Sioux Falls Regional Airport


Sioux Falls Regional Airport, also known as Joe Foss Field, is a public and military use airport owned by the Sioux Falls Regional Airport Authority and located three nautical miles northwest of the central business district of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Named in honor of aviator and Sioux Falls native Joe Foss, who later served as the 20th Governor of South Dakota, it serves the greater Sioux Falls area, as well as communities throughout Eastern South Dakota, Southwestern Minnesota and Northwestern Iowa.
This airport is included in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2011–2015, which categorized it as a primary commercial service airport since it has over 10,000 passenger boardings per year. As per Federal Aviation Administration records, the airport had 423,288 enplanements in calendar year 2011, an increase of 18.92% from 355,939 in 2010. Also located at the airport, Joe Foss Field Air National Guard Station is home to Headquarters, South Dakota Air National Guard and its 114th Fighter Wing. The 114 FW is an Air Combat Command gained unit known as the "Fighting Lobos" and operates F-16C/D aircraft.
Although the South Dakota Adjutant General is based in Camp Rapid in Rapid City, South Dakota, the South Dakota Air National Guard is effectively headquartered with the 114 FW.

History

Sioux Falls Regional Airport was originally laid out and constructed on its present site as an airfield in 1937. In early 1942, at the height of the Second World War, the city approached the Federal Government and subsequently leased the airport and surrounding property to become the Sioux Falls Army Air Base. The major function of the base was the establishment of a radio operator training facility. Between 1942 and 1945, approximately 40,000 radio operators were trained in Sioux Falls. The base was also a logistical supply center and its grid of streets now make up a distinct industrial area just south of the present day airport. In 1946, the airport and surrounding land was transferred back to the city and the South Dakota Air National Guard was also established under the direction of future airport namesake Joe Foss. The Air National Guard Base portion of the airport is located south and west of the commercial and general aviation areas, north of Russell Street and has all the standard facilities of any small USAF installation except for family housing. The 114th's F-16C and F-16D aircraft are a frequent sight over the Sioux Falls area, conducting training flights and routine operations.
In 2005, Sioux Falls Regional Airport became one of the first airports in the country to de-federalize its workforce. Covenant Aviation Security previously provided baggage and passenger screening under contract with the Transportation Security Administration under the Screening Partnership Program. Currently, the Trinity Technology Group provides security screening functions.

Facilities and aircraft

Joe Foss Field covers an area of 1,570 acres at an elevation of 1,430 feet above mean sea level. It has three runways with concrete surfaces:
3/21 is 8,999 by 150 feet, 15/33 is 8,000 by 150 feet, and 9/27 is 3,151 by 75 feet. It also has one helipad designated H1 with an asphalt surface measuring 50 by 50 feet.
The terminal has seven gates, all equipped with loading bridges. Five gates can accommodate up to an Airbus A320 family or Boeing 737 family size aircraft while gate number 5 can accommodate up to a Boeing 757 and gate number 2 can only accommodate a CRJ 200 or ERJ-145. CBP facilities exist for general aviation and cargo use, but large charter and scheduled passenger are not accepted.
For a 12-month period ending December 31, 2017, the airport had 73,221 aircraft operations, an average of 201 per day: 38% air taxi, 39% general aviation, 16% scheduled commercial and 7% military. At that time there were 111 aircraft based at this airport: 49.5% single-engine, 31% multi-engine, 16% military and 4% jet.

Renovations

The Costello Terminal building was opened in 1970 and has undergone numerous renovations over the years including ones in 1990, 2003 & 2005.
Beginning in the spring of 2009, the Sioux Falls Regional Airport embarked on a major three phase multi-year, multimillion-dollar renovation and expansion project, designed by Koch Hazard Architects to freshen up and update the look and feel of the airport as a whole. Projects included renovating and expanding the ticketing and check-in counter area, moving all TSA screening equipment behind the ticketing counters into a more secure location, renovating and relocating the ground floor gift shop, updating and renovating the concourse, adding a new business lounge, and renovating the restaurant in the upper concourse, installing three new jet bridges, and updating and re-configuring the airport's parking operations. By 2012, these projects were successfully completed and more updates and improvements were announced. From March to October 2012, the terminal's lower level restaurant was completely overhauled and renovated to become Wildcat Corner. Additionally, another long term parking lot was constructed due to high demand; and from August to September 2012, the airport was closed over a course of four weekends to almost all air traffic to allow a major runway intersection to be rebuilt. In 2014, work commenced on another major renovation project to replace the dated escalators with new ones and to open up and finish renovating the lobby of the terminal along with expanding the security checkpoint. Work also commenced on an onsite hotel the same year that is attached to the north end of the current terminal building. The hotel mainly caters to business travelers and has approximately 70 rooms.
Future short and long term projects envisioned for the airport include construction of additional holding aprons for aircraft at the end of each runway, continued pavement rehabilitation, completion of a west side access road, continued improvements to airport parking, a new control tower, new landing and updated navigational aids for all runways, additional land easements for flood control, runway safety zones, conservation efforts, an additional baggage carousel, a parking ramp and a new concourse.

Airlines and destinations

As of February 2020, the airport provides service to 12 destinations across the United States.
The following airlines offer scheduled passenger service:
Destinations map

Statistics

Top destinations

Airline statistics

Cargo

Cargo airlines

Incidents

On March 8, 1972, two people died after a Cessna arriving from Fairmont, Minnesota hit power lines on final approach.
On June 16, 1981, one person died and three people were injured after a single-engine Cessna experienced engine failure and crashed on takeoff.
On November 30, 1982, two people died after a Cessna P210 crashed short of the runway at night in fog.
On September 24, 1983, a modified ultralight aircraft crashed during an air show, killing its pilot and only occupant.
On November 6, 1983, a Convair 580 operating for Republic Airways struck a bird on landing, which penetrated the windshield and hit the captain in the face. The first officer completed the landing without further incident.
On December 20, 1983, Ozark Air Lines Flight 650 struck a snow plow on the runway while landing, killing the driver of the snow plow.
On December 9, 2011, a Cessna 421-C aircraft crashed shortly after takeoff less than a mile from the airport into an open field. All 4 passengers on board were killed when the aircraft burst into flames upon crashing.
On April 8, 2018, an Allegiant Airlines McDonnell Douglas MD-83 arriving from Las Vegas overran the runway due to snow and ice. No passengers were injured.
On December 25, 2018, a Beechcraft Baron, registered N6745V, crashed in southeast Sioux Falls while approaching runway 33. The pilot and one passenger died.