Nonstop flight route between Rapid City, South Dakota, United States and Arecibo, Puerto Rico:

About this route:

A direct, nonstop flight between Ellsworth Air Force Base (RCA), Rapid City, South Dakota, United States and Antonio (Nery) Juarbe Pol Airport (ARE), Arecibo, Puerto Rico would travel a Great Circle distance of 2,750 miles (or 4,425 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 Antonio (Nery) Juarbe Pol 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 Antonio (Nery) Juarbe Pol 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):

• Ellsworth AFB is 10 miles east of Rapid City, S.D.
• 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".
• Shortly after additional runway improvements, in July 1949, the 28 BMW began conversion from B-29s to the huge B-36 Peacemaker.
• The 44th Missile Wing, however, had ably accomplished its deterrence mission.
• An Army Air-Defense Command Post was established at Ellsworth in 1960 for Nike missile command-and-control functions.
• 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.

Facts about Antonio (Nery) Juarbe Pol Airport (ARE):

• The closest airport to Antonio (Nery) Juarbe Pol Airport (ARE) is Dorado Airport (DDP), which is located 25 miles (40 kilometers) E of ARE.
• Because of Antonio (Nery) Juarbe Pol Airport's relatively low elevation of 23 feet, planes can take off or land at Antonio (Nery) Juarbe Pol 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.
• Antonio (Nery) Juarbe Pol Airport (ARE) currently has only 1 runway.
• Antonio Juarbe Pol Airport is a public use airport located three nautical miles of the central business district of Arecibo, Puerto Rico.
• The furthest airport from Antonio (Nery) Juarbe Pol Airport (ARE) is Barrow Island Airport (BWB), which is nearly antipodal to Antonio (Nery) Juarbe Pol Airport (meaning Antonio (Nery) Juarbe Pol Airport is almost on the exact opposite side of the Earth from Barrow Island Airport), and is located 12,222 miles (19,669 kilometers) away in Barrow Island, Western Australia, Australia.
• In addition to being known as "Antonio (Nery) Juarbe Pol Airport", another name for ARE is "ABO".
• The airport was named after a prominent Arecibo born businessman and pilot, who perished along with his wife and two passengers, on a flight from Isla Grande airport in San Juan to Arecibo on Mother's day, 1979.