Nonstop flight route between Charlottesville, Virginia, United States and Rapid City, South Dakota, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Charlottesville–Albemarle Airport (CHO), Charlottesville, Virginia, United States and Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA), Rapid City, South Dakota, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 1,341 miles (or 2,158 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 Charlottesville–Albemarle 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 Charlottesville–Albemarle Airport (CHO):

• The airport has a 60,000 sq ft terminal with on-site rental cars, ground transportation, and food service and gifts from "The Market" Gourmet Deli & Gift Shop.General aviation facilities include an executive terminal offering a full-service by the fixed base operator, Landmark Aviation, flight schools, emergency medical transportation provided by the UVA Hospital's Pegasus service and aircraft charter firms.
• Because of Charlottesville–Albemarle Airport's relatively low elevation of 639 feet, planes can take off or land at Charlottesville–Albemarle 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 closest airport to Charlottesville–Albemarle Airport (CHO) is Orange County Airport (OMH), which is located 23 miles (38 kilometers) ENE of CHO.
• The furthest airport from Charlottesville–Albemarle Airport (CHO) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,627 miles (18,711 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
• This facility is included in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems, which categorized it as a primary commercial service airport.
• Charlottesville–Albemarle Airport (CHO) currently has only 1 runway.

Facts about Ellsworth Air Force Base (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.
• In March 1994, Ellsworth welcomed the 34th Bomb Squadron, a geographically separated unit that was awaiting airfield upgrades before it could return to its parent organization, the 366th Wing, at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho.
• Rapid City AAF was assigned to the 17th Bombardment Training Wing, II Bomber Command.
• The base experienced one of its worst peacetime tragedies in March 1953 when an RB-36 and its entire crew of 23 crashed in Newfoundland while returning from a routine exercise in Europe.
• 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.
• 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.
• In addition to being known as "Ellsworth Air Force Base", another name for RCA is "Ellsworth AFB".
• 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.