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

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA), Rapid City, South Dakota, United States and Andøya Airport, Andenes (ANX), Andenes, Norway would travel a Great Circle distance of 4,018 miles (or 6,466 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 Andøya Airport, Andenes, 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 Andøya Airport, Andenes. 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):

• 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's population of approximately 8,000 includes military members, family members and civilian employees.
• 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.
• An AN/MPS-14 height-finder radar was added in 1956.
• 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".
• 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.
• The installation changed names a few more times during its early years.
• The 12th Air Division moved to Ellsworth on 15 July 1988.
• Ellsworth AFB is 10 miles east of Rapid City, S.D.

Facts about Andøya Airport, Andenes (ANX):

• Andøya Air Station was built with North Atlantic Treaty Organization funds as a combined Supreme Allied Commander Europe and Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic project as a base for maritime surveillance.
• Andøya Airport, Andenes handled 48,254 passengers last year.
• Because of Andøya Airport, Andenes's relatively low elevation of 43 feet, planes can take off or land at Andøya Airport, Andenes 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.
• The furthest airport from Andøya Airport, Andenes (ANX) is Chatham Islands (CHT), which is located 10,620 miles (17,092 kilometers) away in Waitangi, Chatham Islands, New Zealand.
• All four people on board were killed when a private Cessna 172 crashed west of the airport just after take-off on 31 July 1988.
• The closest airport to Andøya Airport, Andenes (ANX) is Stokmarknes Airport, Skagen (SKN), which is located 56 miles (91 kilometers) SSW of ANX.
• Andøya Airport, Andenes (ANX) currently has only 1 runway.
• In addition to being known as "Andøya Airport, Andenes", another name for ANX is "Andøya lufthavn, Andenes".
• Widerøe serves Andenes with Dash 8 aircraft on public service obligations with the Ministry of Transport and Communications.