Nonstop flight route between Launceston, Tasmania, Australia and Rapid City, South Dakota, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Launceston Airport (LST), Launceston, Tasmania, Australia and Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA), Rapid City, South Dakota, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,983 miles (or 14,457 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 Launceston 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 Launceston 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 Launceston Airport (LST):

• The furthest airport from Launceston Airport (LST) is Corvo Airport (CVU), which is nearly antipodal to Launceston Airport (meaning Launceston Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Corvo Airport), and is located 12,280 miles (19,763 kilometers) away in Corvo Island, Azores, Portugal.
• The closest airport to Launceston Airport (LST) is George Town Aerodrome (GEE), which is located 38 miles (60 kilometers) NNW of LST.
• Because of Launceston Airport's relatively low elevation of 562 feet, planes can take off or land at Launceston 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.
• Launceston Airport (LST) has 3 runways.
• On 29 May 2003, Qantas Flight 1737 – en route from Melbourne Airport – was hijacked shortly after takeoff.
• Launceston Airport terminal has recently undergone a A$20 million redevelopment, the largest expansion in its history.

Facts about Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA):

• 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.
• The mission of the 28th Bomb Wing is to deliver decisive combat power for global response.
• The airfield was again temporarily shut down from September 1946 – March 1947 and underwent a major construction program to upgrade the temporary wartime facilities to that of a permanent base.
• 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.
• 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.