Nonstop flight route between Rapid City, South Dakota, United States and Aksu, Xinjiang, China:
Departure Airport:
(44°8'47"N by 103°4'28"W)
Arrival Airport:
(41°15'45"N by 80°17'30"E)
Distance from RCA to AKU:
6,531.92 miles (10,512.08 km)
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Jump to:
- About this route
- RCA Airport Information
- AKU Airport Information
- Facts about RCA
- Facts about AKU
- Map of Nearest Airports to RCA
- List of Nearest Airports to RCA
- Map of Furthest Airports from RCA
- List of Furthest Airports from RCA
- Map of Nearest Airports to AKU
- List of Nearest Airports to AKU
- Map of Furthest Airports from AKU
- List of Furthest Airports from AKU
About this route:
A direct, nonstop flight between Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA), Rapid City, South Dakota, United States and Aksu Airport (AKU), Aksu, Xinjiang, China would travel a Great Circle distance of 6,532 miles (or 10,512 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 Aksu 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 Aksu Airport. You'll see that it will travel the same route of the red line on this map!
Departure Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | RCA / KRCA |
| Airport Names: |
|
| Location: | Rapid City, South Dakota, United States |
| GPS Coordinates: | 44°8'47"N by 103°4'28"W |
| View all routes: | Routes from RCA |
| More Information: | RCA Maps & Info |
Arrival Airport Information:
| IATA / ICAO Codes: | AKU / ZWAK |
| Airport Names: |
|
| Location: | Aksu, Xinjiang, China |
| GPS Coordinates: | 41°15'45"N by 80°17'30"E |
| Area Served: | Aksu, Xinjiang, People's Republic of China |
| Airport Type: | Public |
| Elevation: | 3816 feet (1,163 meters) |
| # of Runways: | 1 |
| View all routes: | Routes from AKU |
| More Information: | AKU Maps & Info |
Facts about Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA):
- 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.
- Ellsworth AFB was established in 1941 as Rapid City Army Air Base.
- In October 1960, Ellsworth entered the "Space Age," with the activation of the 850th Strategic Missile Squadron, initially assigned to the 28 BMW.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Facts about Aksu Airport (AKU):
- In addition to being known as "Aksu Airport", other names for AKU include "阿克苏机场" and "Ākèsù Jīchǎng".
- Aksu Airport (AKU) currently has only 1 runway.
- The closest airport to Aksu Airport (AKU) is Kuqa Qiuci Airport (KCA), which is located 143 miles (230 kilometers) ENE of AKU.
- The furthest airport from Aksu Airport (AKU) is Mataveri International Airport (IPC), which is located 11,317 miles (18,214 kilometers) away in Easter Island, Chile.
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 7.04 miles (11.33 km) S | Rapid City Regional Airport (RAP) | Rapid City, South Dakota, United States |     |
| 2 | 41.93 miles (67.49 km) WNW | Black Hills Airport (SPF) | Spearfish, South Dakota, United States | |
| 3 | 82.62 miles (132.96 km) SSE | Pine Ridge Airport (XPR) | Pine Ridge, South Dakota, United States | |
| 4 | 90.44 miles (145.55 km) S | Chadron Municipal Airport (CDR) | Chadron, Nebraska, United States | |
| 5 | 122.78 miles (197.60 km) W | Gillette–Campbell County Airport (GCC) | Gillette, Wyoming, United States | |
| 6 | 138.94 miles (223.59 km) E | Pierre Regional Airport (PIR) | Pierre, South Dakota, United States | |
| 7 | 142.03 miles (228.58 km) N | Bowman Municipal Airport (BWM) | Bowman, North Dakota, United States | |
| 8 | 145.26 miles (233.77 km) S | Alliance Municipal Airport (AIA) | Alliance, Nebraska, United States | |
| 9 | 148.71 miles (239.33 km) SW | Converse County Airport (DGW) | Douglas, Wyoming, United States | |
| 10 | 153.78 miles (247.49 km) SSW | Torrington Municipal Airport (TOR) | Torrington, Wyoming, United States | |
| 11 | 154.79 miles (249.12 km) SE | Miller Field (VTN) | Valentine, Nebraska, United States | |
| 12 | 159.20 miles (256.21 km) S | Western Nebraska Regional Airport (BFF) | Scottsbluff, Nebraska, United States | |
| 13 | 162.60 miles (261.68 km) NE | Mobridge Municipal Airport (MBG) | Mobridge, South Dakota, United States | |
| 14 | 183.63 miles (295.52 km) N | Dickinson Theodore Roosevelt Regional Airport (DIK) | Dickinson, North Dakota, United States | |
| 15 | 188.89 miles (303.99 km) SE | Ainsworth Regional Airport (ANW) | Ainsworth, Nebraska, United States | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 10,579.32 miles (17,025.72 km) SSE | Sir Gaëtan Duval Airport (RRG) | Rodrigues Island, Mauritius | |
| 2 | 10,460.72 miles (16,834.85 km) SE | Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport (MRU) | Plaisance, Mauritius | |
| 3 | 10,437.71 miles (16,797.83 km) SE | Pierrefonds Airport (ZSE) | Saint-Pierre, Réunion | |
| 4 | 10,415.77 miles (16,762.51 km) SE | Roland Garros Airport (RUN) | St Denis, Réunion, France | |
| 5 | 10,301.11 miles (16,577.99 km) ESE | Tôlanaro Airport (FTU) | Tôlanaro, Madagascar | |
| 6 | 10,292.17 miles (16,563.61 km) W | Margaret River Airport (MGV) | Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 7 | 10,268.77 miles (16,525.95 km) W | Busselton Regional Airport (BQB) | Busselton, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 8 | 10,252.53 miles (16,499.80 km) W | Manjimup Airport (MJP) | Manjimup, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 9 | 10,244.09 miles (16,486.22 km) W | Bunbury Airport (BUY) | Bunbury, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 10 | 10,200.19 miles (16,415.58 km) W | Rottnest Airport (RTS) | Rottnest Island, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 11 | 10,193.03 miles (16,404.05 km) W | Albany Airport (ALH) | Albany, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 12 | 10,186.88 miles (16,394.16 km) W | Jandakot Airport (JAD) | Jandakot, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 13 | 10,186.40 miles (16,393.38 km) ESE | Ampanihy Airport (AMP) | Ampanihy, Madagascar | |
| 14 | 10,176.73 miles (16,377.83 km) W | Perth Airport (PER) | Perth, Western Australia, Australia | |
| 15 | 10,162.30 miles (16,354.60 km) SE | Mananjary Airport (MNJ) | Mananjary, Madagascar | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 143.00 miles (230.13 km) ENE | Kuqa Qiuci Airport (KCA) | Kuqa, Xinjiang, China | |
| 2 | 193.44 miles (311.30 km) NNE | Yining Airport (YIN) | Yining, Xinjiang, China | |
| 3 | 217.61 miles (350.21 km) NE | Nalati Airport (NLT) | Künes, Xinjiang, China | |
| 4 | 220.04 miles (354.13 km) NW | Almaty International Airport (ALA) | Almaty, Kazakhstan | |
| 5 | 254.18 miles (409.06 km) WSW | Kashgar Airport (KHG) | Kashgar, Xinjiang, China | |
| 6 | 270.64 miles (435.56 km) NNE | Bole Alashankou Airport (BPL) | Bole, Xinjiang, China | |
| 7 | 292.74 miles (471.11 km) S | Hotan Airport (HTN) | Hotan, Xinjiang, China | |
| 8 | 304.01 miles (489.25 km) E | Korla Airport (KRL) | Korla, Xinjiang, China | |
| 9 | 322.58 miles (519.14 km) WNW | Manas International Airport (FRU) | Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan | |
| 10 | 351.85 miles (566.25 km) SE | Qiemo Airport (IQM) | Qiemo, Xinjiang, China | |
| 11 | 372.93 miles (600.16 km) NE | Karamay Airport (KRY) | Karamay, Xinjiang, China | |
| 12 | 393.87 miles (633.87 km) W | Osh International Airport (OSS) | Osh, Kyrgyzstan | |
| 13 | 408.33 miles (657.14 km) ENE | Ürümqi Diwopu International Airport (URC) | Ürümqi, Xinjiang, China | |
| 14 | 418.56 miles (673.61 km) W | Andizhan International Airport (AZN) | Andizhan, Uzbekistan | |
| 15 | 451.10 miles (725.97 km) W | Fergana International Airport (FEG) | Fergana, Uzbekistan | |
| Rank | Distance & Direction | Airport Name & IATA Code | Airport Location | Further Actions |
| 1 | 11,317.49 miles (18,213.69 km) SSE | Mataveri International Airport (IPC) | Easter Island, Chile | |
| 2 | 11,105.13 miles (17,871.93 km) WSW | Gamboa Airport (WCA) | Castro, Chile | |
| 3 | 11,102.01 miles (17,866.91 km) W | Pupelde Airfield (ZUD) | Ancud, Los Lagos Region, Chile | |
| 4 | 11,101.16 miles (17,865.54 km) WSW | Mocopulli Airport (MHC) | Castro, Los Lagos, Chile | |
| 5 | 11,061.81 miles (17,802.21 km) W | El Tepual International Airport (PMC) | Puerto Montt, Chile | |
| 6 | 11,057.05 miles (17,794.55 km) W | Frutillar Airport (FRT) | Frutillar, Chile | |
| 7 | 11,053.30 miles (17,788.51 km) WSW | Chaitén Airfield (WCH) | Chaitén, Los Lagos, Chile | |
| 8 | 11,050.65 miles (17,784.25 km) W | Cañal Bajo Carlos Hott Siebert Airport (ZOS) | Osorno, Chile | |
| 9 | 11,040.58 miles (17,768.05 km) WSW | Cochrane Airfield (LGR) | Cochrane, Chile | |
| 10 | 11,038.24 miles (17,764.28 km) W | Pichoy Airport (ZAL) | Valdivia, Chile | |
| 11 | 11,027.27 miles (17,746.63 km) WSW | Teniente Vidal Airfield (GXQ) | Coyhaique, Chile | |
| 12 | 11,006.17 miles (17,712.66 km) WSW | Balmaceda Airport (BBA) | Balmaceda, Chile | |
| 13 | 11,003.00 miles (17,707.57 km) WSW | Chile Chico Airfield (CCH) | Chile Chico, Aisén Region, Chile | |
| 14 | 10,999.82 miles (17,702.45 km) W | Maquehue Airport (ZCO) | Temuco, Araucanía, Chile | |
| 15 | 10,986.88 miles (17,681.62 km) WSW | El Bolsón Airport (EHL) | El Bolsón, Río Negro, Argentina | |