Nonstop flight route between Monastir, Tunisia and Rapid City, South Dakota, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Monastir Habib Bourguiba International Airport (MIR), Monastir, Tunisia and Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA), Rapid City, South Dakota, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,535 miles (or 8,908 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 Monastir Habib Bourguiba 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 Monastir Habib Bourguiba 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 Monastir Habib Bourguiba International Airport (MIR):

• Monastir Habib Bourguiba International Airport handled 3,831,924 passengers last year.
• During World War II, the airport was known as Monastir Airfield and was used by the United States Army Air Forces Twelfth Air Force 81st Fighter Group during the North African Campaign.
• In addition to being known as "Monastir Habib Bourguiba International Airport", other names for MIR include "Aéroport International de Monastir–Habib Bourguiba" and "مطار الحبيب بورقيبة الدولي".
• Monastir Habib Bourguiba International Airport (MIR) currently has only 1 runway.
• The furthest airport from Monastir Habib Bourguiba International Airport (MIR) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is located 11,762 miles (18,929 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
• The airport activity is mainly due to the movement of tourists coming to visit Monastir, Sousse and the surrounding resorts.
• The closest airport to Monastir Habib Bourguiba International Airport (MIR) is Enfidha–Hammamet International Airport (NBE), which is located 28 miles (45 kilometers) NW of MIR.
• Because of Monastir Habib Bourguiba International Airport's relatively low elevation of 9 feet, planes can take off or land at Monastir Habib Bourguiba 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.

Facts about Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA):

• Ellsworth Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located approximately 10 miles northeast of Rapid City, South Dakota just north of Box Elder, South Dakota.
• 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.
• Ellsworth's population of approximately 8,000 includes military members, family members and civilian employees.
• In October 1960, Ellsworth entered the "Space Age," with the activation of the 850th Strategic Missile Squadron, initially assigned to the 28 BMW.
• 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 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.
• Shortly after additional runway improvements, in July 1949, the 28 BMW began conversion from B-29s to the huge B-36 Peacemaker.
• 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 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.
• An Army Air-Defense Command Post was established at Ellsworth in 1960 for Nike missile command-and-control functions.
• In addition to being known as "Ellsworth Air Force Base", another name for RCA is "Ellsworth AFB".
• Air Defense Command deactivated the Ellsworth radar site on 15 August 1962 and the 740th was discontinued.