIKE COMD (GSC) DOWN DAYS.
  • BASE OPS V675-1052/2861.

Nearby airports

KRAP · Rapid City Regional Airport (6 NM)4SD4 · Dan's AirportPrivate (7 NM)SD25 · Infinity Landing AirportPrivate (8 NM)2SD0 · Paradise Valley AirportPrivate (16 NM)49B · Sturgis Municipal Airport (20 NM)SD24 · Eden Valley AirportPrivate (22 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 KRCA 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 KRCA

Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA · KRCA) is an airport in Rapid City, SD, at 3,276 ft MSL. It has 1 runway, the longest 13,497 ft, with a control tower. This page shows live METAR/TAF weather, runway crosswinds, frequencies, navaids, and FAA charts for KRCA, refreshed from the Aviation Weather Center and FAA NASR.

Does KRCA have a control tower?

Yes. Ellsworth Air Force Base has an operating FAA control tower. Check the Comms & NavAids tab for tower and ground frequencies.

What is the longest runway at KRCA?

Ellsworth Air Force Base has 1 runway; the longest is 13,497 ft. See the Runways tab for headings, surface, and lighting.

Where is KRCA?

Ellsworth Air Force Base is in Rapid City, SD, at an elevation of 3,276 ft MSL. Coordinates: 44.1450, -103.1040.

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