Nonstop flight route between Courchevel, France and Rapid City, South Dakota, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Courchevel Airport (CVF), Courchevel, France and Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA), Rapid City, South Dakota, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,904 miles (or 7,892 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 Courchevel 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 Courchevel 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 Courchevel Airport (CVF):

• The furthest airport from Courchevel Airport (CVF) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is nearly antipodal to Courchevel Airport (meaning Courchevel Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Chatham Islands), and is located 12,249 miles (19,713 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
• The closest airport to Courchevel Airport (CVF) is Méribel Airport (MFX), which is located only 3 miles (5 kilometers) WNW of CVF.
• Because of Courchevel Airport's high elevation of 6,588 feet, planes must typically fly at a faster airspeed in order to takeoff or land at CVF. Combined with a high temperature, this could make CVF a "Hot & High" airport, where the air density is lower than it would otherwise be at sea level.
• Courchevel Airport (CVF) currently has only 1 runway.
• In addition to being known as "Courchevel Airport", another name for CVF is "Aérodrome de Courchevel".

Facts about Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA):

• Shortly after additional runway improvements, in July 1949, the 28 BMW began conversion from B-29s to the huge B-36 Peacemaker.
• 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.
• 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.
• In October 1960, Ellsworth entered the "Space Age," with the activation of the 850th Strategic Missile Squadron, initially assigned to the 28 BMW.
• Rapid City AAF was assigned to the 17th Bombardment Training Wing, II Bomber Command.
• 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".
• 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.