Economic Impact of General Aviation in

South Dakota


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According to the 2020 South Dakota State Aviation System Plan & Aviation Economic Impact Study, general aviation airports in South Dakota support an estimated $75 million in economic activity annually.

Aviation by the Numbers

According to the FAA, South Dakota is home to 70 public-use airports, which serve 2,689 pilots and 2,025 aircraft across the state.

Number of Jobs

According to the 2020 South Dakota State Aviation System Plan & Aviation Economic Impact Study, general aviation airports in South Dakota support 660 jobs with an annual income of $35 million

Economic Impact

According to the same study, South Dakota general aviation airports support over $75 million in total economic activity.

According to the FAA, the state is home to 12 repair stations, 2 pilot schools and one maintenance school. According to the FAA, there are 875 student pilots and 475 flight instructors in South Dakota.

In addition, there are 45 fixed-base operators in the state, according to the AC-U-KWIK directory. According to Helicopter Association International, there are 52 heliports in South Dakota.

According to the University Aviation Association and the National Center for Education Statistics, flight departments in South Dakota include Lake Area Technical College in Watertown, National American University-Ellsworth AFB Extension in Ellsworth, National American University-Rapid City in Rapid City, and South Dakota State University in Brookings.

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    Proclamations & Resolutions

    Across the United States, governors and mayors from all 50 states have signed proclamations recognizing the importance of aviation industry. See what has passed in South Dakota, choose from the list below.

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