Nonstop flight route between Moorea, Windward Islands, French Polynesia and Rapid City, South Dakota, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Moorea Airport (MOZ), Moorea, Windward Islands, French Polynesia and Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA), Rapid City, South Dakota, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,177 miles (or 8,331 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 Moorea 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 Moorea 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 Moorea Airport (MOZ):

• Moorea Airport (MOZ) currently has only 1 runway.
• The closest airport to Moorea Airport (MOZ) is Fa'a'ā International Airport (PPT), which is located only 11 miles (18 kilometers) ESE of MOZ.
• Because of Moorea Airport's relatively low elevation of 16 feet, planes can take off or land at Moorea 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 furthest airport from Moorea Airport (MOZ) is El Debba Airport (EDB), which is nearly antipodal to Moorea Airport (meaning Moorea Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from El Debba Airport), and is located 12,377 miles (19,918 kilometers) away in El Debba (Al Dabbah), Sudan.
• In addition to being known as "Moorea Airport", other names for MOZ include "Aéroport de Moorea" and "Moorea Temae Airport".

Facts about Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA):

• The 12th Air Division moved to Ellsworth on 15 July 1988.
• Rapid City AAB was reactivated on 11 October 1945 and was assigned to Continental Air Force.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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 installation changed names a few more times during its early years.
• 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.
• 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.
• Ellsworth AFB was established in 1941 as Rapid City Army Air Base.