Nonstop flight route between Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico and Rapid City, South Dakota, United States:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Piedras Negras International Airport (PDS), Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico and Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA), Rapid City, South Dakota, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 1,081 miles (or 1,740 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 Piedras Negras International Airport 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 Piedras Negras International Airport (PDS):

• Because of Piedras Negras International Airport's relatively low elevation of 901 feet, planes can take off or land at Piedras Negras 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.
• Piedras Negras International Airport (PDS) currently has only 1 runway.
• The furthest airport from Piedras Negras International Airport (PDS) is Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG), which is located 11,253 miles (18,110 kilometers) away in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius.
• The closest airport to Piedras Negras International Airport (PDS) is Laughlin Air Force Base (DLF), which is located 53 miles (85 kilometers) NNW of PDS.
• In addition to being known as "Piedras Negras International Airport", another name for PDS is "Aeropuerto Internacional de Piedras Negras".

Facts about Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA):

• Ellsworth AFB was established in 1941 as Rapid City Army Air Base.
• Air Defense Command deactivated the Ellsworth radar site on 15 August 1962 and the 740th was discontinued.
• Rapid City AAB was reactivated on 11 October 1945 and was assigned to Continental Air Force.
• 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.
• When operations resumed in 1947 the base was a new United States Air Force asset.
• In addition to being known as "Ellsworth Air Force Base", another name for RCA is "Ellsworth AFB".
• 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.
• Internationally, the destruction of the Berlin Wall in October 1989 symbolized the imminent demise of the Soviet Union over the next several months.
• 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.