Nonstop flight route between Rapid City, South Dakota, United States and Aberdeen, Scotland, United Kingdom:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA), Rapid City, South Dakota, United States and Aberdeen International Airport (ABZ), Aberdeen, Scotland, United Kingdom would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,090 miles (or 6,582 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 Ellsworth Air Force Base and Aberdeen International Airport, 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 Ellsworth Air Force Base and Aberdeen International Airport. 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 Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA):

• Air Defense Command deactivated the Ellsworth radar site on 15 August 1962 and the 740th was discontinued.
• In addition to being known as "Ellsworth Air Force Base", another name for RCA is "Ellsworth AFB".
• 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.
• The airfield was again temporarily shut down from September 1946 – March 1947 and underwent a major construction program to upgrade the temporary wartime facilities to that of a permanent base.
• 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 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.
• Ellsworth AFB was established in 1941 as Rapid City Army Air Base.

Facts about Aberdeen International Airport (ABZ):

• Aberdeen International Airport handled 3,440,765 passengers last year.
• The furthest airport from Aberdeen International Airport (ABZ) is Ryan's Creek Aerodrome (SZS), which is located 11,616 miles (18,694 kilometers) away in Stewart Island, New Zealand.
• Aberdeen International Airport (ABZ) currently has only 1 runway.
• General aviation flight training for private pilots licenses takes place from the East Side of the airport and located in the ground Handling agents premises.
• In addition to being known as "Aberdeen International Airport", other names for ABZ include "Aberdeen/Dyce Airport" and "Port-adhair Obar Dheathain".
• A significant wartime event occurred in May 1943 when a German, Junkers Ju 88 fighter-bomber landed here.
• The airport has one main passenger terminal, serving scheduled and charter holiday flights.
• The closest airport to Aberdeen International Airport (ABZ) is RAF Lossiemouth (LMO), which is located 55 miles (88 kilometers) NW of ABZ.
• Because of Aberdeen International Airport's relatively low elevation of 215 feet, planes can take off or land at Aberdeen 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.
• Refurbishment work will see the installation of a segregated walkway for passengers, as well significant enhancements to the international arrivals hall and improvements to jet parking stands.