Nonstop flight route between Fort Worth, Texas, United States and Rapid City, South Dakota, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Fort Worth Alliance Airport (AFW), Fort Worth, Texas, United States and Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA), Rapid City, South Dakota, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 831 miles (or 1,337 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 relatively short distance between Fort Worth Alliance Airport and Ellsworth Air Force Base, the route shown on this map most likely still appears to be a straight line.

Departure Airport Information:

Arrival Airport Information:

Facts about Fort Worth Alliance Airport (AFW):

• The closest airport to Fort Worth Alliance Airport (AFW) is Fort Worth Meacham Int'l Airport (FTW), which is located only 12 miles (19 kilometers) SSW of AFW.
• Fort Worth Alliance Airport (AFW) has 2 runways.
• Fort Worth Alliance Airport is a city-owned public-use airport located 14 miles north of the central business district of Fort Worth, city in Tarrant County, Texas, United States.
• Because of Fort Worth Alliance Airport's relatively low elevation of 722 feet, planes can take off or land at Fort Worth Alliance 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.
• American Airlines closed its maintenance base in December 2012 during Chapter 11.
• The furthest airport from Fort Worth Alliance Airport (AFW) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 10,936 miles (17,600 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.

Facts about Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA):

• In addition to being known as "Ellsworth Air Force Base", another name for RCA is "Ellsworth AFB".
• 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.
• The host unit at Ellsworth is the 28th Bomb Wing assigned to the Air Combat Command's Twelfth Air Force.
• 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.
• 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.
• An Army Air-Defense Command Post was established at Ellsworth in 1960 for Nike missile command-and-control functions.
• The 44th Missile Wing, however, had ably accomplished its deterrence mission.
• The installation changed names a few more times during its early years.
• After the Army closed their facilities, the military housing at the Nike Integrated Fire Control sites was transferred to control of Ellsworth, and was used as Air Force military family housing until about 1990.
• Ellsworth AFB was established in 1941 as Rapid City Army Air Base.
• Rapid City AAB was reactivated on 11 October 1945 and was assigned to Continental Air Force.