Nonstop flight route between Aberdeen, Scotland, United Kingdom and Rapid City, South Dakota, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Aberdeen International Airport (ABZ), Aberdeen, Scotland, United Kingdom and Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA), Rapid City, South Dakota, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,090 miles (or 6,582 kilometers).

A Great Circle is the shortest distance between 2 points on a sphere. Because most world maps are flat (but the Earth is round), the route of the shortest distance between 2 points on the Earth will often appear curved when viewed on a flat map, especially for long distances. If you were to simply draw a straight line on a flat map and measure a very long distance, it would likely be much further than if you were to lay a string between those two points on a globe. Because of the large distance between Aberdeen International Airport and Ellsworth Air Force Base, the route shown on this map most likely appears curved because of this reason.

Try it at home! Get a globe and tightly lay a string between Aberdeen International Airport and Ellsworth Air Force Base. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!

Departure Airport Information:

Arrival Airport Information:

Facts about Aberdeen International Airport (ABZ):

• For Flight Training, Eurocopter and Bristow Helicopters both have helicopter flight Simulators in buildings at the airport.
• Because of Aberdeen International Airport's relatively low elevation of 215 feet, planes can take off or land at Aberdeen International Airport at a lower air speed than at airports located at a higher elevation. This is because the air density is higher closer to sea level than it would otherwise be at higher elevations.
• The furthest airport from Aberdeen International Airport (ABZ) is Ryan's Creek Aerodrome (SZS), which is located 11,616 miles (18,694 kilometers) away in Stewart Island, New Zealand.
• Aberdeen International Airport (ABZ) currently has only 1 runway.
• On 6 October 2011, a 124-metre extension to the main runway at the airport was opened, almost eight months ahead of schedule.
• On 26 December 1944, A Messerschmitt BF109G signalling intentions to surrender crash landed at the airfield.
• General aviation flight training for private pilots licenses takes place from the East Side of the airport and located in the ground Handling agents premises.
• The airport opened in 1934, established by Eric Gandar Dower, intended to link the northern islands of Scotland with London.
• In addition to being known as "Aberdeen International Airport", other names for ABZ include "Aberdeen/Dyce Airport" and "Port-adhair Obar Dheathain".
• The closest airport to Aberdeen International Airport (ABZ) is RAF Lossiemouth (LMO), which is located 55 miles (88 kilometers) NW of ABZ.
• Aberdeen International Airport handled 3,440,765 passengers last year.

Facts about Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA):

• The closest airport to Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA) is Rapid City Regional Airport (RAP), which is located only 7 miles (11 kilometers) S of RCA.
• To provide air defense of the base, the United States Army established the Ellsworth AFB Defense Area in 1957 and constructed Nike-Ajax Surface-to-air missile sites for air defense.
• An AN/MPS-14 height-finder radar was added in 1956.
• On 1 June 1971, SAC deactivated the 821st Strategic Aerospace Division and by October of that year, an upgraded LGM-30F Minuteman II also replaced the Minuteman I missiles.
• Shortly after additional runway improvements, in July 1949, the 28 BMW began conversion from B-29s to the huge B-36 Peacemaker.
• Ellsworth AFB was established in 1941 as Rapid City Army Air Base.
• In addition to being known as "Ellsworth Air Force Base", another name for RCA is "Ellsworth AFB".
• The furthest airport from Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 10,579 miles (17,026 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.
• The airfield was again temporarily shut down from September 1946 – March 1947 and underwent a major construction program to upgrade the temporary wartime facilities to that of a permanent base.
• Ellsworth AFB is 10 miles east of Rapid City, S.D.