Nonstop flight route between Chişinău, Moldova and Rapid City, South Dakota, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Chișinău International Airport (KIV), Chişinău, Moldova and Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA), Rapid City, South Dakota, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,498 miles (or 8,849 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 Chișinău International 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 Chișinău International 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 Chișinău International Airport (KIV):

• The furthest airport from Chișinău International Airport (KIV) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is located 11,191 miles (18,011 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
• Chișinău International Airport handled 1,321,362 passengers last year.
• Because of Chișinău International Airport's relatively low elevation of 399 feet, planes can take off or land at Chișinău 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.
• In addition to being known as "Chișinău International Airport", another name for KIV is "Aeroportul Internațional Chișinău".
• Chișinău International Airport (KIV) currently has only 1 runway.
• There are bus lines and rutieră vans frequently departing from the airport.
• The first scheduled flights to Chișinău started on 24 June 1926, on the route Bucharest – Galați – Chișinău and Iași.
• There is a currency exchange area located in the front lobby, although the exchange rates are slightly higher than in the city.
• The closest airport to Chișinău International Airport (KIV) is Iași International Airport (IAS), which is located 64 miles (103 kilometers) WNW of KIV.
• In 2002, following works by the Turkish company Akfen Holding, the airport was modernized.

Facts about Ellsworth Air Force Base (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.
• An Army Air-Defense Command Post was established at Ellsworth in 1960 for Nike missile command-and-control functions.
• In October 1960, Ellsworth entered the "Space Age," with the activation of the 850th Strategic Missile Squadron, initially assigned to the 28 BMW.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• In addition to being known as "Ellsworth Air Force Base", another name for RCA is "Ellsworth AFB".