Nonstop flight route between Ankang, Shaanxi, China and Rapid City, South Dakota, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Ankang Wulipu Airport (AKA), Ankang, Shaanxi, China and Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA), Rapid City, South Dakota, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 6,757 miles (or 10,874 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 Ankang Wulipu 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 Ankang Wulipu 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 Ankang Wulipu Airport (AKA):

• Ankang Wulipu Airport (AKA) currently has only 1 runway.
• Civil flights first started in the 1964 but ceased in 1986.
• The closest airport to Ankang Wulipu Airport (AKA) is Shennongjia Hongping Airport (HPG), which is located 111 miles (178 kilometers) SE of AKA.
• In addition to being known as "Ankang Wulipu Airport", other names for AKA include "安康五里铺机场" and "Ānkāng Wǔlǐpù Jīchǎng".
• Because of Ankang Wulipu Airport's relatively low elevation of 860 feet, planes can take off or land at Ankang Wulipu 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 Ankang Wulipu Airport (AKA) is Viña del Mar Airport (KNA), which is nearly antipodal to Ankang Wulipu Airport (meaning Ankang Wulipu Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Viña del Mar Airport), and is located 12,408 miles (19,968 kilometers) away in Viña del Mar, Chile.

Facts about Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA):

• Rapid City AAF was assigned to the 17th Bombardment Training Wing, II Bomber Command.
• 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.
• 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 740th AC&W Squadron began operations in 1955 with AN/MPS-7 search radar, and initially the station functioned as a Ground-Control Intercept and warning station.
• In addition to being known as "Ellsworth Air Force Base", another name for RCA is "Ellsworth AFB".
• Shortly after additional runway improvements, in July 1949, the 28 BMW began conversion from B-29s to the huge B-36 Peacemaker.
• 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.