Ellsworth Air Force Base Private
RCA · KRCA · Rapid City, SD · Towered · Print kneeboard
FAA airport diagramView full size ↓ Nearby now
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Weather
METAR observed
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TAF forecast
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Sun & FAA night2026-08-04 · night begins 08:46 PM
| Event | Local (MDT) | UTC |
|---|---|---|
| Morning civil twilight Loggable night ends | 05:11 AM | 11:11Z |
| Sunrise | 05:43 AM | 11:43Z |
| Sunset | 08:13 PM | 02:13Z |
| Evening civil twilight Loggable night begins | 08:46 PM | 02:46Z |
Plan a flight from KRCA
Past 24 hours category · wind · ceiling · visibility trends
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Density altitude today projected curve · departure window · takeoff roll
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Winds aloft NOAA forecast · 3,000 to 53,000 ft
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Advisories
NOTAMs
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Pilot reports
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Airspace hazards
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Runways
RWY 13LEFT traffic
- Heading
- 130° mag · 138° true
- Dimensions
- 13,497 × 300 ft
- TPA
- 7,776 ft MSL · 4,500 AGL · charted
- Surface
- Concrete
- Lights
- 4-light PAPI (left) (3°) + ALSF1
- ILS
- ILS · CAT I · LOC 111.5 (ELR) · GS 3.30°
More details — RWY 13
- Threshold elev
- 3,276 ft
- Markings
- precision
- Threshold crossing height
- 50 ft
- TDZ elevation
- 3,276 ft
Pattern side: FAA NASR · TPA charted (NASR) · layout: FAA runway-end coordinates
| Runway | Length | Your margin |
|---|---|---|
| 13/31 | 13,497 ft |
Prefer one flat page? Full runway details for KRCA → · New to pattern entries? The 45° entry, explained → · Teaching here? Print the KRCA kneeboard →
Comms & NavAids
Communication frequencies
Before taxi
“Ellsworth”Taxi & takeoff
“Ellsworth”Departure & arrival
“Ellsworth”Also
ATC assigns the exact frequency (in your clearance or on handoff) — which one depends on your SID (departing) or STAR (arriving).
By procedure & sector (11 frequencies)
| Frequency | Used by |
|---|---|
| 243.0 | EMERG |
| 253.5 | LCL/P |
| 259.1 | APCH/P |
| 269.9 | ATIS |
| 275.8 | GND/P |
| 289.4 | DEP/P |
| 311.0 | SOF |
| 321.0 | COMD POST |
| 338.2 | CRAWFORD RCAG (LOW) |
| 372.2 | PTD |
| 375.775 | PMSV METRO |
Source: FAA NASR (current 28-day cycle).
Instrument landing systems
RWY 13 · RWY 31
| Runway | ILS |
|---|---|
| RWY 13 | ILS · CAT I · LOC 111.5 (ELR) · GS 3.30° |
| RWY 31 | ILS · CAT I · LOC 110.3 (RCA) · GS 3.00° |
Source: FAA NASR (current 28-day cycle).
Nearby navigation aids
RCA 108.80 · RAP 112.30
| NavAid | Type | Freq · ch | Range | Radial / Dist magnetic |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RCA · Ellsworth | TACAN | 108.80 · 25X | — | r337° / 0.4 NM |
| RAP · Rapid City | VORTAC | 112.30 · 70X | High | r326° / 10.9 NM |
Prefer one flat list? All KRCA frequencies →
Charts & procedures
Lowest minimums here: ILS with vertical guidance · VFR sectional →
Airport info
From the field
Do you run KRCA, or an FBO, flight school, or shop on it? Claim your listing to keep fuel, fees, hours, and services current.
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
- Tower hours
- 1400-0730Z++ MON-THU, 1400-0100Z++ FRI, CLSD SAT, SUN, GLOBAL STRIKE COMD DOWN DAYS, & HOL.
- 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 · 122.2 · 1-800-WX-BRIEF
- 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
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 under Sun & FAA night in the Weather section.
Services fuel · repairs · oxygen · attendance
- Bottled oxygen
- NONE
- Bulk oxygen
- LOW
- Airframe service
- MAJOR
- Powerplant service
- MAJOR
Ownership & management 2 contacts
Remarks FAA · 26 notes
General
- 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
- TRAN ALERT: SVC AVBL 1300-2200Z++ MON-FRI; CLSD SAT, SUN, HOL, AND GLOBAL STRIKE COMD DOWN DAYS. FLEET SVC UNAVBL.
- 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 THREE CNTRLN BARRETTES FURTHEST FROM THLD.
- MISC: ARFF CRITICAL LEVEL SVC (YELLOW) FOR ALL NFPA CAT AND USAF VEH SETS. CTC FD C6053851113 FOR FURTHER INFO.
Lighting
- AIRFIELD LIGHTING ONLY AVAILABLE DURING TWR HOURS.
Contact
- BASE OPS V675-1052/2861.
Attendance
- CLSD WKND, HOLS AND GLOBAL STRIKE COMD (GSC) DOWN DAYS.
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Nearby airports
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Also nearby: 4SD4 Dan's Airport (private) (7 NM) · SD25 Infinity Landing Airport (private) (8 NM) · 2SD0 Paradise Valley Airport (private) (16 NM) · 49B Sturgis Municipal Airport (20 NM) · SD24 Eden Valley Airport (private) (22 NM)
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. See the Comms & NavAids section 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 section 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.
Fly out of KRCA often?
Save KRCA as your home base in the SkyReady app for a one-tap Go/No-Go readiness brief, weather alerts, and automatic FAA currency — free to log.
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.