Nonstop flight route between Marcoola, Queensland, Australia and Rapid City, South Dakota, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Sunshine-Coast-Airport (MCY), Marcoola, Queensland, Australia and Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA), Rapid City, South Dakota, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 8,134 miles (or 13,091 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 Sunshine-Coast-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 Sunshine-Coast-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 Sunshine-Coast-Airport (MCY):

• On 3 June 2010, the airport changed its name from 'Maroochydore-Sunshine Coast Airport' to Sunshine Coast Airport and changed its ICAO code from YBMC to YBSU.
• Sunshine Coast Airport is an Australian airport serving Sunshine Coast, Queensland.
• Sunshine-Coast-Airport (MCY) has 2 runways.
• Because of Sunshine-Coast-Airport's relatively low elevation of 15 feet, planes can take off or land at Sunshine-Coast-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.
• For shuttle transfers to Noosa and northern suburbs, Henrys Airport Shuttle offers a similar door-to-door service as well as Quicksilver Limousines operate a door to door service to all suburbs and further afield.
• The airport master plan proposes building a new 2,450 m Runway 13/31 some time before 2020.
• The furthest airport from Sunshine-Coast-Airport (MCY) is La Palma Airport (SPC), which is located 11,859 miles (19,086 kilometers) away in La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain.
• The closest airport to Sunshine-Coast-Airport (MCY) is Caloundra Airport (CUD), which is located only 14 miles (22 kilometers) S of MCY.
• As of April 2014, the only scheduled domestic routes are to southern state capitals, Sydney and Melbourne, Australia.

Facts about Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA):

• The 44th Missile Wing, however, had ably accomplished its deterrence mission.
• In addition to being known as "Ellsworth Air Force Base", another name for RCA is "Ellsworth AFB".
• Rapid City AAF was assigned to the 17th Bombardment Training Wing, II Bomber Command.
• The installation changed names a few more times during its early years.
• 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 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 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.
• 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.