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

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Tocumen International Airport (PTY), Panama City, Panama and Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA), Rapid City, South Dakota, United States would travel a Great Circle distance of 2,809 miles (or 4,520 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 Tocumen 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 Tocumen 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 Tocumen International Airport (PTY):

• In addition to being known as "Tocumen International Airport", another name for PTY is "Aeropuerto Internacional de Tocumen".
• Tocumen International Airport handled 7,784,328 passengers last year.
• During World War II, Panamanian airports were leased exclusively by the U.S.
• The furthest airport from Tocumen International Airport (PTY) is Cocos (Keeling) Island Airport (CCK), which is nearly antipodal to Tocumen International Airport (meaning Tocumen International Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Cocos (Keeling) Island Airport), and is located 12,101 miles (19,475 kilometers) away in Cocos Islands, Australia.
• Tocumen International Airport (PTY) has 2 runways.
• The closest airport to Tocumen International Airport (PTY) is Albrook "Marcos A. Gelabert" International Airport (PAC), which is located only 14 miles (22 kilometers) WSW of PTY.
• The name of the airport was changed in 1981 by the military government for Omar Torrijos International Airport, in honor to the Panamanian leader who died in July 31, 1981, at the age of 52 in a plane crash in Cerro Marta, Coclesito in very bad conditions.
• The next step of the modernization project was the purchasing of new equipment to provide service and support to the common areas of the airport.
• Because of Tocumen International Airport's relatively low elevation of 135 feet, planes can take off or land at Tocumen 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):

• 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.
• When operations resumed in 1947 the base was a new United States Air Force asset.
• 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.
• The 12th Air Division moved to Ellsworth on 15 July 1988.
• 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 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.