Nonstop flight route between Gulfport, Mississippi, United States and Rapid City, South Dakota, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Gulfport–Biloxi International Airport (GPT), Gulfport, Mississippi, United States and Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA), Rapid City, South Dakota, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 1,219 miles (or 1,961 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 Gulfport–Biloxi 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 Gulfport–Biloxi International Airport (GPT):

• Because of Gulfport–Biloxi International Airport's relatively low elevation of 28 feet, planes can take off or land at Gulfport–Biloxi 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.
• The closest airport to Gulfport–Biloxi International Airport (GPT) is Keesler Air Force Base (BIX), which is located only 9 miles (14 kilometers) E of GPT.
• A 40,000-square-foot cargo facility is located at Gulfport–Biloxi International Airport.
• Through the late 1970s, Southern Airways continued as the primary airline, followed by successors Republic Airlines and Northwest Airlines into the 1990s.
• Gulfport–Biloxi International Airport (GPT) has 2 runways.
• Gulfport–Biloxi International Airport covers an area of 1,400 acres at an elevation of 28 feet above mean sea level.
• The furthest airport from Gulfport–Biloxi International Airport (GPT) is Cocos (Keeling) Island Airport (CCK), which is located 11,123 miles (17,900 kilometers) away in Cocos Islands, Australia.

Facts about Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA):

• Air Defense Command activated the 740th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron at Rapid City AFB on 1 February 1953 under the ADC 31st Air Division.
• In addition to being known as "Ellsworth Air Force Base", another name for RCA is "Ellsworth AFB".
• 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 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.
• In March 1944, heavy bomber operational training ended and the 225th Army Air Force Base Unit began training of replacement personnel for deployed heavy bombardment units in the overseas combat theaters.