Nonstop flight route between Grootfontein, Namibia and Rapid City, South Dakota, United States:
Departure Airport:
(19°36'6"S by 18°7'20"E)
Arrival Airport:
(44°8'47"N by 103°4'28"W)
Distance from GFY to RCA:
8,686.33 miles (13,979.27 km)
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Jump to:
- About this route
- GFY Airport Information
- RCA Airport Information
- Facts about GFY
- Facts about RCA
- Map of Nearest Airports to GFY
- List of Nearest Airports to GFY
- Map of Furthest Airports from GFY
- List of Furthest Airports from GFY
- Map of Nearest Airports to RCA
- List of Nearest Airports to RCA
- Map of Furthest Airports from RCA
- List of Furthest Airports from RCA
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Grootfontein Airport (GFY), Grootfontein, Namibia and Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA), Rapid City, South Dakota, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,686 miles (or 13,979 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 Grootfontein 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 Grootfontein 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:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | GFY / FYGF |
| Airport Names: |
|
| Location: | Grootfontein, Namibia |
| GPS Coordinates: | 19°36'6"S by 18°7'20"E |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 4636 feet (1,413 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 2 |
| View all routes: | Routes from GFY |
| More Information: | GFY Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | RCA / KRCA |
| Airport Names: |
|
| Location: | Rapid City, South Dakota, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 44°8'47"N by 103°4'28"W |
| View all routes: | Routes from RCA |
| More Information: | RCA Maps & Info |
Facts about Grootfontein Airport (GFY):
- The closest airport to Grootfontein Airport (GFY) is Halali Airport (HAL), which is located 115 miles (186 kilometers) WNW of GFY.
- The furthest airport from Grootfontein Airport (GFY) is PMRF Barking Sands (BKH), which is nearly antipodal to Grootfontein Airport (meaning Grootfontein Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from PMRF Barking Sands), and is located 12,222 miles (19,669 kilometers) away in Kekaha, Hawaii, United States.
- In addition to being known as "Grootfontein Airport", another name for GFY is "Grootfontein Airport".
- Because of Grootfontein Airport's high elevation of 4,636 feet, planes must typically fly at a faster airspeed in order to takeoff or land at GFY. Combined with a high temperature, this could make GFY a "Hot & High" airport, where the air density is lower than it would otherwise be at sea level.
- Grootfontein Airport (GFY) has 2 runways.
Facts about Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA):
- 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.
- When operations resumed in 1947 the base was a new United States Air Force asset.
- In addition to being known as "Ellsworth Air Force Base", another name for RCA is "Ellsworth AFB".
- 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 Titan I's life span was short in western South Dakota.
- 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.
- 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.
- Ellsworth AFB is 10 miles east of Rapid City, S.D.
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 115.45 miles (185.80 km) WNW | Halali Airport (HAL) | Halali, Namibia |     |
| 2 | 154.40 miles (248.48 km) NE | Rundu Airport (NDU) | Rundu, Okavango Region, Namibia | |
| 3 | 203.81 miles (328.00 km) SSW | Hosea Kutako International Airport (WDH) | Windhoek, Namibia | |
| 4 | 206.00 miles (331.52 km) ENE | Dirico Airport (DRC) | Dirico, Angola | |
| 5 | 208.18 miles (335.03 km) SSE | Gobabis Airport (GOG) | Gobabis, Namibia | |
| 6 | 218.56 miles (351.74 km) SSW | Eros Airport (ERS) | Windhoek, Namibia | |
| 7 | 270.41 miles (435.18 km) ESE | Ghanzi Airport (GNZ) | Ghanzi, Botswana | |
| 8 | 283.04 miles (455.51 km) SW | Arandis Airport (ADI) | Arandis / Swakopmund, Namibia | |
| 9 | 285.72 miles (459.82 km) NW | Vila Roçadas/Xangongo Airport (XGN) | Xangongo, Angola | |
| 10 | 314.36 miles (505.92 km) NNE | Cuito Cuanavale Airport (CTI) | Cuito Cuanavale, Angola | |
| 11 | 323.35 miles (520.38 km) SW | Walvis Bay Airport (WVB) | Walvis Bay, Namibia | |
| 12 | 346.07 miles (556.94 km) E | Maun Airport (MUB) | Maun, Botswana | |
| 13 | 382.45 miles (615.49 km) SE | Hukuntsi Airport (HUK) | Hukuntsi, Botswana | |
| 14 | 419.02 miles (674.34 km) ENE | Katima Mulilo Airport (MPA) | Katima Mulilo, Namibia | |
| 15 | 423.06 miles (680.84 km) NNE | Cangamba Airport (CNZ) | Cangamba, Angola | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 12,221.77 miles (19,668.98 km) NW | PMRF Barking Sands (BKH) | Kekaha, Hawaii, United States | |
| 2 | 12,220.61 miles (19,667.12 km) NW | Port Allen Airport (PAK) | Hanapepe, Hawaii, United States | |
| 3 | 12,204.87 miles (19,641.78 km) NW | Lihue Airport (LIH) | Lihue, Hawaii, United States | |
| 4 | 12,197.88 miles (19,630.53 km) NW | Princeville Airport (HPV) | Hanalei, Hawaii, United States | |
| 5 | 12,163.63 miles (19,575.42 km) WNW | Kalaeloa Airport (NAX) | Kapolei, Hawaii, United States | |
| 6 | 12,162.35 miles (19,573.36 km) WNW | Dillingham Airfield (HDH) | Mokuleia, Hawaii, United States | |
| 7 | 12,156.50 miles (19,563.94 km) WNW | Wheeler AAF (HHI) | Wahiawa, Hawaii, United States | |
| 8 | 12,154.65 miles (19,560.97 km) WNW | Honolulu International Airport (HNL) | Honolulu, Hawaii, United States | |
| 9 | 12,154.65 miles (19,560.97 km) WNW | Hickam Field (HIK) | Honolulu, Hawaii, United States | |
| 10 | 12,109.14 miles (19,487.72 km) WNW | Molokai Airport (MKK) | Kaunakakai, Hawaii, United States | |
| 11 | 12,107.08 miles (19,484.40 km) WNW | Lanai Airport (LNY) | Lanai City, Hawaii, United States | |
| 12 | 12,100.36 miles (19,473.59 km) WNW | Kalaupapa Airport (LUP) | Kalaupapa, Hawaii, United States | |
| 13 | 12,086.66 miles (19,451.55 km) WNW | Kapalua Airport (JHM) | Lahaina, Hawaii, United States | |
| 14 | 12,072.55 miles (19,428.84 km) WNW | Kahului Airport (OGG) | Kahului, Hawaii, United States | |
| 15 | 12,057.27 miles (19,404.24 km) W | Kona International Airport at Keāhole (KOA) | Kailua / Kona, Hawaii, United States | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 7.04 miles (11.33 km) S | Rapid City Regional Airport (RAP) | Rapid City, South Dakota, United States | |
| 2 | 41.93 miles (67.49 km) WNW | Black Hills Airport (SPF) | Spearfish, South Dakota, United States | |
| 3 | 82.62 miles (132.96 km) SSE | Pine Ridge Airport (XPR) | Pine Ridge, South Dakota, United States | |
| 4 | 90.44 miles (145.55 km) S | Chadron Municipal Airport (CDR) | Chadron, Nebraska, United States | |
| 5 | 122.78 miles (197.60 km) W | Gillette–Campbell County Airport (GCC) | Gillette, Wyoming, United States | |
| 6 | 138.94 miles (223.59 km) E | Pierre Regional Airport (PIR) | Pierre, South Dakota, United States | |
| 7 | 142.03 miles (228.58 km) N | Bowman Municipal Airport (BWM) | Bowman, North Dakota, United States | |
| 8 | 145.26 miles (233.77 km) S | Alliance Municipal Airport (AIA) | Alliance, Nebraska, United States | |
| 9 | 148.71 miles (239.33 km) SW | Converse County Airport (DGW) | Douglas, Wyoming, United States | |
| 10 | 153.78 miles (247.49 km) SSW | Torrington Municipal Airport (TOR) | Torrington, Wyoming, United States | |
| 11 | 154.79 miles (249.12 km) SE | Miller Field (VTN) | Valentine, Nebraska, United States | |
| 12 | 159.20 miles (256.21 km) S | Western Nebraska Regional Airport (BFF) | Scottsbluff, Nebraska, United States | |
| 13 | 162.60 miles (261.68 km) NE | Mobridge Municipal Airport (MBG) | Mobridge, South Dakota, United States | |
| 14 | 183.63 miles (295.52 km) N | Dickinson Theodore Roosevelt Regional Airport (DIK) | Dickinson, North Dakota, United States | |
| 15 | 188.89 miles (303.99 km) SE | Ainsworth Regional Airport (ANW) | Ainsworth, Nebraska, United States | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 10,579.32 miles (17,025.72 km) SSE | Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG) | Rodrigues Island, Mauritius | |
| 2 | 10,460.72 miles (16,834.85 km) SE | Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport (MRU) | Plaisance, Mauritius | |
| 3 | 10,437.71 miles (16,797.83 km) SE | Pierrefonds Airport (ZSE) | Saint-Pierre, Réunion | |
| 4 | 10,415.77 miles (16,762.51 km) SE | Roland Garros Airport (RUN) | St Denis, Réunion, France | |
| 5 | 10,301.11 miles (16,577.99 km) ESE | Tôlanaro Airport (FTU) | Tôlanaro, Madagascar | |
| 6 | 10,292.17 miles (16,563.61 km) W | Margaret River Airport (MGV) | Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 7 | 10,268.77 miles (16,525.95 km) W | Busselton Regional Airport (BQB) | Busselton, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 8 | 10,252.53 miles (16,499.80 km) W | Manjimup Airport (MJP) | Manjimup, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 9 | 10,244.09 miles (16,486.22 km) W | Bunbury Airport (BUY) | Bunbury, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 10 | 10,200.19 miles (16,415.58 km) W | Rottnest Airport (RTS) | Rottnest Island, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 11 | 10,193.03 miles (16,404.05 km) W | Albany Airport (ALH) | Albany, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 12 | 10,186.88 miles (16,394.16 km) W | Jandakot Airport (JAD) | Jandakot, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 13 | 10,186.40 miles (16,393.38 km) ESE | Ampanihy Airport (AMP) | Ampanihy, Madagascar | |
| 14 | 10,176.73 miles (16,377.83 km) W | Perth Airport (PER) | Perth, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 15 | 10,162.30 miles (16,354.60 km) SE | Mananjary Airport (MNJ) | Mananjary, Madagascar | |