Nonstop flight route between Rapid City, South Dakota, United States and Ajaccio, Corsica, France:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA), Rapid City, South Dakota, United States and Napoleon Bonaparte Airport (AJA), Ajaccio, Corsica, France would travel a Great Circle distance of 5,151 miles (or 8,289 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 Napoleon Bonaparte 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 Napoleon Bonaparte 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):

• In October 1960, Ellsworth entered the "Space Age," with the activation of the 850th Strategic Missile Squadron, initially assigned to the 28 BMW.
• 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.
• When operations resumed in 1947 the base was a new United States Air Force asset.
• Rapid City AAB was reactivated on 11 October 1945 and was assigned to Continental Air Force.
• 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.
• 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.
• Rapid City AAF was assigned to the 17th Bombardment Training Wing, II Bomber Command.

Facts about Napoleon Bonaparte Airport (AJA):

• The furthest airport from Napoleon Bonaparte Airport (AJA) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is nearly antipodal to Napoleon Bonaparte Airport (meaning Napoleon Bonaparte Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Chatham Islands), and is located 12,140 miles (19,538 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
• The closest airport to Napoleon Bonaparte Airport (AJA) is Figari-Sud Corse Airport (Figari South Corsica Airport) (FSC), which is located 33 miles (53 kilometers) SSE of AJA.
• Napoleon Bonaparte Airport (AJA) currently has only 1 runway.
• Because of Napoleon Bonaparte Airport's relatively low elevation of 17 feet, planes can take off or land at Napoleon Bonaparte 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.
• Campo dell'Oro before aviation was an alluvial plain at the mouth of the Gravona.
• In addition to being known as "Napoleon Bonaparte Airport", another name for AJA is "Aéroport d'Ajaccio Napoléon Bonaparte".
• Ajaccio Napoleon Bonaparte Airport, formerly Campo dell'Oro Airport, is the main airport serving Ajaccio on the French island of Corsica.
• In 1944 the United States Army Air Forces took over the airport and put down a hard surface of perforated metallic mats from which a squadron of P-51's flew.