Nonstop flight route between Romulus (near Detroit), Michigan, United States and Rapid City, South Dakota, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW), Romulus (near Detroit), Michigan, United States and Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA), Rapid City, South Dakota, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 1,000 miles (or 1,610 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 Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County 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 Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW):

• The Wayne County Airport Authority's latest FAA Master Plan includes a number of proposed future developments to be considered at such time as demand warrants and funding is available.
• Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) has 6 runways.
• The North Terminal houses two, six-lane security checkpoints.
• Pan-Am, and BOAC, were the first passenger airlines at Detroit-Wayne Major.
• The remaining passenger airlines at Willow Run moved to Metro Airport in 1966, and the North Terminal opened that year.
• The furthest airport from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) is Margaret River Airport (MGV), which is located 11,285 miles (18,161 kilometers) away in Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia.
• Because of Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport's relatively low elevation of 645 feet, planes can take off or land at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County 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.
• As of 2010 most passengers traveling from Beirut, Lebanon to Detroit use the Royal Jordanian flight originating in Amman, Jordan.
• The closest airport to Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) is Willow Run Airport (YIP) (YIP), which is located only 9 miles (15 kilometers) W of DTW.

Facts about Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA):

• Rapid City AAF was assigned to the 17th Bombardment Training Wing, II Bomber Command.
• 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.
• On 1 June 1992, as part of the first major reorganization since the creation of USAF, the Air Force inactivated Strategic Air Command and assigned Ellsworth's organizations ) to the newly activated Air Combat Command.
• 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.
• Rapid City AAB was reactivated on 11 October 1945 and was assigned to Continental Air Force.
• 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.
• The installation changed names a few more times during its early years.