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

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Brownsville/South Padre Island International Airport (BRO), Brownsville, Texas, United States and Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA), Rapid City, South Dakota, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 1,299 miles (or 2,091 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 Brownsville/South Padre Island International 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 Brownsville/South Padre Island International Airport (BRO):

• Pan American Airways and World-Wide Consolidated Logistics, Inc.
• The furthest airport from Brownsville/South Padre Island International Airport (BRO) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 11,143 miles (17,933 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.
• In addition to being known as "Brownsville/South Padre Island International Airport", another name for BRO is "(former Brownsville Army Airfield)".
• This airport included in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2011–2015, which categorized it as a primary commercial service facility.
• With the end of the Pacific War in August 1945, operations at Brownsville AAF were dramatically reduced.
• Because of Brownsville/South Padre Island International Airport's relatively low elevation of 22 feet, planes can take off or land at Brownsville/South Padre Island 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.
• Brownsville/South Padre Island International Airport (BRO) has 3 runways.
• The closest airport to Brownsville/South Padre Island International Airport (BRO) is General Servando Canales International Airport (MAM), which is located only 11 miles (18 kilometers) SSW of BRO.

Facts about Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA):

• Rapid City AAB was reactivated on 11 October 1945 and was assigned to Continental Air Force.
• An AN/MPS-14 height-finder radar was added in 1956.
• 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 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 44th Missile Wing, however, had ably accomplished its deterrence mission.
• 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.
• Air Defense Command deactivated the Ellsworth radar site on 15 August 1962 and the 740th was discontinued.
• An Army Air-Defense Command Post was established at Ellsworth in 1960 for Nike missile command-and-control functions.
• In addition to being known as "Ellsworth Air Force Base", another name for RCA is "Ellsworth AFB".