Nonstop flight route between Mesa, Arizona, United States and Rapid City, South Dakota, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Falcon Field (MSC), Mesa, Arizona, United States and Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA), Rapid City, South Dakota, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 872 miles (or 1,403 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 relatively short distance between Falcon Field and Ellsworth Air Force Base, the route shown on this map most likely still appears to be a straight line.

Departure Airport Information:

Arrival Airport Information:

Facts about Falcon Field (MSC):

• From 1945-65 the field was leased out to industrial interests, including Talley Defense Systems, Astro Rocket Inc., Rocket Power Inc., the Gabriel Company and others.
• The furthest airport from Falcon Field (MSC) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 11,443 miles (18,416 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.
• Eventually it became a civil airfield, and is now owned and operated by the city of Mesa.
• In addition to being known as "Falcon Field", other names for MSC include "Falcon Field Army Airfield" and "FFZ".
• The closest airport to Falcon Field (MSC) is Phoenix–Mesa Gateway Airport (AZA), which is located only 11 miles (18 kilometers) SSE of MSC.
• Falcon Field (MSC) has 2 runways.
• Falcon Field is in Maricopa County, Arizona six miles northeast of Mesa, which owns it.

Facts about Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA):

• The 44th Missile Wing, however, had ably accomplished its deterrence mission.
• Rapid City AAF was assigned to the 17th Bombardment Training Wing, II Bomber Command.
• 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 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.
• Military organizations periodically upgrade manpower and machines from time to time to meet new national security requirements and Ellsworth Air Force Base's organizations were no exception.
• In addition to being known as "Ellsworth Air Force Base", another name for RCA is "Ellsworth AFB".
• 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.